V I 



Tree is of too clofe a Texture to ad- 

 mit the Seeds ftriking therein ; which 

 is alfo the Reafon it is fo rarely- 

 found upon that Tree: and not- 

 withstanding the great Encomiums 

 which have been given to theMifleto 

 of the Oak, for its Medicinal Vir- 

 tues; yet I can't help thinking, that 

 ' it is equally good, from whatever 

 Tree it be taken ; nor is it pofiible 

 to find this Plant growing in any 

 [Quantity upon the Oak; fo that 

 ! thofe Perfons who pretend to furnifh 

 the Town with it for phyfical Ufe, 

 do but impofe upon the World ; for 

 it is fo rarely met with, that when- 

 ever a Branch of an Oak-tree hath 

 any of thefe Plants growing upon it, 

 it is cut off, and preferv'd by the 

 Curious in their Collections of Na- 

 tural Curiofities- ; and of thefe there 

 are but few to be feen in England. 



As to what fome Perfons have af- 

 ferted of the Manner how it is pro- 

 pagated, from Tree to Tree, by the 

 Mifieto-thrufhes, which eat the Ber- 

 ries, and void the Seed in their Dung, 

 upon the Branches of Trees, where- 

 by the Seeds are ftuck thereon, and 

 take Root into the Bark, and pro- 

 duce frefti Plants, I can by no means 

 agree to ; fince if it were only this 

 vvay propagated, it would always be 

 found upon the Upper-part or the 

 bides of fuch Branches, upon which 

 :he Dung can only be fuppofed to 

 lodge ; whereas it is generally found 

 jpon the Under-fide of Branches, 

 *vhere it is almolt impofTible for thefe 

 Birds to caft their Dung ; befides, I 

 relieve the Stomachs of thefe Birds 

 ire too powerful Digefters to fuffer 

 my Seeds to pafs intire through the 

 fnteftines. But I mall leave this to 

 uch as have Leifure to make Ob- 

 servations in thofe Places where this 

 5 lant abounds ; and (hall add only a 

 hort Account of the Method us'd to 



v I 



make Birdlime, which may not be 

 improper to infert in this Place for 

 the Satisfaction of the Curious. 



The Italians make their Birdlime 

 of the Berries of Mifleto, heated and 

 mix'd with Oil, as that made of 

 Holly-bark; and, to make it bear the 

 Water, they add Turpentine. 



That which is commonly us'd 

 with us, is made of the Bark of 

 Holly ; which they boil for ten or 

 twelve Hours : and when the green 

 Coat is feparated from the other, 

 they cover it up for a Fortnight ia 

 a moift Place, pounded inco a tough 

 Parte, that no Fibres of the Wood 

 be left ; then they warn it in a run- 

 ning Stream till no Motes appear, 

 and put it up to ferment for four or 

 five Days, and fcum it as often as 

 any thing arifes, and then lay it up 

 for Ufe. When they ufe it, they in- 

 corporate with it a third Part of that 

 Oil over the Fire. 



The Birdlime that is brought from 

 Da ma feus is fuppofed to be made of 

 Sebeftens, their Kernels being fre- 

 quently found in it ; but this will 

 not endure either Froft or Wet. 



The Birdlime brought from Spain 

 is of an ill Smell. 



The Bark of our Lantone or Way- 

 faring Shrub, as it is faid, will make 

 Birdlime as good as the beft. 



VISNAGA, Spanifb Picktooth. 

 The Characters are ; 



// is an umbelliferous Plant, with 

 a rofe-jhaped Flower, confifiing of fe- 

 deral Petals, which rejl on the E/n- 

 palement ; which afterward becomes 

 the Fruit, compofed of two oblong fur- 

 row 1 d Seeds : to thefe Notes ?nufl be 

 added, The Leaves are finely di-vided 

 like Fenel ; and when the Flowers fall 

 off, the Umbel contracts together. 

 The Species are ; 



I . V i s n a c a feu Gingidium. Mor. 

 Vmb. Common Spanijfj Picktooth. 



2. Vis- 



