246 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



53. Echium Italicum, yXwoTrnrtroc, the name given by the Athenian 

 shepherds ; evidently a corruption of Lycopsis. 



54. Carthamus Corymbosus, ^a^aXeo, the ^a^aiXewv of Dioscorides. 

 It grows plentifully near the Piraeus ; it is called in Cyprus o)Ssp*tf 



55. Nigella Damascena, paQpoKOKKo ; in Cyprus, ptiufejazmitfctisiq', the 

 Turks sprinkle the seeds of this plant on their caimak, a favourite 

 dish ; and the Greeks, mixed with sesamum on their bread ; a very 

 ancient custom mentioned by Dioscorides. It is also called 7ro^ox°? TO 

 from the crackling of the scariose capsules. 



56. Amygdalus Communis Sylvestris, 7rittpoapv<y$a.\a, grows on the 

 way side from Athens to the Piraeus. The fruit being pounded is 

 rubbed on the skin in coming out of the bath. Hedges are frequently 

 formed of it for the vineyard, and the wood is employed for the tubes 

 of pipes. 



57. Conium Maculatum, puyyowx, and KocpovcZxi, grows abundantly 

 in the low grounds under the temple of Theseus. It is used like the 

 (phonos to poison fish. 



58. Salsola Fruticosa, ccxpv^u, the gathering of this in the marshes 

 adjoining to Phalerus to make soda is farmed at 500 piastres per 

 annum. The Cypriotes call it dtXpvgtSt ; it is esteemed by them an ex- 

 cellent fodder for camels ; they prepare from its ashes also an alkali 

 used in the manufacture of soap and glass. 



59. Pinus Picea, Ixutyi. The wood of the Silver fir is employed 

 by the carpenters for various purposes. In ship-building it furnishes 

 masts. It is found in Attica on Mount Parnes, where it grows in 

 great abundance. 



Mr. Hawkins observes that it grows in other parts of Greece on 

 the highest mountains ; it may not therefore now be much used 

 in ship-building ; the Greek navigators are able to procure very 

 strait poles of the wevKog from Thasos, or masts both of the Silver 

 fir, and Spruce fir from Fiume. 



Notes by the Editor. 



55. " Inter condimentarias herbas papaver et sesamum non postremum locum tene- 

 bant." Casaub. in Athen. 134. 

 57. See Du Cange in v. Mayyouva. 



