Ripton, and Mackershaw Woods, Yorkshire. Rev. J. Dalton, ibid. — On the 
banks of the brook near Chudleigh Rock ; and in a field near Moreton, Devon. 
Rev. J. Pike Jones, ibid. — In a field near Wedgnock Park, towards Warwick. 
Mr. Perry, ibid. — In the Hop-grounds on both sides of the road between 
Sibble and Castle Hedingham, Kssex. Mr. Graves, in Hook. FI. Lond. — 
Not uncommon in Sussex, but scarcely indigenous. Mr. Bokrer, in Bot. 
Guide. — About Enborne, Berks, plentiful, but probably an outcast, originally, 
from gardens. Mr. Bicheno, in Dr. Mavor’s Survey of Berks, p.257. — Apple- 
ton and Besselsleigh, Berks. Miss Hoskins. — In afield near Carshal ton, Sur- 
rey, in great abundance. Mr. J. Biiich. — Near Yeovil, Somersetshire. Mag. 
Nat. Hist. v. iii. p. 174. — Pentraeth, Anglesea, among brush-wood, S. E. of 
the church. Rev. H. Davies, in Welsh Bot. — Banks about Castlemilk, Glas- 
gow, abundant. Air. Hopkirk, in Hook. FI. Scot. — Arniston Woods, Edin- 
burgh, in the greatest abundance, coveiing whole acres of ground. Messrs. 
Maugiian and Shuteh, ibid. 
Perennial. — Flowers in February and March. 
Root, a tunicated, egg-shaped bulb, scarcely an inch long, acrid, 
white, with many simple fibres. Leaves radical, (growing immedi- 
ately from the root,) in pairs, strap-shaped, keeled, entire, ending in 
a blunt, somewhat callous, point, and enclosed at the base in one 
common tabular, membranous sheath, or stipula. Scape (stalk) 
somewhat compressed, striated, from 4 to 8 inches high. Flowers 
nearly scentless, drooping, on a slender, terminal, partial stalk, which 
bursts from a membranous, 2-ribbed bractea or sheath (spatlia of 
Linn.) Petals six, pure white ; the three inner much shorter than 
the three outer, and marked on the outside, near the top, with a 
green blotch, and on the inside with about 7 yellowish green lines §. 
The early appearance of the Snowdrop, with its pure white blossoms, “ like 
pendent flakes of vegetating snow,” render it a general flavourite. It fre- 
quently begins flowering towards the end of January, is in full bloom during 
the following month, and hence called Fair Maid of February; during this 
pei iod it is the pride and oi nament of our gardens, but begins to decline early in 
March, and by the first of April is generally quite out of flower. 
Although this plant is found abundantly in many parts of Britain, as appears 
from the localities given above, yet, in consequence of its having been so long 
and so generally cultivated in gardens, it is doubted whether it is truly indigen- 
ous, many being of opinion that it may probably have originally escaped from 
cultivation. Be this as it may, its title to a place iri the British Flora seems 
well established, from the circumstance of its having become naturalized in so 
manv places. Ray and Dili enius omitted the Snowdrop in their Catalogue 
of British Plants, but how far they were right in so doing, is not now easy to 
determine. The late Mr. E. Robson was of opinion that it was certainly wild : 
and the author of that pleasing and interesting work, “ The Journal of a 
Naturalist,” says, that it is undoubtedly a native of our island, and that he 
has seen it in situations where nature only could introduce it, where it was 
never planted by the hand of man, or strayed from any neighbouring cultiva- 
tion ; yet he allows, that in most places where we find this flower, it is of ma- 
nifest or suspicious origin, and that with us it partakes of the latter character, 
though no remains of any ancient dwelling are observable near it. “ The Da- 
mask Rose, the Daffodil, or the stock of an old Bullace Plum,” says the same 
author, “ will long remain, and point out where once a cottage existed; but 
all these, and most other tokens, in time waste away and decay, while the 
Snowdrop will lemain, increase, and become the only memorial of man and 
his labours.” 
§ The Snowdrop retains the beautiful ovate form of its flower only in a low 
temperature ; warmth expands its petals and destroys its character. It beecmes 
double by cultivation, but never wanders into varieties, or changes its colour. — 
“ It was dedicated by the Romish Church to the Purification of the Vn gin 
Mary ; and it has been deemed the emblem of Consolation, as by its early re- 
vival from the death-like repose of winter, it cheers mortal man with the assur- 
ance of reanimation.” Withering.—" Some snowdrop-roots taken up in winter, 
and boiled, had the insipid mucilaginous taste of the Orchis, and if cured in the 
same manner, would probably make as good Salep.” Darwin. 
