C 459 3 
Gerard gives the fame Defcript ion of it, and Parkinfon, 
in his Theatrum , yet more fully, ^.501. viz. That 
the Leaves lie round about the Root in Order one by 
another, thereby refembling the Form of a Star, and 
therefore called Herb a Stella ; by which Name, 
among others, it is called by Cafalpinus , Lobel,&c. 
But who ever met with the Name Stellaria, or Stella 
Terrce, among the Synonyma of the Sefamoides in 
any Botanic Writer before Mr. Ray , who afterwards 
retraced it, as has been fully proved ?). In that Part 
of Norfolk where I was born, not far from Norwich , 
towards the Sea coaft, where the Bucks-horn Plant 
grows abundantly, there was great Ufe made of it 
when I was but a Lad, and always with good Succefs, 
fo far as ever I could hear. One Story I can tell of 
my own Knowledge, which may feem too trifling to 
mention, were it not to fhew the Efficacy of the 
Simple. About 40 Years ago, when I lived at a Place 
called Hebenham in Suffolk , a Perfon unknown to 
me, having heard that I knew an Herb that was good 
againft the Bite of aMad-Dog, fent to defire a Sample 
of it, with Directions how to ufe it; and fome time 
after I had half a Dozen fine Chickens brought me. 
I asked whence they came? It was anfwered from 
fuch a one (the Name I have now forgot). I laid I 
did not know him : To which the Reply was, That 
it was the Man to whom I had fent the Plantain, 
which had faved the Lives of half a dozen Hogs of 
his, that had been bitten by a Mad Dog 5 and he 
thought the leaft he could do was to fend me half a 
Dozen Chickens as a Token of his Gratitude. After 
all, I will not be pofitive, that the Lychnis , or Catch - 
fly , is not good contra morfum Cants rabidi ; but I 
am 
