SELBORNIANA. 
61 
Wild tares ... ... Wood vetch 
Palms... ... ... Willow blossoms 
Lamb’s tails Hazel catkins 
Trembling grass ... Briza media 
Sow thistle I ... Milk thistle 
Swine thistle J ... (Carduus marianus) 
Bread and cheese ... First-green leaf buds of the 
hawthorn 
There is still a relic of superstition clinging to the blue speedwell, though the 
children laugh and tell me they “ don’t believe it tunv.” They say the flower 
belongs to the birds — and our servants, both country girls, tell me, that when 
children, they “ never durst gather it, lest the birds should fly after them and pick- 
out their eyes.” Hence, “Bird’s eye.” The origin of the name “ Mammy-die” 
is an equally doleful ditty. Our nurse-maids would never allow us to bring the 
flower into the house, or “ surely the mother would sicken and die.” Gather it 
we might, but we were obliged to cast it away before reaching home. The 
former, however, is the most familiar name. L. Hinchcliff. 
Gravyes.— The following extract is from Burn’s and Nicholson’s History of 
Cumberland and Westmoreland : — 
“ There are on Windermere Lake birds called Gravyes, which are larger than 
ducks, and build in hollow trees.” 
Can any of your subscribers or readers tell me what those birds are ? The 
History was published at the close of last century, and no one here (Windermere,) 
can tell me to what water fowl the name was applied. A. Ravvson. 
The Ladybird. — The Lady-bird, in Kent, is “ Fly-golding ; ” but Norfolk 
children used to say “ Beeshy Barnabee.” 
“ Beeshy, Beeshy, Barnabee, 
Tell me when your wedding be ; 
If ter be to-morrow day, 
Take your wings, and fly away. 
Let me protest by anticipation, as if were, against any emendation such as 
“ Bishop Barnaby,” or (in the lines) “if it be ; in classical Norfolk “here it is” 
is “ hutterbe.” F. M. Millard. 
The Plague of Rats. — The plague of rats all over England — also according 
to the papers in the Laccadive islands (how did they get there ?) — will probably 
attract more and more of public attention. Personally 1 prefer rats to mice. The 
noise they make rattling about under the floors and behind the wainscots, appears 
to me rather cheerful, and a decided improvement on the smell and the mess made 
by our domestic mouse. The sudden and total disappearance of the house-mice 
has seemed inexplicable until we found that rats had taken their place. I be- 
lieve the fact is well known that rats and mice do not agree. Until the last few 
months our house has been fairly furnished with mice, but quite free of rats. 
From all parts of the country there are accounts of the great increase of rats ; 
and it is a fact that in Norfolk and in the West of England there live landowners 
and some preservers who have ordered their keepers to cease from destroying 
hawks. There can be little doubt that the wholesale destruction of hawks, 
with cats, owls and other night birds, and of every other living creature that 
keepers trap or shoot under the name of vermin, has for one result this enormous 
multiplication of rats. Most persons would probably feel somewhat less annoyed 
by the knowledge that a few more hawks, &c., are likely to exist unmolested out- 
side their dwellings, than that swarms of rats had taken possession within. 
E. V. B. 
Miss Mitford’s “ Spicer.” — May I be permitted to ask if the plant which 
Miss Mitford describes in one of her charming sketches of “ Our Village ” as a 
recent introduction there, in her days, has ever been identified ? 
The passage occurs in the chapter headed “Dr. Tubb.” Miss Mitford’s 
descriptions of natural objects are so truthful and accurate, that unlike most of her 
ideal characters, the weed in question must have flourished in her neighbourhood, 
and excited the admiration and curiosity she narrates. I should much like to 
know whether it still survives, and has spread elsewhere. I have transcribed the 
passage relating to it. A. R. P. 
“ We found our gardens and all the gardens of this straggling village street, in 
