EngUJ!) Herbs 
99 
II. The Kinds. This Plant doubtlefs belongs to the 
tribe ol the Cowjlips , of which it is a Ipecial Kind, 
as being a !e fferfort. There are alfo two Species 
of Birds-Eye , viz. i. Paralyfis mmorflore rubro, the 
leffer Cowjlips which is alfo the WziBirds-Eye with 
Red Flowers.. 2. Paralyfis minor flore albo, the lef- 
Jer Cow/lip, which is the greater Birds-Eye with 
White Flowers. 
III. The Defcription. Red Birds-Eye, which is 
the f mailer Plants has Roots fmall white and threa- 
dy, from which arifes up a head of Leaves fo clofed 
together , that it feems a fmall white head : this af- 
terwards opening it felf fpreads round upon the 
ground , and has fmall long and narrow Leaves, f nipt 
about the edges, of a pale green colour, on the upper 
ftde, but very white or mealy underneath : among 
thefe Leaves rife up one or two Stalks, fmall and 
hoary, half a foot high, bearing at top a bufh or tuft 
of much f mailer flowers, Banding upon fhort Foot- 
ftalks,fomething like to Cowflips, but more like un- 
to Bears-Ears, of a fine reddi fk purple colour, in fome 
deeper, in others paler, with a yellowifh Circle in 
the bottoms of the Flowers, like unto many of the 
Bears-Ears, of a faint, but little fcent •, after which 
comes a Seed, f mailer than that of Cowflips. 
IV. White Birds-Eye, which is the greater of the 
two, differs little from the former, fave that it is a 
little larger both in its Leaf and Flower, and that 
the Flowers hereof are wholly white, without any 
great appearance of a Circle in the bottom of them, 
unlefs it is well obfei'ved, at leaf it is not fo con- 
fpicuous as the former : both thefe Kinds of Cow- 
flips have fometimes, though but feldom, from the 
midjl of the Flower on the Stalk, fent forth another 
fmall Stalk, bearing Flowers thereon likewife. 
V. The Places. They have been found growing 
wild in Clofes and Pafture Grounds in many places 
of England, from whence they have been transplan- 
ted into Gardens for the pleafantnefs of their 
Flowers. 
VI. The Times. The Red Birds-Eye, for all the 
care and induftry we can ufe to keep it, will fcarce- 
ly endure in our Gardens, but all the Winter long* 
till the Spring begins, its Leaves are fo clofed to- 
gether, that it feems a white head of Leaves. They 
both flower in the Spring of the Year, fome earlier, 
and fome later, according to the mildnels of the 
Seafon. 
VII. The ^dualities. Specification, Preparations and 
Virtues are the fame with thofe of Cowflips, and 
therefore referring you thither, we fhall fa y no more 
concerning the lame in this place. 
CHAP. LXXIII. 
BIRD S-NES T. 
T H E Names. It is called in Greek by Dodo- 
neus, N.St7;« : and in Latin, Neottia , Niitts 
Avis : by Gefner , it is called, Orobanche : by Lobe/, 
Satyrtum ciborttvum, and Orchis abortive : but we in 
Englifh call it Birds-Neft, or Goofe-NeJ ?, from the 
Platting of the Roots, like the lticks and ftraws of 
a Crozes or Birds-Neft. 
II. The Kinds. Authors make two forts thereof, 
the one not much differing from another, fave in 
the color : the tirft and longeft known is of ttyel- 
lowijh colour : the other of a pitrplifh Violet , and is 
called by Clufius , Limodoron, and Vfeudolimoio- 
ron. 
IV. The Defcription. Yellow Birds-Neft hat a 
great number of Libre s or thready Roots crofting one' 
over another , and as it were platted, or intricately 
entangled together like a Crows Neft : from which 
rifes up a thick , foft, grofs, brown Stalk, fet with 
fmall fhort Leaves, of the color of a dry Oaken leaf, 
which hat laid under the Tree all Winter. Parkin- 
fon fays, the Stalks are upright, weak, and fappy, 
and that the Leaves are only a Jhew, being rather 
O 2 very 
