54 
perfection in September, and during tbe winter months, 
when almost all the green foliage is gone, the eye is 
refreshed by beholding this plant and the Common Poly- 
pody adorning our hedge-banks in great luxuriance. It 
alone appears shabby and shows symptoms of decay, when 
the spring is returning, and the wdld violets, harebells, and 
primroses are adorning our hedges. When the spring is 
still more advanced, and the herbage is thickly set together, 
the young, erect, light green fronds, with their curled-in 
summits, appear through the bushes. This may not be 
noticed by the heedless passer by, but the naturalist cannot 
take his walks abroad without observing a plant of so 
beautiful and lovely a character, even in its earliest stage 
of existence. 
The Hart’s-tongue, when bruised, emits a nauseous smell. 
It is the Phyllitis of Ray and all older botanists. It was 
formerly considered very valuable for medicinal purposes. 
Dioscorides asserts, “ that when drunk in wine, it is a remedy 
against serpents’ bites or stings.” Ray mentions it ‘‘as a 
good medicine in convulsive disorders.” Older writers 
ascribe to it the power, not only of relieving the spleen and 
liver, but “all other griefes proceeding of stoppings what- 
soever.” We learn from the Plore Francaise, that it is 
used in France as an astringent in cases of diarrhoea and 
hoemorrhage. Our older English physicians ascribe to it a 
similar healing power. At the present day it is used in 
country parishes for cuts and sores, burns and scalds. 
There is little difference now in the classical name given 
to this Fern. Newman calls it Phyllitis Scolopendrium. 
Linngeus first altered it from Phyllitis to Asplenium Scolo- 
pendrium, and Withering adopted the same name. All 
others designate it now Scolopendrium vulgare. The com- 
mon name given to it in France is “ Langue de cerfe,” 
Hart’s-tongue. 
Scolopendra, from whence Scolopendrium is derived, is 
the scientific name of a Millipede, or Thousand-legs, an 
insect with which most persons are very well acquainted. 
The Fern was given this name because some fancied that 
the covers and fructification of this plant resembled these 
insects. 
Here there is no difficulty as to cultivation. As generally 
