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flowers, the bulbous root, and par- 
ticularly its being now in bloom in 
this dry meadow, leave no doubt 
that it is the Ranunculus bulbofus, or 
bulbous Crowfoot. 
Of this genus there are no lefs than 44 
different fpecies, 14 of which are natives of 
this ifland. That yellow flower, which you 
fee on the fwamp, is one of them: its trivial 
name is fe/erafus, from the refemblance of 
its lower leaves to thofe of Celery. It is 
very eafily diflinguifhed by the remarkable 
thicknefs of its ftem, which is hollow like 
a reed; by its minute flowers, and the 
conical (hape of the receptaculum. This 
fpecimen, you fee, is full two feet high. It 
feldom grows fo tall. 
Look this way and you will fee among 
that corn, a moft plentiful crop of other 
Ranunculi. Thefe, you obferve, have alfo a 
fmall flower, but of a paler yellow and nu- 
merous. The leaves are deeply divided and 
fubdivided, fo as to form a number of nar- 
row flraps. This circumftance, and its 
prickly feeds conftitute its fpecific character. 
Its common height is about a foot, though 
that you have gathered meafures 17 or 1 8 
inches* It is the Ranunculus arvenfis. 
On 
