560 
ON PLANTS IN RELATION TO ANIMALS. 
animals’ noses. It is not so acrid as the former species, and 
cattle and horses will eat it down when young, at the same 
time it is no favourite with any animal; and though, like the 
former, it is said by ignorant people to give the desired 
yellow colour to butter; there is reason to believe this to be 
quite a myth. 
Johnston says that “ the common species, R. acris, bul- 
bosus, and repens have been employed as vesicatories in the 
absence of better applications; they are, however, somewhat 
uncertain in their action and difficult to heal.” 
So The Ranunculus repens , creeping crowfoot or ranun¬ 
culus, is common to ditches and damp places; it is distin¬ 
guished by its creeping scions, which readily root and so 
soon spread to great patches. 
This plant has also become a denizen in our arable fields, 
where the husbandman recognises it in its early growth 
under the name of “ ram’s claws.” It spreads very rapidly 
in a field, both by means of scions and seeds, and hence it is 
important that it should not be sown ; but this is constantly 
being done in grass and other seeds, and hence it is impor¬ 
tant to look out for the small flat, beaked capsule of the 
buttercup, and not to purchase if it be contained in the 
sample. 
4. The Ranunculus ficarid , the figwort or pilewort butter¬ 
cup, derives its name of figwort from the fig-shaped tubers 
of the root, which, from their peculiar form, have been em¬ 
ployed on the doctrine of signatures for that troublesome 
complaint known as piles, the tubers of which are simulated 
by the root tubers. 
A stimulating ointment is made from the whole plant, 
which at all events, if not used specially for piles, still 
forms the basis for mixing some more active materials, such 
as pepper, opium, &c. 
It is said to be wholesome when cooked, but we cannot 
recommend it for any good quality. 
5. Ranunculus arvensis } corn crowfoot, is distinguished 
from the rest by its peculiarly muricated seed vessels. It is 
perhaps one of the most acrid of the whole tribe. It occurs 
very Commonly in corn crops on heavy or dry lands. The 
common name for this plant is that of “hunger weed,” as 
its presence indicates a degree of poverty in the soil, or at 
any rate where it prevails to any great extent, it shows a 
want of clean farming. 
Mrs. Lankester tells us that “ this is one of the most viru¬ 
lent of the ranunculus family, and it is said to be very 
dangerous to cattle, although they greedily eat of it 
