3.2 ON PLANTS IN RELATION TO ANIMALS. 
of some supposed magic virtues, are now only looked upon with 
interest by the prying botanist. Still, as an evidence of the 
mythological interest attaching to some of these, we cannot for¬ 
bear extracting the following from Mrs. Lankester^s notes on the 
folk lore of plants. 
Yellow Horn Poppy. Squats of the Portland Islanders. 
(< Luteum signifies pale yellow. This is perhaps the most 
striking and remarkable of our sea-shore plants, and cannot fail 
to arrest attention where so little vegetation flourishes. With 
our notice of this pretty plant, it may not be uninteresting to 
recall the history of Glaucus, whose name it bears. He was, 
according to a mythological tradition, the son of Neptune and a 
sea nymph, but lived upon the shore. His parentage had some 
influence on his habits, and he was fond of fishing. One day, 
having been successful in his sport, he laid his scaly captives on 
a neighbouring marsh, when to his great surprise they began to 
nibble the green grass, and then— 
“ Sudden darting o’er the verdant plain, 
They spread their fins, as in their native main. 
He paused with wonder struck, while all his prey 
Left their new master, and regained the sea.” 
Amazed at what he saw, Glaucus resolved to try the power of 
the herbage in his own person; no sooner had he bitten it than 
his hereditary aquatic propensities seized him, and into the ocean 
he leaped : 
“ Farewell for ever, farewell land, I said, 
And plunged amid the waves my sinking head ; 
The gentle powers who low that empire keep 
Received me as a brother of the deep.” 
Tor his faith and courage Glaucus was admitted among the 
sea-gods. In their domain he still shows his royal descent by 
wearing a golden robe ; and yet from old affection, high above 
it he bears his favourite long and curved fishing rod, with its 
point bent, as if a captive fish ever showed it. Glaucus never 
goes far out to sea, but rather frequents the shores and the 
cliffs; for Scylla, whom he loved, was turned into a rock with 
howling waves around her, and his faithfulness retains him still 
close to her side. The horned poppy has no recognised active 
properties, nevertheless the chemists have discovered two alka¬ 
loids in its structure. Glaucine is found in the leaves and stem, 
and forms, with acid*, salts which have a bitter and acrid taste. 
Glaucopicrine, the other, is found in the roots, and also forms 
with acids bitter and nauseous salts. 
