









CRUELTY. 
i H| AM NETTLE. 
Tue sting of thenettle causes a pain as violent 
A as that produced bya burn. On examining the 
| | plants with a microscope, we observe the “ pro- 
jecting bristles, or prickles, with which they are 
covered are tubular, and stand on a bag filled 
with a poisonous juice; they are perforated at 
the- point, and when they are gently pressed 
vertically, the pressure at once forces the poison 
to ascend the tube, and enables the point to 
lodge it in the skin.” Its generic name, Urtica, } 
is formed from wre, to burn, in allusion to its 
stinging properties. 
O’er the throng, urtica flings 
Her barbed shafts, and darts her poisoned stings. 
Darwin. 


