Identifier: naturalhistoryof00hugh (find matches)
Title: The natural history of Barbados : in ten books
Year: 1750 (1750s)
Authors: Hughes, Griffith, b. 1706 or 7 Mynda, engraver Ehret, Georg Dionysius, 1708-1770, engraver Bickham, George, 1706?-1771, engraver Austen, engraver Erbets, engraver Larkin, Edmund, former owner
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Publisher: London : Printed for the author
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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, till near the Top : There the former, which are deeply fegmentedinto Three or Four Divifions, furround it. Thefe, including the Sections, are about Five Inches long, and near asbroad. Their Footftalks, as well as the young Buds, on the Extremity of theBranches, are guarded round with ftiff hairy Briftles, which are alwaystipped with glutinous liquid Drops. From among thefe rife feveral fmall deep-red pentapetalous Flowers ;the Piftil of each being thick-fet at the Top with yellow farinaceousDuft, w^iich blows off when ripe. Thefe Flowers are fucceeded by hexagonal husky blackifli Berries ;which, when ripe, open, by the Heat of the Sun ; emitting a great manyfmall dark-coloured Seeds, which ferve as Food for Ground-doves. The Leaves of this Shrub are few, and feldom or never drop off, norare torn or eaten by Vermin of the Eruca^ or any other kind. As Nature makes nothing in vain, I beg Leave to conjecture, that thisclammy Liquid, like Bird-lime, with which each of the above-mentioned
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Book VI. JJland 0/BARBADOS. Setie or Briftlcs are tipped, is cicfigned to intanglc and prevent Catcrpil-lers, or other Vermin, from clim! ing up to deftroythc lew Leaves, withwhich Nature hath fo fparingly fuppUed this Plant. As for other Plants, which are not thus guarded, as their Leaves arcgenerally very numerous, if fomc of thefe are deflroyed l y Worms, theyfoon, in fo warm a Climate, recover this Lofs, and the Plant renews itswonted Verdure Perhaps, likewife, this gluey Sul ftance may be of furtherUfe, if gatheredI.y ButterHies^ or other flyino; Infedis (efpecially the former, which are oftenfeen hovering about the Flowers), to glutinize their Bags or Webs, beforethey enter into their J^urelia-^-^x.^. The Seeds dropping from the ripe Berries are fo great a Specific againdMelancholy, that even Doves, that have ufed to feed on them, will not,when confined to a Cage, whoot, if deprived of thefe, and Bird-pepper. It is faid, that Fifteen of the Berries, pulverized, and taken inwardl

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