Turdus Pilaris, Migratorius: The Fieldfare of Carolina.
Weighs two ounces, three quarters; about the size and shape of the
European Field fare. That part of the Bill, next the Head,
is yellow. Over and under the Eye are two white streaks. The upper
part of the Head is black, with a mixture of Brown. The Wings and
upper part of the Body brown: The Tail dark-brown: The Throat black
and white: The Breast and Belly red: The Legs and Feet brown. In Winter
they arrive from the North in Virginia and Carolina,
in numerous Flights, and return in the Spring as ours in England.
They are canorous, having a loud Cry like our Missel-bird, which the
following Accident gave me an opportunity of knowing: Having some
Trees of Alaternus full of Berries (which were the first that
had been introduced in Virginia) a single Feildfare seemed
so delighted with the Berries, that he tarried all the Summer feeding
on them. In Maryland, I am told, they breed and abide the whole
year.
Aristolochia pistolochia Seu Serpentaria Virginiana caule nodoso:
The Snake-Root of Virginia.
This Plant rises out of the Ground in one, two, and sometimes three
pliant Stalks, which at every little distance are crooked, or undulated.
The Leaves stand alternately, and are about three inches long, in
form somewhat like the Smilax aspera. The Flowers grow close
to the ground on foot-stalks an inch long, of a singular shape, though
somewhath resembling those of the Birthworts, of a dark purple colour.
A round chanulated capsula succeeds the Flower, containing
many small Seeds, which are ripe in May. The usual price of
this excellent Root, both in Virginia and Carolina,
is about six pence a Pound when dried, which is Money hardly earned.
Yet the Negro Slaves (who only dig it) employ much of the little time
allowed them by their Masters in search of it; which is the Cause
of there being seldom found any but very small Plants. By planting
them in a Garden they increased so in two years time, that one's hand
could not grasp the stalks of one Plant. It delights in shady woods,
and is usually found at the Roots of great Trees.
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