s. 1 3 4
CH R O N O LO G IC A L A R R A N G EM E N T
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A trade-route from the Po along the Rhine to the Baltic implies the existence of population more
or less scattered ; and the following fruits, seeds, and roots, growing wild and affordmg s^tenance,
occur in debris of the earliest lake-villages of Switzerland (Heer and Troyon 445 to 0 s) ■ beech-nuts,
Fagus s y lv a t ic a ;/ /^ ;;« Corylus avellana; w ild apples ; bird cherries, Cerasus p « u s ; blackberries,
Rubus fruticosus ; elder berries, Sambucus nigra ; yew berries, Taxus baccata; and
Prunus spinosa of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. A rigid spinescent bush caltod m
Britain blackthorn or sloe, in Lancashire “ slaigh ” or “ sleawgh,” in Old English “ sle,” m Anglo-S^on
“ s la - ” or “ s la g - ” or “ slah-thorn,” in Danish “ slaaen,” in Swedish “ sla,” in Dutch “ slee, m Gera
man “ schlehe,” words connected with slaying or striking (Prior), in France “ prunellier”
in Italy “ prugnolo ” or “ susino selvático ” (Lenz), in Greece “ tzapournia ” or “ mamousta _ (Sibth.) ;
and its fruit found in debris of the earliest lake-villages of Switzerland — (Heer) : the “ spoth'as as
if an “ agria kôkkumêlëa ” is mentioned by Theophrastus iii. 6. 4, Dioscorides 1. 174, and Afoenaeus
ii ; the “ primus silvestris ” by Colainella ii. 2. 20, “ silvestrium prunorum baccae by Phny xv.
13 and xxiii. 68, and the “ spinifera prunus” by Palladius xiv. 81 ; P. spinosa is termed “ p. sylvestris
” by Tournefort inst. 623 ; is known to grow from Italy throughout middle Europe as far 0 Britain
(Pers., Engl. bot. pl. 842, and Lenz) ; was observed by Sibthorp, and Fraas, frequent in thickets
in Greece and hedges around Constantinople ; and farther East, was observed by Thunberg in Japan.
By European colonists, was carried to Northeast America, “ road-sides and waste places, E. Nmv
England, Penn., etc.” (Pursh, and A. Gray). The juice according to Lindley “ is a substitute for,
catechu,” and “ is said to be used in factitious or adulterated Port wine.”
Rubus Idaeus of Europe and Northern Asia. Called in Britain raspberry, in France framb
o ise ” (Nugent), in Germany “ himbeere” (Grieb), in Italy “ lainpone ” or “ lampione or ampo-
melle ” (Lenz), in Greece “ ëmëra v a ta ” (Fraas) ; and its fruit found in debris of the same lake-villages
(Heer) • the “ vatos orthophuës” of Theophraslats iii. 18. 4, and “ vatos ithaia” abounding according
to Dioscorides on mount Ida, are referred here by writers ; the “ idaeus rubus ” seeming known to
Pliny xvi 71 and xxiv. 75 chiefly from Dioscorides : R. Idaeus was cultivated in middle Europe m the
medievaPperiod (A. Dec.) ; is described by Ruellius, and Turner ; is termed in its wild state “ r idæus
spinosus ” by Tournefort inst. 614 ; is known to grow wild from the mountains of Northern Italy to
Lapland (fl. Dan. pl. 788, Pers., Wats., and Lenz) ; was observed by Sibthorp, Chaubard, and fraa s
on high mountains from the Peloponnesus to the Bithynian Olympus ; by Forskal, in the gm d e0 of
Constantinople ; is known to grow on the subalpine portion of Caucasus (Bieb.) ; and farther East,
was observed by Thunberg in Japan and called “ itsingo.” By European colonists, \ras carried to
Northeast America, where in our Northern and Middle States it continues sparingly cultivated
Cornus sanguínea of Europe and Northern Asia. A shrub called m Britain cornel ox dogwood
(Prior), in Germany “ rother hartriegel,” in Italy “ verga sanguigna” or “ sangumello (Lenz), iii
Greece “ maurovërgia” (Sibth.) ; its berries found in debris of the same lake-villages — (Heer) ; the
“ thëlukranëia” of Theophrastus i. 8. 2 to iii. 12. 1, and “ femina cornus” and “ sanguinei frútices
of Pliny xvi. 30 to 43, are referred here by writers : C. sanguínea is termed “ c. foemma” by Tournefort
inst. 641 ; was observed by Lenz frequent in Italy; is known to grow throughout middle Europe
as far as Sweden (Engl. bot. pl. 249, and Wats.) ; was observed by Sibthorp, and Fraas, from the
Peloponnesus to the Bithynian Olympus; and according to Clot-Bey and Figari has been recmit y
introduced into the gardens of Egypt. Eastward, is known to grow throughout Siberia (I ers., Dec.,
and Wats.) ; and was observed by Thunberg in Japan. ^
Petula alba of Europe and Northern Asia. Called in Britain birch, in Anglo-Saxon birce or
“ b y r e ” or “ beorc,” in Icelandic and Swedish “ biork,” in Danish “ birk,” in Dutch “ berke, in Low
German “ barke,” in Old High .German “ piricha,” in Russian “ bereza,” names giving rise to the
Latin “ b a rca ” and English “ b a rk ” in its double signification of tree-rind and vessel, birch-bark
beinv used for boat-building to the present day in Northern Europe (Prior), in France bou eau
(Nuront), in Italy “ bedollo” or “ betula” (Lenz). Furnishing some of the piles or posls on which
the Earliest lake-villages of Switzerland were built (Troyon p. 16) ; buried fflso m the submaiine
forests along the coast of France and Britain, and in peat-bogs on the Faroe Islands — where it no
longer grows (Beudant, and Martins) : the “ betulla” is described by Pliny xvi. 30 as
G a ll, a tree of cold climates and marvellous whiteness, “ terribilis magistratuum virgis : B. alba
was observed by Lenz on the mounlains of North Italy, is known to grow on Etna and throughou
middle and Northern Europe as far as Lat, 70° 40' in Lapland, and in rare instances m Intenor Iceland
(Wats., and A. Dec.). Eastward, was observed by Clot-Bey in the gardens of Egypt ; is known
to grow on Caucasus, and from Lat. 37° on the East side of the Caspian to the Altaian mountains,
L a t„68° on the Jenisei, 58° in Kamtschatka, Daouria (Wats.), and Japan (Thunb.).
Tlie remaining piles or posts are mostly of “ pommier sauvage,” Malus sylvestris; cheM or
oak, Quercus robur ; “ hêtre ” or beech, Fagus sylvatica ; “ ormeau ” or young elm; and sapin, Abies
excelsa— {Txoyoxi p. 16 to 40).
OF A C C O M P A N Y IN G A N IM A L S A N D P L A N T S . 1 3 5
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Nymphoea alba of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in Britain white water-lily
(Prior), in France “ nuphar blanc ” (Fée), in Germany “ weisse seerose,” in Italy “ ninfea ” or “ ninfea
bianca” or “ carfano femina” (Lenz), in Greece “ nërôkôlôkuthia ” (Sibth.); and remnants
found in debris of the same lake-villages — (Pleer) ; the “ s ith ë ” with leaves and rose-like flower
floating upon the Orchomenian lake and seeds eaten according to Theophrastus iv. 10. i to 7, known
in the same locality to Nicander ther. 887, mentioned also by Athenaeus xiv. 53, and the white-flowered
“ numphaia ” of Dioscorides growing in rivers of the Peloponnesus, are referred here by writers :
the “ nymphaea” with a flower “ lilio simili” is identified by Pliny xxv. 37 with the “ h e rad eon ”
or “ rhopalon ; ” and according to Marcellus Burdigalensis its davate root is called by the Gauls
“ baditin” (Spreng.) : N. alba is termed “ n. alba major” by Tournefort inst. 260; was observed by
Lenz in Italy ; is known to grow also in Sicily, Sardinia, Algeria, Spain, and throughout middle and
Northern Europe as far as the Shetland Islands and Lapland (Munby, Guss., Wats., Fries, and A.
Dec.) ; was observed by Sibthorp, and Fraas, from Zacynthus and the Peloponnesus to Thessaly
and Bithynia. Its root-stock according to Lindley is “ astringent,” and “ is occasionally chewed by
singers to relieve the relaxation of the uvula.”
Ahiphar lutea of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. Called in TxitNmyellow water-lily
(Prior), in France “ nenuphar jaune ” (Fée), in Germany “ gelbe seerose,” in Italy “ ninfea gialla ”
or “ nannunfero ” or “ carfano maschio” (Lenz), in Greece “ nupharon ” or “ nounoupharon,” or
by the Turks “ pufer ciceghi ” (Sibth.), and remnants found in debris of the same lake-villages —
(H e e r ): the sweet-rooted “ numphaia” growing according to Theophrastus ix. 13 in lakes and
marshes from Crete to the Orchomenian district, and called “ mathônia” by the Boeotians who eat its
fruit, is referred here by writers : the “ allë numphaia ” is described by Dioscorides as having yellow
flowers and growing about the river Peneus in Thessaly ; is identified in the added Synonyms with
the “ numphôna ” whose flower is called “ nouphar ; ” but seems known to Pliny xxv. 37 only from
Dioscorides : N. lutea is termed “ n. lutea major” by Tournefort inst. 261 ; was observed by Sibthorp
from Thessaly to Constantinople, and a refrigerating drink made from the flowers by the
Turk s ; was observed by Lenz frequent in North Italy; is known to grow also in Sicily, Sardinia,
and throughout Europe as far as Finland (fl. Dan. pl. 603, and Pers.), its roots and leaf-stalks eaten
by the Finns and Russians (Linder venen, p. 651, and Spreng.). Eastward from Russia, has been
observed only in the neighbouring portion of Siberia (Ledeb.), its presence in Japan alleged by
Thunberg, requiring confirmation (A. Dec.). The root-stock according to Lindley “ has been reputed
sedative and anti-aphrodisiac.” *
Of quadrupeds inhabiting Switzerland during the Stone age, the main sustenance of the inhabitants,
and found in debris of the earliest lake-villages, the following are enumerated by Riitimeyer
(Troyon p. 271 and 442) :
The elk, Cervus alces. — A “ peculiar” animal, having the form of the stag with the neck and
hair of a boar “ kaprô,” and under the chin a hairy appendage a span long and as thick as a colt’s
tail, is attributed to the Alps by Polybius (Strab. iv. 6. 10). T h e “ a lcem ” is also mentioned by
Pliny viii. 16, and as not unlike the reported “ achlin ” of Scandinavia. A t the present day, the elk
is confined to the Scandinavian peninsula, and Russia as far as Poland (see Heer) :
The iirus. Bos urns. — “ Vôës agriôi ” are mentioned by Herodotus vii. 126 ; and are attributed
to the Alps by Polybius (Strab. iv. 6. 10). The “ urus ” is described by Caesar as resembling a
bull, but larger and very swift : according to Pliny xi. 45, “ urorum cornibus barbari septemtrionales
potant,” the barbarians of the North use horns of the nrus for drinking-cups : the “ ôurôs ” is also
described by Epiphanius expos, iii. : and from this animal (according to Fleer), the Swiss canton of
Uri derives its name, the head being figured to the present day on the escutcheon. The urus, after
long continuing frequent throughout middle and Northern Europe, gradually became rare, and in
the “ Seventeenth” century disappeared. The name however is retained in French dictionaries;
and we have a relic in the English phrase “ to take a horn ; ” explicable by Pliny’s account of the
habits of our ancestors living on continental Europe :
The bison, Bos bison. — The “ vôna.sôs ” by the Paeonians called “ mônapôn,” described by
Aristotle anim. ix. 45 as inhabiting the country North of Macedonia, is clearly the bison : the brazen
head of a “ visónos ” or Paeonian bull was sent by Dropion Deontis king of the Paeonians to Delphi
(Paus. .X. 13. i) ; and Pliny viii. 15 and 16 speaks of the “ iubatos bisontes” of Germany. The
bison, once known throughout middle and Northern Europe, is described by Heer as a fierce animal,
now restricted to a forest in Lithuania and to Caucasus :
* Nuphar puinihim of middle and Northern Europe. Remnants of the dwarf yellow water-lily
are found in debris of the same lake-villages — (Heer). at the present day growing in but one of the
lakes of Switzerland (Troyon p. 445) : known however to grow in Germany and Sweden (Timm,
Willd., and Wahlenberg).
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