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CHAP. 35.—THE CATANANCE; ONE OBSERVATION UPON IT. THE CEMOS: ONE OBSERVATION UPON IT.

The catanance1 is a Thessalian plant, which it would be a mere loss of time to describe, seeing that it is only used as an ingredient in philtres. In order, however, to expose the follies of the magical art, it may not be out of place to remark that this plant has been selected for the above-named purpose, from the fact that, as it withers, it gradually contracts and assumes the shape of the claws of a dead kite.2

For a similar reason we shall give no description of the plant called "cemos."3

1 Dioscorides speaks of two kinds of Catanance; one of which has been identified by Sprengel with the Ornithopus compressus of Linnæus, and the other with the Astragalus pugniformis. Fée expresses his doubts as to the correctness of these conclusions.

2 "As if it would catch women, and hold them fast perforce."—Holland. It has been suggested that the Coronopus, or "crow's foot," mentioned in B. xxi. c. 59, was so called for a similar reason.

3 Prosper Alpinus identifies it with the Plantago Cretica of Linnæus, and Sprengel with the Micropus erectus of Linnæus. Fée considers it to be the Gnaphalium leontopodium of Lamarck.

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