FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Cyprus Narcisse. Narcissus Orientalis albus.
Dedicated to St. Anselm.
April 22.
Sts. Sotor and Caius, Popes, 2d Cent. St Caius, Pope, A. D. 296. Sts. Azades, Tharba, &c., Martyrs in Persia, A. D. 341. Sts. Epipodius and Alexander, 2d Cent. St. Theodorus, of Siceon, Bishop, A. D. 613. St. Opportuna, Abbess, A. D. 770. St. Leonides, A. D. 202. St. Rufus, or Rufin, of Glendaloch.
ROOKS.—An Anecdote.
Amongst the deliramenta of the learned, which have amused mankind, the following instance merits a conspicuous rank. Some years ago, there were several large elm trees in the college garden, behind the ecclesiastical court, Doctors Commons, in which a number of rooks had taken up their abode, forming in appearance a sort of convocation of aërial ecclesiastics. A young gentleman, who lodged in an attic, and was their close neighbour, frequently entertained himself with thinning this covey of black game, by means of a cross-bow. On the opposite side lived a curious old civilian, who, observing from his study, that the rooks often dropt senseless from their perch, or as it may be said, without using a figure, hopp’d the twig, making no sign, nor any sign being made to his vision to account for the phenomenon, set his wits to work to consider the cause. It was probably during a profitless time of peace, and the doctor having plenty of leisure, weighed the matter over and over, till he was at length fully satisfied that he had made a great ornithological discovery, that its promulgation would give wings to his Fame, and that he was fated by means of these rooks to say,
“Volito vivus per ora virum.”
His goose-quill and foolscap were quickly in requisition, and he actually wrote a treatise, stating circumstantially what he himself had seen, and in conclusion, giving it as the settled conviction of his mind, that rooks were subject to the falling sickness![99]