HYSSOPUS

HYSSOPUS, HYSSOP: A genus of the gymnosperma order, belonging to the didynamia class of plants. There are three species; but only one of them,

Plate CCXLVIII.

S. A. Bolli Pr. H. A. sculptor fecit.

Hysteric viz. the officinalis, or common hyssop, is cultivated for use. This hath under-shrubby, low, bushy stalks, growing a foot and an half high; small, spear-shaped, close-fitting, opposite leaves, with several smaller ones rising from the same joint; and all the stalks and branches terminated by erect whorled spikes of flowers, of different colours in the varieties. They are very hardy plants; and may be propagated either by slips or cuttings, or by seeds. The leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm pungent taste. Besides the general virtues of aromatics, they are particularly recommended in humoural asthmas, coughs, and other disorders of the breast and lungs; and are said notably to promote expectoration.

M. Buffon and some other late naturalists assure us, that the animal possesses no such power. M. Buffon frequently irritated the porcupine, but never saw any thing like this darting of his quills. He says indeed, that when the creature was much agitated with passion, some of the quills which adhered but slightly to the skin would fall off, particularly from the tail; and this circumstance, he imagines, has given rise to the mistake. The porcupine, though originally a native of Africa and the Indies, can live and multiply in the more temperate climates of Spain and Italy. Pliny, and every other natural historian since the days of Aristotle, tells us, that the porcupine, like the bear, conceals itself during the winter, and that it brings forth its young in 80 days. But these circumstances remain to this day uncertain. It is remarkable, that although this animal be very common in Italy, no person has ever given us a tolerable history of it. We only know in general, that the porcupine, in a domestic state, is not a fierce or ill-natured animal; that with his foreteeth, which are strong and sharp, he can cut through a strong board; that he eats bread, fruits, roots, &c.; that he does considerable damage when he gets into a garden; that he grows fat, like most animals, about the end of summer; and that his flesh is not bad food.

2. The prebensilis, or Brazilian porcupine, has four toes on the fore feet, five on the hind feet, and a long tail. It is considerably less than the former species; being only 17 inches long from the point of the muzzle to the origin of the tail, which is nine inches long; the legs and feet are covered with long brownish hair; the rest of the body is covered with quills interspersed with long hairs; the quills are about five inches long, and about $\backslash frac\{1\}\{2\}$th of an inch in diameter. He feeds upon birds and small animals. He sleeps in the day like the hedge-hog, and searches for his food in the night. He climbs trees, and supports himself by twisting his tail round the branches. He is generally found in the high grounds of America from Brazil to Louisiana, and the southern parts of Canada. His flesh is esteemed very good eating.

A variety of this species is the Hoitzilacuation, or Mexican porcupine, (le Coendou de Buffon). It is of a dusky colour, with very long bristles intermixed with the down: the spines three inches long, slender, and varied with white and yellow; scarcely apparent except on the tail, which is, according to Hernandez, thicker and shorter than that of the preceding species. He adds, that the tail from the middle to the end is free from spines; and that it grows to the bulk of a middle-sized dog. M. de Buffon says, its length is 16 or 17 inches from the nose to the tail; the tail 9 French measure, but taken from a mutilated skin. It inhabits the mountains of Mexico, where it lives on the summer fruits, and may be easily made tame. The Indians pulverise the quills, and say they are very efficacious in gravelly cases; and applied whole to the forehead, will relieve the most violent headache. They adhere till filled with blood, and then drop off.

3. The dorsata, or Canada porcupine (l'Ursus de Buffon), has four toes on the fore feet, five on the hind feet; and has quills only on the back, which are short, and almost hid among the long hair. He is about two feet long. This species inhabits North America.

Hyssop was generally made use of in purifications amongst the Jews by way of a sprinkler. Sometimes they added a little wool to it of a scarlet colour; for example, they dipped a bunch of hyssop, some branches of cedar and red wool, in water mingled with the blood of a bird, in the purification of lepers. Hyssop, it is probable, grew to a considerable height in Judæa, since the gospel informs us that the soldiers filled a sponge with vinegar, put it upon a reed (or long stem) of hyssop, and presented it to our Saviour upon the cross.