son to Cinyras king of Cyprus, the darling of the goddess Venus: being killed by a wild boar in the Idalian woods, he was turned into a flower of a blood-colour, supposed to be the Anemone. Venus was inconsolable; and no grief was ever more celebrated than this, most nations having perpetuated the memory of it by a train of anniversary ceremonies*. Among Shakespeare's poems, is a long one on the subject of Venus's affection for Adonis.

The text of the vulgate in Ezekiel, viii. 14. says, that this prophet saw women sitting in the temple, and weeping for Adonis: but according to the reading of the Hebrew text, they are said to weep for Tammuz, or the hidden one. Among the Egyptians, Adonis was adored under the name of Osiris the husband of Isis. But he was sometimes called by the name of Ammuz, or Tammuz, the concealed, to denote probably his death or burial. The Hebrews, in derision, call him sometimes the dead, Psa. cvi. 28. and Lev. xix. 28. because they wept for him, and represented him as one dead in his coffin; and at other times, they call him the image of jealousy, Ezek. viii. 3. 5. because he was the object of the god Mars's jealousy. The Syrians, Phoenicians, and Cyprians called him Adonis, and F. Calmet is of opinion, that the Ammonites and Moabites gave him the name of Baal-peor.

See BAAL-PEOR.

Adonius, (anc. geog.) a river of Phoenicia, rising in mount Lebanon, and falling into the sea, after a north-west course, at Byblos; famous in fable, as a beautiful shepherd youth, Virgil; son of Cynaras, king of the Cyprians, loved by Venus, slain by a boar, and turned into a river. Theocritus laments him dead in an idyllion, or rather ode, as did the women yearly, when in flood-time, the river rolled down a red earth, which tinged its waters, deemed to be his wound bleeding afresh. In the Phoenician language Adan signifies a willow, and Adon lord, with the same radical letters. Hence Iraun Adanis, Salignus, and Kopis, or Kopis Adanis, for Kopis. Adonisides horti, are gardens beautifully arranged, but more adapted for pleasure than profit.

Birds-eye, or Peafans-eye; a genus of the polyandria order, belonging to the polygynia class of plants. It is associated with the Multiflora, or 26th Nat. Order.—The characters are: The calyx is a perianthium, consisting of five obtuse concave leaves, somewhat coloured, and deciduous. The corolla has from five to fifteen oblong petals obtuse and globose. The stamina consist of very numerous, short, subulate filaments; the antherae are oblong and inflected. The pistillum has numerous germina collected in a head; no styli; the stigmata acute and reflexed. There is no pericarpium; the receptacle is oblong and spiked. The seeds are numerous, irregular, angular, gibbous at the base, reflected at the top, somewhat prominent, and awnlets.

Species. The most remarkable species are the following: 1. The annua, or common adonis, is a native of Kent, where it is found in great plenty in the fields sown with wheat. Its flowers are of a beautiful scarlet colour, and appear in the beginning of June; the seeds ripening in August and September. Great quantities of these flowers are sold in London, under the name of Red Morocco. 2. The aestivalis, or annual adonis, with yellow flowers, grows much taller than the first, has its leaves thinner set, and of a lighter colour. 3. The vernalis, or perennial adonis, grows naturally on the mountains of Bohemia, Prussia, and other parts of Germany. It flowers the latter end of March, or beginning of April; the stalks rise about a foot and a half high; and when the roots are large, and have stood unmoved for some years, they will put out a great number of stalks from each root; on the top of each of these grows one large yellow flower. 4. The apennina, is a native of Siberia and the Appenines.

Culture. The first two species, being annual, must be propagated from seeds, which ought to be sown in autumn, soon after they are ripe, or they will be in danger of not growing up that year. They thrive best in a light soil. The third and fourth species are likewise to be propagated from seeds, which must be sown in autumn, or they seldom succeed. When the plants come up, they must be carefully kept clear from weeds; and in very dry weather their growth will be promoted by being now and then watered. They should remain in the place where they are sown till the second year; and be transplanted thence in autumn, to the place where they are to remain.