The introduction to Dr. Prior's volume gives an admirable sketch of the various languages from which our plant-names have been derived, and the way in which they have reached us, rendering it unnecessary for us to give more than the above outline. For further information on this interesting and important part of the study we must refer our readers to Dr. Prior's exhaustive dissertation. Το repeat what he has so well expressed would be superfluous.

There are, however, several other classes of English Plant-names which require to be noticed; names which describe the structure, habits, peculiarities, and properties of plants; dedicatory names; names which perpetuate almost forgotten superstitions, &c.

Any one who turns over the pages of the Dictionary will be struck with the number of names which embody those of animals. In many cases it is from a resemblance, or fancied resemblance, to some part of the animal named. The tail-like inflorescence of many species has suggested a considerable number of these names, as Mouse-tail, Cat's-tail, Dog's-tail, Horse-tail, Squirrel-tail, Hare's-tail, Rat's-tail. The gaping corollas of the Snap-dragons, and other plants which have what are known botanically as personate flowers, have suggested such names as Rabbit's-mouth, Lion's-snap, Dog's-mouth. Even the name Snap-dragon itself is from the Dutch sneb, a snout, so that it literally means Dragon's-snout. Such names as Crane's-bill, Heron's-bill, and Stork's-bill, have originated in the long beak-like seed-vessels which characterise the Geranium tribe. Hart's-tongue, Ox-tongue, Lamb's-tongue, Adder's-tongue, and others of a like character, describe for the most part plants with long tongue-like leaves. In the Adder's-tongue it is the spike of fructification springing from a somewhat sheathing leaf which suggests a resemblance to the tongue of the reptile. Colt's-foot, Foal-foot, Bull's-foot, Horse-hoof, Cat's-foot, relate to the shape of the leaves of various species; while several of the leguminous plants which have long, claw-like pods radiating from one point, have received such names as Bird's-foot, and Bird's-foot Trefoil; and the long projecting nectary of the Delphinium and the claw of the Toad-flax flower have given rise to such names as Larkspur, Laik's-claw, Lark'sheel, &c. It is needless to extend the list of this very numerous class

of names; generally, they describe the peculiarities of the plants with such a fair amount of accuracy that there is no mistaking their meaning.

In many cases, however, the name of an animal prefixed has a totally different signification, denoting size, coarseness, and frequently worthlessness or spuriousness. The prefixes Bull, Horse, Ox, &c., frequently indicate size, as in Bull-rush, Bull Daisy, Ox-lip, Horse Daisy. Dr. Prior, however, assigns a different meaning to Bull-rush. Horse Chestnut may mean either a coarse or a spurious kind of Chestnut. Dog and toad very often mean that which is worthless or spurious, as in the case of Dog Violet, a violet which is worthless, from having no perfume like the real violet; Dog-elder, a shrub which superficially resembles an elder-tree, but proves to be something totally different. Dog-rose probably belongs to this list, although it may mean a rose bearing a great number of prickles. Dog Parsley is a worthless, poisonous plant, somewhat resembling true parsley. Toad in like manner frequently means spurious, as in Toad-flax, a plant which, before it comes into flower, bears a tolerably close resemblance to a plant of the true flax. The same prefixes, however, very frequently relate to the animals themselves, so that the appearance and habits of the plant must be taken into consideration in determining the exact signification of a name.

A great number of plant-names may be called dedicatory, and embody the names of many of the Saints, and even of the Deity. The latter, however, are very few in number, owing perhaps to a sense of reverence: and God Almighty's Bread and Cheese; God's Eye; God's Grace; God's Meat; Our Lord's, or Our Saviour's, Flannel; Christ's Hair, Christ's Herb, Christ's Ladder, Christ's Thorn, Holy Ghost, and Herb Trinity make up almost the whole list. Not so with the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom a great number are dedicated under her name of "Lady" or "Our Lady." A reference to the names under the word "Lady" in the Dictionary will show how very numerous these are. Several of the names connected with the Blessed Virgin Mary, as Virgin Mary's Cowslip, Virgin Mary's Milkdrops, Mary's Tears, Virgin Mary's Pinch, perpetuate some charmingly interesting legends which will be found recorded under the various names.

b

Many other Saints have received a similar recognition; very often because the plants named after them come into flower about the time that their festivals are kept. Many of these names are, of course, like the festivals themselves, transferred from heathen deities to Christian saints; others, however, are directly Christian in origin.

Then the devil has come in for a large share of plant nomenclature; and in a great majority of cases this has arisen, as one would naturally suppose, from some real or reputed bad qualities possessed by the plants which bear his name. Allied to these, perhaps, are the names, a tolerably numerous class, in which the words "Fairy" and "Witch" enter.

A very interesting class of names are those which point to some real or supposed medicinal virtue, more frequently, perhaps, an imaginary virtue, formerly implicitly believed in by physicians, and even yet receiving much credit at the hands of the country people, who study the old herbals, and in the North of England at any rate, collect vast quantities of medicinal plants. Thus the daisy was called Banwort, because according to Turner "it helpeth bones to knyt agayne." Knit-back and Backwort were names applied to the Comfrey, from a supposition that it was useful in cases of pains in the back. Coughwort, Eyebright, Squinancy Berry, Spleenwort, Whitlowgrass, Pilewort, and hundreds of others, speak of old medicinal uses. Amongst this class of names the most interesting are those which illustrate the old doctrine of signatures, and of such Lungwort, Throatwort, Spleenwort, Pilewort, Jaundice Tree, may be taken as examples.

A considerable number of names point to bits of folk-lore, and strange superstitions. Fairies' Horse, an Irish name for Senecio Jacobæa, perpetuates the belief that certain plants if trodden upon will turn into horses and carry you about during the night; Motherdee, a name applied in Cumberland to Lychnis diurna, and in Cheshire to Torilis Anthriscus, points to a superstition amongst children that if they pluck the flowers death or some misfortune will happen to their parents. In Cheshire, however, whilst the name remains, the superstition appears to be forgotten. Of another plant, Veronica Chamaedrys, the same legend is related in Yorkshire, but

the ominous name is not applied. Many of these interesting superstitions in connection with plant-names will be found noticed in the following pages.

Many names, such as Fat-hen, Hunger-weed, Clay-weed, Sandwort, point to good or bad qualities, and the agricultural capabilities of the soil. There are such a number, of the nature of Hungerweed, Pick-purse, Pickpocket, Poverty-weed, and similar names, which relate either to the extremely poor kind of soil in which they grow, or to the fact that they are plants which greatly injure the farmer by impoverishing the soil, that a long list might be cited of what may be said to form a distinct class of "poverty plants.”

There are other classes which might, doubtless, be mentioned, but the foregoing sketch will be sufficient to show the principal points of interest which attach to the study of plant-names. One more point in connection with them remains to be noticed, namely, the very great number of peoples' names which appear to be derived from those of trees and flowers. How this has arisen it is difficult to say, but the following list of family names which we have from time to time made a note of, as we have met with them, shows that they are very numerous; and the list is by no means exhaustive. That they are all actually derived from plant-names is perhaps too much to say, for many doubtless have more than one meaning; they are at any rate similar to plant-names, or to the names given to various parts of plants.

Of parts of trees or plants we have:

Berry, Branch, Budd, Bush, Cornes, Flower, Frith, Greenleaves, Plant, Pollard, Rice, Roots, Seeds, Stock, Thorn, Tree, Twigg, Wood.

Of trees and shrubs :

Ash, Aykbowm, Birch, Broome, Brummel, Coling, Crabtree,
Eychboom, Furze, Gale, Gorst, Gribble, Hawthorne, Hawtree,
Hay, Heckthorne, Hollins, Holme, Maple, May, Oakes, Rose,
Rosenbaum, Rowntree, Sycamore, Wickens.

Of fruits :

Ackers, Avelin, Cherry, Crab, Coine, Fraser, Hague, Haigh,
Merry.

Of flowers :

Armstrong, Bent, Bennett, Bibby, Blaver, Blewitt, Boon, Boutflower, Burdock, Cadle, Calthrop, Cash, Cockle, Cole, Couch, Daffy, Darnell, Drew, Emry, Ferne, Fitch, Gallon, Golland, Gow, Grass, Harrop, Heath, Kelk, Kellock, Lavender, Lever, Leversedge, Lilly, Liversage, Liversedge, Marigold, Millet, Moss, Mosscrop, Oates, Onion, Primrose, Ramsey, Reed, Roughsedge, Rush, Sanctuary, Sowler, Spiers, Ware, Weir, Weld, Woodruff. It has been found desirable to add an Index to the Dictionary, concerning which it may be necessary to say a few words. Not only is the same name applied, in many cases, to a number of different plants, as appears in the body of the work, but frequently a plant has received a very great variety of names in different counties, and sometimes even in neighbouring parishes. The Index, therefore (in the compilation of which Miss Beth Alcock has given valuable help) illustrates this rather interesting phase of our subject. In it the various English names of each plant are brought together under the scientific designation; by this means the different names of any species may be ascertained at a glance. In some cases, however, where the English equivalent is applied indiscriminately to several species of a genus, the name of the genus only is given. Several of the names, too, which appear in the Dictionary, are applied only to some particular part of the plant, as for instance such words as Atchern and Eglet, which refer to the fruit of the oak and the hawthorn respectively, and not to the trees which bear them. In these cases, with a view to condensing as much as possible, this is not stated in the Index; but such partial application of a name will be found fully explained in the body of the work.

It is

No one can be more conscious than the compilers of the many short-comings of the present work. They, however, venture to hope for a verdict which, if not favourable, shall at least be lenient. the outcome of much labour and time, which neither author could well spare from more pressing duties: and it is their hope that it will at any rate serve as a contribution to any work of the kind which the future may have in store.