The Scott is Ji Naturalist. 173 



with which it is not connected. It comes from Greek a, not, 

 and pxpeiivuv, to wither, from its unfading property. 



Daffodil, from Greek ar$oh\os, a lily. Middle English affodille. 

 The first letter " d " has been only lately added to the name, 

 following the sound of the French equivalent, flettr d'affrodille. 



Samphire, a corruption of Saint Pierre, French for St. Peter, being 

 the herb dedicated to him. 



Penny Royal is a corruption of its former English name, pulial 

 royal, from Latin puleium regiutn, or flea-bane, as being good 

 against fleas. 



Apricot, comes to us in a very indirect course, from the Greek, 

 vpccxoKi*, through Latin, Arabic, and Portuguese. It originally 

 meant " early ripened." 



Cucumber is supposed to be derived from the same root as Apricot, 

 but is of very doubtful etymology. 



Germa?ider (Teucrium chamadrys), originally Greek, x^H-^fh 

 ground oak (from likeness of the leaves to small oak leaves), 

 through Latin, Italian, and French. 



Holm-oak, evergreen oak, is a contraction of holi?i-oak or holly-oak. 



Arbor Judce, erroneously so-called from Judas being supposed to 

 have hanged himself on it is really a corruption of Arbol judia, 

 Spanish for bean-tree. 



Jerusale?n Artichoke is corrupted from the Italian name Girasole 

 articiocco, or Sun-flower artichoke, this artichoke in its leaf and 

 stem resembling that flower, and getting that name on its 

 introduction into Italy from Peru. Jerusalem is a popular 

 corruption of the sound girasole. 



2. As illustrating corruptions that may be said to arise from the 

 natural development of language, only three instances need be 

 given : — 



Mushroom^ from French mousseron, mushrooms, and mousse r 

 moss. 



Tarrogon, from Greek ^«x&», dragon, through Spanish taragontia y 

 French tar agon. 



Walnut, A. S. wealh, foreign — foreign nut. It is supposed to 

 have been brought over from Gaul by the Romans. It has 

 nothing to do with " wall." We find the same word meaning 

 " foreign " in Wales, which, to the invading Saxons, was the 

 country of foreigners. 



3. And lastly, as illustrating " Grimm's Law" of change of con- 

 sonants, we have 



Dishilago, Scotch for Tussilago, which is Latin for Colt's-foot. 

 Sandal-wood, a corruption of Santal-wood of the genus Santalum. 

 Licorice, from Greek y\v»v P 'p4x — sweet-root, through Latin and Old 

 French. 



