PHYTOLOGY. 



THE aAELIO NAMES OF PLANTS. 

 By JOHN CAMERON. 



GAELIC — at one time the only language of the Celtic 

 inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland, and still in 

 very extensive use, not only in Scotland but in some of the 

 colonies where Highlanders are numerous — possesses a rich 

 vocabulary of plant-names, and though many of these names are 

 preserved in the literature of the language, others have never 

 been printed, and are in danger of being forgotten — a fate, it is 

 feared, which has already overtaken some of them. 



With the object, therefore, of preserving these names from 

 oblivion, and of making them accessible to teachers and others 

 interested in the matter, I have occupied myself for the last 

 five or six years, at the suggestion of the Editor of the ' Scottish 

 Naturalist,' in collecting from every available source all Gaelic 

 names of plants, — both those indigenous to the Scottish High- 

 lands, or which have otherwise come under the observation of 

 the Highlanders. 



Amongst the sources whence I have drawn my information 

 are the works of M'Donald, IM'Intyre, Stuart, Shaw, O'Reilly, 

 Armstrong, Brockie, M'Alpine, M'Leod, and Dewar's Diction- 

 aries, and frequent conversation and correspondence with High- 

 landers in various parts of the country. 



When possible, the probable meaning and derivation of the 

 Gaelic name has been given, as well as quotations showing 

 its use : while for purposes of comparison, many names in the 

 closely allied Welsh and Irish languages are added. 



J. Cameron. 



Sunderland, May 1879. 



