THE SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 195 



lish plants by Prior iu his "Popular Names of British Plants," and Messrs. 

 Britten and flolUuid, in tl\e "Dictionary of English Plant Names." Whatever 

 may be said against common names on account of their frequently objection- 

 able form, their common application to several entirely different plants, besides 

 other objectionable features, not to mention their little value to the practical 

 botanist, ityet remains that plants are known to a very large portion of our people 

 by common names only. We must confess to a rather kindly feeling for these 

 popular names, in spite of their many faults and sometimes exasperating incon- 

 stancy and inconsistency, and so we hail with delight the announcement made 

 by W. K. Gerard, one of the editors of the Torrey Bulletin, of his intention to 

 undertake to record the names under which the same plants are known iu dif- 

 ferent parts of the country. As this is a movement in the right direction, under- 

 taken by one eminently qualified to complete it, we have no hesitation in urging 

 readers of the Naturalist to render aid " by collecting lists of the popular names 

 by which our plants are known in their neighborhoods," and sending them to 

 Mr. Gerard (9 Waverly Place, New York City), accompanied of course by the 

 scientific equivalents. It is known that many of the so-called common names 

 given in the books are merely book-names, having no usage except in botan- 

 ical classes in schools, and with those whose knowledge of. plants is derived 

 mainly from books ; it is desirable that such be carefully distinguished from 

 those in use by people who have no knowledge of the botany of the books. 

 The names given to plants by the Indians are also of interest and should be 

 preserved. — Prof. O. E. Besney, in American Naturalist. 



ENGLISH NAMES FOR PLANTS. 



William Falconer, of Cambridge Botanic Gardens, pleads for the common 

 names to plants, and in the following note shows his sympathy with ordinary 

 nomenclature : 



The English names that seem to me the most appropriate are those that have 

 an obvious and descriptive meaning, as the pond lily, monk's hood, buttercup, 

 blood-root, twin-leaf, sweet-pea, snow-drop, golden rod, evening primrose, fox- 

 glove, cockscomb, and the like. But, after all, perhaps the prettiest names 

 are the poetical ones, as tlie roses and lilies, daisies, pinks, and pansies. Then 

 there are many pretty imaginative ones, as lady's-delight, wandering Jew, 

 mother-of-thousands, bachelor's buttons, mourning bride, love-in-a-mist, love- 

 lies-bleeding, Venus's looking-glass, babies' breath, and Star of Bethlehem. 



Are we to relinquish these happy names, the names our children speak, the 

 names our fore-fathers as children used, in favor of a harsh and formal botan- 

 ical lore, and call an iron weed, Vernonia Noveboracensis; a sun-flower, lleli- 

 anthus annuus; a snap-dragon. Antirrhinum majus, and a sweet William, 

 Dianthus barbatus? Who speaks of Quercus, Acer, Fagus, Betula, when they 

 merely mean to mention the oak, the maple, the beech, or the birch? 



A recognized botanical name is indispensable for every species among plants, 

 and there are times when it must be used; but in every-day flpneral use, when 

 practicable, let us give high preference to the good old English names. 



