Local Plant Xames. 197 



its time of flowering to supply the appearance of " snow in 

 summer " than the Arabis, or Rock Cress. 



Lamb's Lug, or Lamb's Ear is the common name for a 

 familiar, old-fashioned garden plant, belonging to the Lip worts. 

 The name is derived from the soft, woolly structure of the leaf. 

 I have some recollection of hearing Lamb's tongue, also used in 

 Devon, applied to it also, but I have not heard the latter one 

 given to any of the plants bearing it in some parts of England, one 

 of these being the Wild Plantain, Plantago media. 



Cranesbill is with us, as with many others, the popular name 

 of the hardy Geranium of our woods and coasts, although I do 

 not recollect of hearing it applied to the pretty little Herb Robert, 

 Geranium roberttanum, which seems to have with us, as with many 

 more people, no other appellation than Herb Robert, although 

 in some parts it is called Bird's Eye. Some conjecture has arisen 

 as to why it is called Herb Robert. One old writer tells us that it 

 is so called because it is " Roberta, a rubro colour, an herbe of a 

 red colour," but another says that it was derived from the 

 name of a celebrated curator of the Oxford Botanic Garden. It 

 was abso said to cure a disease in Germany known as Robert's 

 Plague. St. Robert is also said to have cured the disease with 

 this flower. A final conjecture, which appeals to authorities, is 

 that it was named in honour of Robin Hood, and in proof of this 

 it is said to be named Robin Hood and Poor Robin in the West of 

 England, that home of plant names. But it is also called in 

 Cumberland " Death-come-quickly," from one of the usual super- 

 stitions relating to taking flowers into the house ; while Kiss-me- 

 quick " is one of quite different associations. In Sussex it is the 

 Little Bachelors' Button. 



I wonder if any one here has heard the name of Witches' 

 Bells applied to the round-leaved Bellflower, Campanula lati- 

 folia, which is to be found in some hedgerows and woods of the 

 district. So far, I have not heard it, but, as it is used for it in 

 some parts of Scotland at least, I think it may be employed with 

 us also. A little time ago I mentioned that the Armeria was 

 called Cushions in Engfand, and this reminds me that I must 

 refer to the name given to one of the Saxifrages, Saxifraga 

 muscoides, which I have frequently heard as Lady's Cushion. 

 Now, this is also aplied to one of the yellow Fumitories, as well 

 as to the Lady's Fingers, Lotus corniculatus, or Anthyllis, 



