320 WILD FLOWEKS. 



THISTLE. 



Cdrduus. 



Welsh, Ysgall. French, Chardon. German, Distel. Dutch, 

 Distel. Italian, Cardo. Spanish, Cardo. Danish, Tidsel. 

 Polish, Bodiac. Russian, Oset. Illyric, Oset, Badetj, 

 Kravacsac. 



LINN JEAN. NATURAL. 



Syngenesia. Compositce. 



Polygamia cequalis. Cynarocephalce. 



THE thistle is so intimately connected with Scotland, 

 that I cannot offer to the reader any account of the 

 plant, until I have introduced some notice of its 

 selection as the emblem of that country, derived 

 from the materials which tradition and history 

 have placed at our disposal These two authori- 

 ties, which are but too often placed in antagonism 

 where they should rather serve to explain each 

 other, offer us very different accounts of the cause 

 as well as of the date of the first adoption of the 

 Scottish emblem. 



There can be no very good reason for rejecting 

 in default of all credible testimony the old legend- 

 ary tale of the Danes who stole by night into the 

 camp of the sleeping Scotch ; but were defeated in 

 their intention by the chance occurrence of one of 

 their number having trodden, with naked foot, upon 



