414: BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 
Divine injunction to “bear with the infirmities of the weak.” 
But we have no space for moralizations. We would recommend 
_ the author of ‘Glaucus’ (who seems to believe that all Natural 
. History is exhausted except “the wonders of the shore’’) to put 
himself under our guidance for half a day, and we would show 
him some marvellous things on the shores of “ Father Thames.” 
But if he would spare a month,“ when summer days are fine,” 
we would take him to the wilds of North Wales, or to the high- 
lands of “ bonny Scotland ;” and if we did not convince him that 
there were things in Nature worth seeing more satisfactory than 
the stupid amusements of a fashionable watermg-place, we will 
engage to pay all the expenses of the Welsh or Scottish tour. 

BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 
Carpinus (Hornbeam or Yoke-tree), Derivation of.—The Latin carpo 
(I collect fruit or herbs, I carve or cut up) is the root of our word car- 
penter, which we derive from the French charpentier. It is the only form 
we have from this source; but the French have several. In the northern 
part of this island the Anglo-Saxon term wright is commonly used for 
carpenter. Thus the word wright is used for roofers (builders), agricul- 
tural implement-makers, and cabinet-makers indifferently. This may be 
called the generic term, the others are specific. The Celtie car (wood) is 
from the same origin, and so is probably the Greek xapzos (fruit). The 
term Carpinus may have been applied to this wood because it was em- 
ployed by carvers or turners, or because it was employed for yokes, and 
so placed on the necks of oxen; and hence, its second syllable is from 
the Celtic pen (head). The Anglo-Saxon names of Hornbeam and Yoke- 
tree are equally expressive of its use, a beam or yoke fixed on the horns 
of oxen, or rather on the necks of oxen; or it may have received its name 
hornbeam from its nature, its wood being very hard. HtyMoLoeus. 
Mespilus—Medlar, Derivation of.—The scientific term is Greek, derived 
~ from pecos, the middle, and zuAos, a ball, in allusion to the form of the 
fruit, which is truncated (a truncated sphere). The following derivation 
is offered :—Pilus, Lat., signifies hair and wool, hence pilewm, a cap 
made of hair or wool, and hence felt, that which is formed of hair or 
wool, felted, not woven. Of this material hats and caps are made now, 
and the latter were anciently made. The German term for this tree is 
the same as the Greek, viz. Mispelbaum, with Baum, tree, added. The 
Anglo-Saxon Mediar is supposed to be from the same, viz. maed or med, 
a Medlar. Dr. Bosworth derives it from the Hebrew matan, a gift, from 
natan, to give, from mat, meat, the oldest presents consisting in victuals ; 
hence meed, reward. The English prefix mid, the German mit, the Latin 
word medius, and the Greek mecos, are all synonymous, as they are evi- 
dently from the same original. LEXIPHANES. 
