SHORT NOTES. 158 
rapa Nyman gives it vat i a mer. (Lozére, Aesacis Gard, 
ault). *_Aurrep W. Ben 
On tHe Erymonocy or Vinceroxicum.—In the admirably clear 
and coiitios ‘North American Flora,’ of which it is to be hoped a 
further portion may shortly be issued, I notice that Dr. Gray gives 
the derivation of Vincetoxiewn as ‘from vinceus, that which i hes 
for binding, and toxicum, a poison, i. e., poisonous bindweed.” 
But this is surely a quite untenable etymology, as a reference Z 
the few works of the Fathers which I am able to consult in my far- 
off home supeare. ered to show. Leonhart Fuchs, writing 
of the plant, a s these words: ‘‘ Acxanmas Graecis, 
Petre Tatinia’ herbie ennduars officinis Mattie tei 
Germanis Schvvalbenvv sTissceve autem Domte venin appellatnr. 
heli a Vi naaiOeaeay one ctuis vunrolixey, haud dubie dicta 
est quod illi insignis adversus venena vis sit.” + In 1554, Matthiolus 
says of we “Vis eis magna ex toluis similitudine substantie 
adversus o venena, unde illi nomen.’} Dodoneus also, in 
15838, Sie ‘“‘ Facultate autem Vincetoxici radices calide sunt 
et sicce : venenis adversari creduntur”’;§ whilst, at the same date, 
esalpinus says: “Quidam hodie Vineetoxicum vocant, quia 
venena depellit. "|| As to vinceus, the fact appears ete be that an 
eaptamtinsid copyist, transcribing Plautus, misread 
‘Nam mihi jam intus potione juncea onerabo tie qT 
and thus unwittingly endowed the Latin tongue with a word of his 
own creation. It occurs nowhere else in classical literature, and 
the Mai correct reading, given in the celebrated codex discovered 
inal in th i 
ed by all 
recent editors. The above considerations will, I believe, sporti 
beyond contest that the true etymology is from vincere and to 
—H. F. Hance. 
Lycopopium aupinum 1n Co. Wicxtow.—On the 31st of March 
last I gathered this iiieoiel on the cliffs above Lough Ouler, near 
the summit of Tonelagee. There was but one small patch of it, 
at an altitude of 2840 feet above sea-level. The locality is close 
to that of Alchemiila alpina, which I discovered here and recorded in 
this Journal for 1878, p. 174. Neither of these species has been 
discovered elsewhere in the Wicklow mountains or in District IV. 
of the ‘ Cybele Hibernica.’—H. C. Harr. 
Bracuytaecium aupicans Neck. iv cigar: —This handsome moss, 
which is not often found in fruit, has, at Mr. H. Boswell’s desire, 
been made an object of special pre in South Bedfordshire 
* Synopt. Fl. N. America, ii. 102 
t De hist. stirpium comment. cap. 45. It is noteworthy that, after the pte 
of three centuries and a half, Dompte-venin—a literal translation o 
252; Germain, Dict. de bot. sub voce ; eg aaa Man. d’hist. nat. méd 1090) 
{ Comment in libros Dioseotidis, ad libr. iii, ec. 90. In the highly-valued 
edition of Dioscorides by Saracenus, this is given as c. 106 of the third book. 
ist. Pempt. iii. ib, j iii, c. 19. 
2 
Stichus, act. iv. 2, 56. 
