i7 



trefoils. Sealbhaig nafiodha (O'Reilly). The Gaelic name means 

 " wood sorrel." It is not a sorrel (sealbhaig), but it is frequently 

 used as a substitute on account of its acidity, caused by the abun- 

 dance of oxalic acid formed in the leaves. 



" Le seamragan 's le neoineanan, 

 'S gach lus a dh'fheudain ainmeachadh 

 Cuir anbharra dhreach boidhchead air." — MACINTYRE. 

 With wood-sorrel and with daisies, 

 And plants that I could name, 

 Giving the place a most beautiful appearance. 



The shamrock is said to be worn by the Irish upon the anniversary 

 ■of St. Patrick for the following reason : — When the Saint preached 

 the Gospel to the pagan Irish, he illustrated the doctrine of the 

 Trinity by showing them a trefoil, which was ever afterwards worn 

 upon the Saint's anniversary. " Between May-day and harvest, 

 butter, new cheese, and curds and shamrock are the food of the 

 meaner sorts during all this season." — Piers's "West Meath." 

 Surag, the sour one; Scotch: sourock (from the Armoric sur, 

 Teutonic, suer, sour). Welsh: suran y gdg, cuckoo's sorrel. 

 Gaelic: biadh ebinean, birds' food. Manx: bee cooag, cookoo's 

 meat. Irish : billeog nan eun, the leaf of the birds. 



" Timchioll thulmanan diamhair 



Mu 'm bi'm biadh-ebinean a' fas." — MACDONALD. 

 Around sheltered hillocks 

 Where the wood sorrel grows. 



Feada coille, candle of the woods, name given to the flower ;feadk 

 a candle or rush. Clobhar na maighiche, hare's clover. 



" Mar sin is leasachan soilleir, 

 Do dh' fheada-coille nan cos." — Macdonald. 

 Like the flaming light 

 Of the wood-sorrel of the caverns. 



CELASTRACiE. 



Eunoymus europseus — Common spindle-tree. Gaelic and Irish: 

 oir, feoras, — oir, the east point, east. " A tir an oir" from the 

 land of the East (Oirip, Europe), being rare in Scoland and 

 Ireland, but common on the Continent. Oir and feoir also mean 

 a border, edge, limit, it being commonly planted in hedges. 

 Whether the name has any reference to these significations, it is 

 very difficult to determine with certainty. Oir, the name of the 

 thirteenth letter, O, of the Gaelic and Irish alphabet. It is 



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