2 9 



smear or daub. Sanskrit: smar, to smear. Dris-smear, another 

 combination of the preceding names. Eachrann (O'Reilly), 

 where brambles grow. The word means an impediment, a 

 stumbling-block, when walking. 



It was and is a common belief in the Highlands that each 

 blackberry contains a poisonous worm. Another popular belief 

 — kept up probably to prevent children eating them when 

 unripe — that the fairies defiled them at Michaelmas and Hal- 

 lowe'en. 



This plant is the badge of a branch of the Clan Maclean. 



B.. csesius — Blue bramble ; dewberry bush. Gaelic : preas nan- 

 gorm dhearc, the blueberry bush. 



" Barr gach tolmain to bhrat gorm dhearc." — Macdonald. 

 Every knoll under a mantle of blueberries (dewberries). 



The blue bramble is the badge of the Clan Macnab. 



Rosa canina — Dog-rose. Gaelic : rbs nan con, dog rose. 

 Greek: yy-v>v. Latin : cam's. Sanskrit : ciinas. Irish: cil. Welsh: 

 ciros (ci, a dog), dog rose. 



Gaelic : coin droigkionn, dogs' thorn. Earradhreas or fearra- 

 dhris, earrad, armour; suggested by its being armed with prickles. 



" Mar mhucaigna. fearra-dhris," — Mackbllar. 

 Like hips on the briar. 

 Preas nam-mucag, the hip-bush — from muc (Welsh : mock), a pig, 

 from the fancied resemblance of the seeds to pigs, being bristly. 

 Irish : sgeach mhadra, the dogs' haw or bush. Welsh : merddrain. 

 Manx : drine booag — (booag, the fruit), Gaelic : rbs, rose ; culti- 

 vated rose, rbs garaidh. 



" B'e sid an sealladh eibhinn ! 

 Do bhruachan gle-dkearg rbs." 

 That was a joyful sight ! 

 Thy banks so rosy red. 



It. rubiginosa — Sweet-briar (briar, Gaelic: a bodkin or pin). 

 Gaelic : dris chubhraidh, the fragrant bramble. Irish : sgeach- 

 chiimhra, the fragrant haw or bush. Cuirdris, the twisting briar. 

 — cuir, gen. sing, of car, to twist or wind. Welsh : rhoslwyn per. 

 O'Reilly gives forrdris as sweet briar and jessamine. The sweet 

 briar is the "Eglantine" of the poets. 



Agrimonia eupatoria — Agrimony. Gaelic : mur-draidhean — 



