Vlll PREFACE. 



his vocabulary in 1741, are examined, they are found to correspond 

 with those in much older vocabularies published in Ireland. The 

 same remark applies, with a few exceptions, to the names of plants 

 in Gaelic supplied by the Rev. Mr Stewart of Killin, given in 

 Lightfoot's ' Flora Scotica.' Undoubtedly, the older names have 

 been preserved in the more copious Celtic literature of Ireland; it 

 is certainly true that "In vetustd Hibernicd, fundamentum habet" 

 the investigations of Professor O'Curry, O'Donovan, and others, 

 have thrown much light on this as well as upon many other Celtic 

 topics. The Irish names are therefore included, and spelt 

 according to the various methods adopted by the different 

 authorities ; this gives the appearance of a want of uniformity to 

 the spelling not altogether agreeable to Gaelic scholars, but which, 

 under the circumstances, was unavoidable. 



It was absolutely essential that the existing Gaelic names should 

 be assigned correctly. The difficulty of the ordinary botanical 

 student was here reversed : he has the plant but cannot tell the 

 name — here the name existed, but the plant required to be found 

 to which the name applied. Again, names had been altered from 

 their original form by transcription and pronunciation ; it became 

 a matter of difficulty to determine the root word. However, the 

 recent progress of philology, the knowledge of the laws that govern 

 the modifications of words in the brotherhood of European 

 languages, when applied to these names, rendered the explanation 

 given not altogether improbable. Celts named plants often from 

 (1), their uses; (2), their appearance; (3), their habitats; (4), their 

 superstitious associations, &c. The knowledge of this habit of 

 naming was the key that opened many a difficulty. 



For the sake of comparison a number of Welsh names is given, 

 selected from the oldest list of names obtainable — those appended 

 to Gerard's 'Herbalist,' 1597. 



The author cannot sufficiently express his obligation to numerous 

 correspondents in the Highlands and in Ireland for assistance in 

 gathering local names ; without such help it would have been 

 impossible to make a complete collection. Notably the Rev. A. 

 Stewart, Nether Lochaber, whose knowledge of natural history is 

 unsurpassed in his own sphere ; the Very Rev. Canon Bourke, 

 Claremorris, who gave most valuable assistance in the Irish names, 

 particularly in the etymology of many abstruse terms, his accurate 



