13* 



among Celtic tribes as a cure for lung diseases, and is still used by 

 Highland old women in their ointments and potions. 



According to Shaw, the term grim was applied as a general term 

 for lichens growing on stones. Grioman (Macbain). Martin, in 

 his description of his journey to Skye, refers to the superstition 

 " that the natives observe the decrease of the moon for scraping 

 the scurf from the stones." The two useful lichens, corcur and 

 crotal, gave rise to the suggestive proverb — 



" Is fhearr a' chlach gharbh air am faighear rud-eigin, na 'chlach mhln air 

 nach faighear dad idir." 



Better the rough stone that yields something, than the smooth stone that 

 yields nothing. 



Fungi. 



Agaricus — The mushroom. Irish and Gaelic dictionaries give 

 agairg for mushroom. Fas na heanaich (Threl) In our Gaelic 

 fas na h-aon oidhche, one night's growth. Welsh : cullod. Manx : 

 shalmane. 



A. campestris — Balg bhuachaill (balg is an ancient Celtic word, 

 and in most languages has the same signification — viz., a bag, 

 wallet, pock, &c. (Greek, f3o\y6s; Latin, bulga; Saxon, balg; 

 German, balg), buachatll, a shepherd. Balg losgainn (losgann, a 

 frog, and in some places balg bhuachair — buachar, dung), Leirin 

 sugach. In Aberfeldy A. campestris is called boineid smachain 

 (Dr. Hugh Macmillan). 



Boletus bovinus — Brown boletus. Gaelic and Irish: boineid 

 na losgainn, the toad's bonnet; and also applied to other species 

 of this genus. 



Tuber cibarium — Truffle. Balgan losgainn, the bag of the toad. 

 These are subterraneous ball-like bodies, something like potatoes, 

 found in beech-woods in Glen Lyon; and probably applied to 

 other species as well. 



Lycoperdon giganteum — The large fuz-ball or devil's snuff-box. 

 Gaelic and Irish: beac, beacan, from beach, a bee. Balg-dubh, 

 black bag, dallan-nan-cavrach, the sheep-blinder, applied also to 

 L. gemmatum. This mushroom or puff-ball was used formerly 

 (and is yet) for smothering bees; it grows to a large size, some- 

 times even two or three feet in circumference. Trioman (O'Reilly). 



L. gemmatum — The puff-ball, fuz-ball. Gaelic and Irish : 



