INTRODUCTION. 
XVll 
of names ; generally, they describe the peculiarities of the plants with 
such a fair amount of accuracy that there is no mistaking their meaning. 
In many cases, however, the name of an animal prefixed has a 
totally different signification, denoting size, coarseness, and frequently 
worthlessness or spuriousness. The prefixes Bull, Horse, Ox, &c., 
frequently indicate size, as in Bull-rush, Bull Daisy, Ox-lip, Horse 
Daisy. Dr. Prior, however, assigns a different meaning to Bull-rush. 
Horse Chestnut may mean either a coarse or a spurious kind of 
Chestnut. Dog and toad very often mean that which is worthless 
or spurious, as in the case of Dog Violet, a violet which is worthless, 
from having no perfume like the real violet ; Dog-elder, a shrub 
which superficially resembles an elder-tree, but proves to be some- 
thing totally different. Dog-rose probably belongs to this list, 
although it may mean a rose bearing a great number of prickles. 
Dog Parsley is a worthless, poisonous plant, somewhat resembling 
true parsley. Toad in like manner frequently means spurious, as in 
Toad-flax, a plant which, before it comes into flower, bears a tolerably 
close resemblance to a plant of the true flax. The same prefixes, 
however, very frequently relate to the animals themselves, so that 
the appearance and habits of the plant must be taken into consider- 
ation in determining the exact signification of a name. 
A. great number of plant-names may be called dedicatory, and 
embody the names of many of the Saints, and even of the Deity. 
The latter, however, are very few in number, owing perhaps to a 
sense of reverence : and God Almighty’s Bread and Cheese • God’s 
Eye; God’s Grace; God’s Meat; Our Lord’s, or Our Saviour’s, 
Elannel ; Christ’s Hair, Christ’s Herb, Christ’s Ladder, Christ’s 
Thorn, Holy Ghost, and Herb Trinity make up almost the whole 
list. Hot so with the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom a great number 
are dedicated under her name of “Lady” or “Our Lady.” A 
reference to the names under the word “Lady” in the Dictionary 
will show how very numerous these are. Several of the names 
connected with the Blessed Virgin Mary, as Virgin Mary’s Cowslip, 
Virgin Mary’s Milkdrops, Mary’s Tears, Virgin Mary’s Pinch, 
perpetuate some charmingly interesting legends which will be found 
recorded under the various names. 
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