443 
A DICTIOXARY OF 
Spittle of the Stars. Kosfoc commune, Yancli. — ‘Amongst our- 
selves, vrhen any such matter is found in the fields, the very countrey- 
men cry, it fell irom heaYn and the starres ; and, as I remember, call 
it the spittle of the starves.’ White's Peripateticall Institutions, p. IIS 
(1656). 
Spleenwort. Aspleniinn Ceteracli, L. — Ger. Extended to other 
species of the genus Aspleniiim. Prior, p. 220. 
Spoke-wood. Euonymus europKBus, L. — Arch^eologia, xlii. 126, but 
the locality is not specified. 
Sponge Heather. PoJytrichum commune, L. — E. Bord. Bot. E. Bord. 
Spoonwort. CocliJearia officinalis, L. — Lyte. ‘ His leaves be ' 
broade and thicke, and somewhat hollow above like to a little 
spoon e.’ Lyte, p. 117. Prior, p. 220. 
Spotted Clover. Medicago maculata, L. — Cornw. 
Spotted Comfrey. Pulmonaria officinalis, L. — Ger. Prior, p. 51. 
Spotted Mary. Pulmonaria officinalis, L . — Radnor (Borders of 
Heref.). In Ileref. Spotted Virgin. In allusion to a legend referred 
to under Lady's Milk Sile (2). 
Sprat. This, in its various forms, is a common north-country name 
for Pushes, being assigned indiscriminately to J. lamprocarpiis, Ehrh., 
J. acutiflorus, Ehrh., and J. ohtusiflorus, Ehrh. Jamieson has Sprat, 
Spreat, Sprett, Sprit, and Sprot. Sprit is used in N. of Ireland 
(‘ that sort of rushes here called sprits,’ Phil. Trans, xxix. 368) ; Sprat 
and Sprot are given in Bot. E. Bord. ; and the last form is in Moray 
appbed to J. squarrosus, L. 
Sprat-barley. ‘ The species of barley with very long beards or 
awms, or awns. The Hordeum vulgare of Linn. Moor.’ Hal. 
Spreat. See Sprat. 
Spreesprinkle (a corruption of Priest's Pintle). Orchis mascula, L. 
Ches., Leigh. 
Sprett. See Sprat. 
Spreusidany. ‘ Corruptum a Lat. Peucedanum.’ Skinner. Peuce- 
danum officinale, L. — Prior, p. 220. 
Spring. ‘ Young white-thorn quick, perhaps from the usual season 
of planting it for quick-fences.’ Suff. Moor. 
Spring Flower. The Polyanthus, Primula vulgaris, L., var. Hants. 
Monthly Packet, X. S. xxx. 111. 
Spring Grass. Antlioxanthum odoratum, L. — With. ed. ii. 
Spring Violet. Gentiana verna, L. — Durh. (Teesdale). With. 
Sprit. See Sprat. 
Sprot. See Sprat. 
Spruce, or Spruce Fir. Ahies excelsa, Poir. Prior, p. 220. 
Spunk. Polyporus igniarius,lu. — ‘ Touchwood or R. Syn. 
ed. ii. 18. 
