We will not open the discussion here, except to say that the casual employment of local names is of no service because so many of these names are common to so many different plants.  Our author’s #Rabbits’-meat#, for instance, is applied to Anthriscus sylvestris, Heracleum Spondylium, Oxalis Acetosella and Lamium purpureum; all of which may be suitable rabbits’ food.  But each one of these plants has also a very wide choice of other names:  thus Anthriscus sylvestris, besides being Rabbits-meat may be familiarly introduced as Dill, Keck, Ha-ho, or Bun, and by some score of other names showing it to be disputed for by the ass, cow, dog, pig and even by the devil himself to make his oatmeal.

Heracleum Spondylium, alias Old Rot or Lumper-scrump, provides provender for cow, pig, swine, and hog, and also material for Bear’s breeches.

Oxalis Acetosella is even richer in pet-names.  After Rabbits’-meat, sheep-sorrel, cuckoo-spice, we find Hallelujah!  Lady’s cakes, and God Almighty’s bread-and-cheese.  These are selected from fifty names.

Lamium purpureum is not so polyonymous.  With Tormentil, Archangel, and various forms of Dead-nettle, we find only Badman’s Posies and Rabbits’-meat.

The worst perplexity is that well-known names, which one would think were securely appropriated, are often common property.  Our authority for the above details—­the Dictionary of English Plant-names, by James Britten and Robert Holland—­tells us that Orchis mascula, the ’male orchis’, is also called Cowslip, Crowsfoot, Ragwort, and Cuckoo-flower.  This plant, however, seems to have suggested to the rustic mind the most varied fancies, similitudes of all kinds from ‘Aaron’s beard’ to ‘kettle-pad’.

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The Committee of the S.P.E. invite the membership of all those who are genuinely interested in the objects of the Society and willing to assist in its work.  The Secretary will be glad to receive donations of any amount, great or small, which will be duly acknowledged and credited in the Society’s banking account.

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L. PEARSALL SMITH,

11 ST. LEONARD’S TERRACE, S.W. 3.

The prospectus of the Society will be found in Tract I, and further details in Tracts III and IV.