CHAPTER 1 



Etymology, Nomenclature 



a. Echinus and Sea Urchin 



The sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata, belongs in the class of Echinoidea^ 

 this name coming from the Greek word sx^vot;, meaning hedgehog. A 

 sea urchin is a hedgehog of the sea, tiowtioc, kyvjoc,^ as distinguished from 

 a land urchin or hedgehog of the land, jzpacdoc, hjyioc,, the word 

 iylvoc, referring to the spiny nature of the animals. The name Echinus 

 was used for the sea urchin by Aristotle and has been retained for the 

 most common genus. 



The English name "urchin" comes from the Middle English, urchon, 

 which comes from the Old French, irechon or herichon (the modern French 

 for hedgehog is he'risson), and this is derived from the Latin, ericius, 

 meaning hedgehog. The scientific name for the hedgehog^ which is 

 common throughout Europe is Erinacius europaeus. Thus the words 

 "urchin" and "echinoid" are derived, one from the Latin and the 

 other from the Greek word for hedgehog. The Latin ericius is related 

 to an older Greek word yjr\p, also meaning hedgehog (cf. English 

 "hirsute"). 



The term urchin or street urchin for a small boy comes through the 

 application of the term to a fairy or elf which often took the form of a 

 hedgehog playing pranks on children; later it was applied to the small 

 child himself Urchin is used in the sense of elf or goblin by Shake- 

 speare : 



"For this, be sure, tonight thou shalt have cramps, 

 Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up ; urchins 

 Shall, for that vast of night that they may work. 

 All exercise on thee." The Tempest I, ii, 325. 



(The notes say that urchins are hedgehogs or hobgobUns.) 

 » 



"But they'll nor pinch. 

 Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire, 



' The hedgehog is not found in America; the common Canadian and American porcupine 

 (Erilhizon dorsatum) is quite a different animal. 



