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The case of the Strutliidea is different; Struthidea is not a native

name, but one of those doggy Greek abominations which ornithologists

delight in, and therefore a name wdiicli is only known to a comparatively

small number of specialists, never having formed part of the vernacular

of any people. Were it possible to call the bird something else I should

much like to do so ; but what can you call it ? There is no bird I know of

near enough to the Struthidea to share names with it. I don’t happen to

know what the natives and the colonials call it, but if their name is at all

11 possible” it should, I think, be adopted (a). A colonial name may not be

correct, but it always expresses something, like a dealer’s or schoolboy’s.

The Pekin Robin doesn’t come from Pekin, and isn’t a Robin; but he looks

like one, and is found in China. Whereas his scientific title of Liothrix

means simply “ smooth hair,” which is, I submit, merelj 7 silly—though I

must plead guilty to often using it, because it is rather a pretty word, and

a handy one.


The “ descriptive name ” naturalists give to this bird is the Red-

billed Hill-Tit. But the bird is not a Tit, but a small Babbler, and there are

plenty of real Tits in the Indian hills which form part of his wide range.

The native names are Nanachura and Rapchil-pho ; these, I submit, are not

pretty or easy to say, and so in this case I think the dealer and the producer

of modern scientific terms have a fair case against these particular speci¬

mens. The best argument I know in favour of the adoption of native

names is the readiness of the outside public— i.e., 11011-birdy people, whom

we all want to help—to adopt them. I know several New Zealanders in

Calcutta, and I notice they all rise Maori names in speaking of their native

birds, so that I take it these are well-rooted among English people in that

colony. So, in India, most people who use their eyes, know the black

Cuckoo as the Koel, and call the Bulbul and Mynah by the same names as

are used by the natives.


I have, I fear, written at what will seem to most of our members

needless length on this subject. But I admire a fine language as well as a

fine bird, and I should be sorry to see ours defaced, when it deals with

aviculture—I W'ould rather say bird-fancying, but I daren’t here—by uu-

wieldly Teutonic compounds, or by the appalling productious of naturalists

who know 7 , in most cases, as little of the classical languages as they do of

live birds. Frank Finn.



RFD-FACED FINCH.


Sir, — I have a male Red-faced Finch in a large flight cage with about

fifteen other birds. He has been very bald on his back all the winter, and

even now the feathers are not coming in. I took him out of the cage to

see if I could do anything for him as I noticed one of the Zebra-finches

pecking his back. It is swollen and very hot to touch and looks inflamed.

I painted it with a little sw'eet oil, but should be glad if you can give me

any advice on the subject. The bird is quite well otherwise and in good

spirits, and I am most anxious to get him right, as he is a dear little bird

and very tame, and, of course, he is one of the best birds I have.


I feed all my birds on white millet and canary seed, brown millet and


(a). Mr. A. J. Campbell, in his new book, calls the bird also the Grey Jumper, but

adds that it is more frequently called the “Apostle Bird.”—R. P.



