LETTERS 



DUNLIN OR DUNLING. 

 To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — I have lately had occasion to refer once more in the Field to 

 the correct way of spelling the name of this bird, and I should like to 

 have the opportunity of discussing the matter in your pages. 



The form " dunlin " is doubtless that which is to be fovind in most 

 works on British birds ; but the question is, looking to the etymology 

 of the name, and the oldest form of it, whether this is correct. I venture 

 to think not, and for the following reasons : — 



The meaning of the name ' ' dunling ' ' is the little dun thing, a diminu- 

 tive akin to grayling, titling, sanderling, duckling, and gosling, and this 

 is the spelling to be found in the oldest mention of the name, which 

 occurs in the Durham Household Book, containing the accounts of the 

 Bursar of the Monastery of Durham, a.d. 1530-4. The price then 

 paid for these little birds, known elsewhere as stint, purre, sand-lark, 

 and ox-bird, was at the rate of 4d. a dozen. 



In an article on " English Bird Names," published in the Field of 

 January 12th, 1884, I took occasion to refer to what I conceive to be 

 the proper spelling of the name dunling, and in the second edition of 

 my Handbook of British Birds (1901) I explained more fully the reason 

 for the change. This led to a correspondence with the late Professor 

 Newton, who, with the concurrence of Professor Skeat, wrote me that 

 he was convinced of the correctness of my view, and that he should 

 adopt the spelling " dunling " when next he had occasion to mention 

 the species in print. This he accordingly did in his Ootheca Wolleyana, 

 Part 3, pp. 225-6, a fact which seems to have been generally overlooked. 

 This, I venture to think, should settle the question, for no one will 

 dispute the critical acumen invariably displayed by the late dis- 

 tinguished professor of zoology in all matters ornithological. Those 

 who may feel any hesitation in adopting the more correct spelling will, 

 in order to be consistent, have to consider the logical necessity for 

 dropping the " g " in such names as titling, brambling, grayling, sander- 

 ling, duckling, and gosling, thereby providing in each case a veritable 

 cockney termination. J. E. Harting. 



[Although the proper scientific names to be used for a bird can be 

 decided by following definite rules, the English name cannot, and must, 

 we think, be chosen (if there is a choice) on the authority of the majority 

 of scientific writers. Although we do not wish to dispute the etymo- 

 logical correctness of Mr. Harting's " Dunling," there can be no doubt 

 that " Dmilin " is the form which has been used in the large majority 

 of standard works, and we do not think this name should be changed. 

 Professor Newton adopted the form " Cuckow " for the Cuckoo, but 

 this has not found general acceptance, and there are many obsolete 

 forms of spelling which might be revived if Mr. Harting's argiunent 

 were to find acceptance. If we may make a suggestion, we think 

 that Mr. Harting would be far better advised if he were to agitate for 

 priority in scientific names on scientific lines, rather than for priority 

 in the spelling of colloquial names for which no dates are fixed nor rules 

 in existence. — Eds.] 



