224 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Maquereau. — French name for the Mackerel in Europe, extended to that of 

 America. Used first by Cartier, in 1535, as Macquereaulx, and later by- 

 many others: Lescarbot uses Macreau. 



Margaulx, Margos, or Margot. — French name for the Gannet. Used first by 

 Cartier in 1534, then by Champlain in 1604, and by Denys. The brief 

 descriptions of both authors are in full accord with this identification, 

 which is made certain by the fact that the name is thus used to this 

 day both by the Canadian French (fide C. E. Dionne), and by the 

 Acadians (fide A. C. Smith). Otis translated the word Magpie, following 

 some dictionaries. I cannot imagine for what reason the word for 

 Magpie became transferred to a bird so wholly differenc. 



Marionette. — Name of a sea-bird first used by Denys and without doubt the 

 Bufflehead Duck. Its identity is proven by the fact that it is so called 

 by the Acadians to this day (fide A. C. Smith), while the name is also 

 thus used around New Orleans according to Baird, Brewer and Ridge- 

 way, where it was no doubt taken by the Acadians in 1755. The name 

 is French, descriptive of the remarkable way in which this bird dives 

 and reappears, in a manner suggestive of toy marionettes. 



Marmette. — Name applied by Champlain in 1604 to a Sea bird of Acadia. 

 The name occurs in no French Dictionaries, and has therefore been left 

 untranslated by all the translators of Champlain. It, however, per- 

 sists among the French of Canada, as Clapin shows (Mermette), and 

 Professor Dionne tells me they apply it to the Murres, which include 

 two very similar species on our coasts, the Common Murre (Common 

 Guillemot), and Brunnich's Murre. It is mentioned by Lescarbot, and 

 also in Le Jeune's Relation of 1635, where Thwaites' edition (viii, jlj8) 

 translates it, wholly witnout warrant, as Marmots. The name does not 

 appear later, but Denys and Dieréville use Foulé de mer for the same 

 birds. It is possible there is some connection, etymologically, between 

 the words murre and mermette. 



Marsouin. — French name for Porpoise, used generi'j.ally. It was thus em- 

 ployed by Cartier in 1535 (as Marsouyn or Marcouyn) and by others, in- 

 cluding Lescarbot, (though he appears to separate the common Por- 

 poise or Herring Hog from the other species as Souffleur) and by Denys, 

 who described the White Whale without special name, and the common 

 Porpoise as Poursille. Gradually, however, the name Marsouin has 

 become attached to the White Porpoise, or White WTiale, of the Saint 

 Lawrence, and in thus used to-day by both Canadian and Acadian 

 French. 



Martre, or Marthe. — French name for the European Marten, of which there 

 is more than one species. Applied similarly in America, where the 

 commonest species is the Pine Marten, or Sable. Mentioned first by 

 Cartier in 1535, and thereafter by all writers. Champlain gives a pic- 

 ture of the Martre upon his map of 1612 which must represent the 

 earliest made. Mentioned in Newfoundland in 1583 as martcrnes by 

 Haie, who also refers to the sable as if a different animal. According 

 to Mr. Thompson Seton the French Canadians now call the Marten 

 Marte or Fouine. 



