SOLITARY AND GREGARIOUS. 131 
ter fact, Gesner, Willoughby, and other naturalists, 
accuse Belon, Brisson, and Oliva, of confounding the 
two species. To us, however, this charge appears 
groundless, for Aristotle very clearly distinguishes 
the two birds; and yet he says the gold-crested 
one is called a king (rupavvoc), and the common 
one (rpoyAoc) also is called a magistrate and king 
(mpeoBue kat BactAevc), “ for which reason,” he adds, 
“the eagle is said to fight with it..* Independently 
of this authority, the popular titles given to the 
common wren, in most languages, by the peasants 
who know nothing of the disputes of naturalists, 
prove that there must be some cause for the term 
unconnected with any confusion of the species. 
For example, the Italians call it the little king 
(reattino), the king of the hedge (re di siepe), the 
king of the birds (redegli uccelli); the Spaniards, 
the kinglet (reyezuelo); the Portuguese, the bird- 
king (ave ret); the French, the little king (roitedet), 
or king-berry (roi-derry), or the king of cold (roi de 
froidure); and the Germans, the snow-king (schnee- 
kénig), and thorn-king (‘hurr -komg). At the same 
time, we are aware that the gold-crested wren has 
obtained similar titles, such as in Italy, the little 
pope ( papazzino ); in Germany, the kinglet (kénig- 
chen) ; and in Sweden, kingbird (kongs-vogel). We 
pretend not to account for the universal diffusion of 
the same notion, but it is most evident it does not 
arise from the mistake that has been supposed. 
It would appear to originate from the singularly 
solitary habits of the jack-snipe (Scolopaz gallinula), 
that young sportsmen are disposed to take it for the 
male of the common snipe (S. gallinago), though it 
is so very different in size and even in plumage. 
“The jack-snipe,” says Mr. Knapp, ‘is a solitary, 
unsocial bird, an anchorite from choice. With the 
exception of our birds of prey, the manner of whose 
* Hist, Anim., ix., 2. 
