BEMABKS ON THE USE OF NAMES. 13 



there were centuries when the classics were undergoing the incessant changes inci- 

 dent to all spoken or living languages, just as our tongue is now. But having, in 

 the usual process of evolution, reached that point which we mean when we use the 

 term " classic," the Greek and Latin have come down to us in a certain form, so 

 measurably fixed as to permit no decided ulterior modification. Our orthograph}-, 

 as far as possible, should reflect the purity and lucidity of such crystallization ; and 

 a little care will enable us to make such reflection clear. 



In the cases of actual Greek and Latin words employed as names of birds, there 

 are probably not in the whole list a dozen instances of words which admit of defen- 

 sible alternative spelling. In the modern compounds of Greek and Latin stems, 

 there is necessarily some little margin for varial^ilit}- ; but in all cases, perhaps, at 

 least a defensible orthography' maj' be attained, though some alternative ma}- not 

 be without its claims to consideration. We can only sa}', that in this matter we 

 have endeavored to reach good results according to definite recognized rules. 



In the much-vexed question of forming quasi-Latin genitives from the names of 

 persons, we have adopted the following simple and uniform rule : If the word ends 

 with a consonant add single i for a man's name, ce for a woman's name ; if ending 

 with a vowel, change that vowel to i ; as bairdi, cassini, but lawrencii, boiiapartii ; 

 blackburnce, gracice. There are but few exceptions to this, as annce, costce. The 

 letter y gives the most trouble : it is best generallj- to treat it as a consonant, and 

 say sicckleyi, ridgwayi ; but it must sometimes be rendered b}' t, as lucice for Lucy 

 (Latin Lucia)., derbianus from Derby. It is rarely that a case occurs that such 

 practice cannot readil}- meet. Names of birds derived from those of persons may 

 of course be from any language, and consequently offer combinations of letters 

 unknown in Latin ; but it is useless to attempt to Latinize them, further than b}- 

 giving them a Latin genitive termination. We should be led into the pedantr}' of 

 brunonis for browm, or even of ntgri for blacki, if we attempt any S3'stematic Latini- 

 zation of " barbarous " proper names. It is best to apply the above rule even to 

 names alread}^ Latin in form, and write, for instance, blasiusi, not blasii. The 

 desirabilit}- of such conventional proceeding ma}' be illustrated in the case of a bird 

 named after a Mr. Wilcox ; better wilcoxi., and be done with it, than vilcocis. 



Hitherto, we have spoken of Latin and Greek names of birds indiscriminately. 

 It will be remembered, however, that we are supposed to write the names always in 

 Latin, be they of that language or actually Greek. This brings up the subject of 

 the ti-ansliteration of words from the latter into the former. Most of the letters of 

 the Greek alphabet have their exact and simple equivalents in Latin ; but some can 

 only be represented by two Latin letters, and some combinations of Greek letters 

 change in passing into Latin words. 



The following are the simple equivalents : a = a; (3 = b ; y — g ; 8 — d; € = e/ 

 t, = z ; 7] — e ; t — i ; A — I ; fx = m ; v — n ; i — x ; o = o ; tt — p ; p = r ; o- or 

 s = 5 ; T = t ; CO = o. 



The following are simple substitutions : k — c ; v = y. 



