234 Seton, Popular Bird Names. (.April 



pecker was called a "Wood-wale." How gloriously that name 

 would fit the so-called Pileated Woodpecker (whatever 'pileated' 

 means; I don't know). How rhythmic — how simple! How 

 beautifully descriptive. Does n't it make you hear that long, 

 eerie wail in the woods? 



Doctor Elliott Coues, with his usual far-sight, insight and literary 

 appreciation, sensed this question, I think; and, in the last edition 

 of the Key, made a move toward the solution by offering every 

 name he could find or invent for each of our birds. Take Wood- 

 thrush for instance; he calls it Woodthrush, Wood Robin, Bell 

 bird and Geraldine. Why "Geraldine" ? I do not know, unless 

 it is an imitation of its nore, which is, of course, good. But all 

 of these names seem to me of good origin and sound structure. At 

 a guess, I would venture to say that, given equal publicity, Bell 

 bird" would win over all the others, even granting the already 

 considerable success of the word 'Woodthrush'; because it is so 

 descriptive, so alliterative, so easy to say, so easy to remember and 

 so rhythmic; in other words, it is good English. 



At once, I hear the objection that that name belongs by priority 

 to a wholly different bird in South America; and I reply that the 

 genius of language does not know of the existence of South America 

 or concern itself with priority, or with anything but getting the idea 

 into the mind and the memory. As to priority, if that spectre 

 be allowed to walk, it will surely eliminate every popular name on 

 every list that ever was given to the public. 



I would encourage all who meet them, to collect and send in the 

 names that appear locally under pressure of the growing popular 

 interest. 



I would ask bird men of literary instinct to gather, make up, 

 or invent good names to be submitted to the great test. 



Last, for suggestions, I would ransack the pages of those outdoor 

 poets and writers who have the two-fold gift — love of the birds 

 and language-sense. 



Thus I would gather the continual product of the popular 

 attempts, until some day, for each bird, is discovered a happy 

 solution that can stand the great and final tests: — Does it describe 

 the bird? Is it short and pat? Is it a monosyllable? Or, if more 

 than one syllable, is the accent on the first? Is it different from 



