iQ<n I DoRAN, Veniacttlar Names, of Birds. '2 



The importance of this subject is manifest to all. One of the 

 most noted ornithologists in this country recently in a private 

 letter to the writer said : "It is a subject which has been much 

 neglected, and I am glad you are taking it up. The matter of 

 compound names has given me not a little bother, and the question 

 of hyphens still more." If the subject has given trouble to men of 

 the highest rank, certainly younger and less skillful workers will 

 find still more trouble. 



There is not only a great lack of uniformity in writing the 

 compound vernacular names of birds; but, with regard to'many 

 names, a majority of the ornithologists seem to have selected in- 

 correct forms. This statement may seem paradoxical, as correct 

 form in speech is determined generally by the majority of the best 

 speakers and writers. However, that does not necessarily mean 

 a majority of the best ornithologists, or best entomologists, but a 

 majority of those who give attention to the selection of correct 

 forms of speech in accordance with certain underlying language- 

 principles. '' 



The design of this paper is to get at the source of not a few 

 incorrect forms by calling attention to what seems clearly a mis- 

 application, or lack of application, of language-principles in many 

 vernacular names in the A. O. U. ' Check-List of North American 

 Birds.' There are about one hundred seventy-five of these names 

 which are manifestly incorrect in form. As this ' Check-List ' is 

 the standard for all ornithologists, even in regard to vernacular 

 names, that seems the proper place to begin, though the writer is 

 not unmindful of the great array of ornithological talent he is 

 controverting at the outset. 



It is necessary to lay down certain fixed principles and to form- 

 ulate certain rules as a standard with which to compare these 

 forms which appear to be wrong. The rules given below do not 

 necessarily govern in the formation of all vernacular names of 

 birds, as it seems best to leave the full discussion of' the subject 

 to another paper, which will appear later. These are intended to 

 apply especially to the selections from the ' Check-List ' which 

 follow ; but they are sufficient for all names of the same nature. 



The ' Standard Dictionary,' in the Introduction, lays down three 

 general principles for compounding English words. The second, 

 the only one needed for the present purpose, is as follows : 



