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 (rupawoe), and the common 

 one (rpox^oq) also is called a magistrate and king 

 (npeajSve K.ai paat^Evs), " 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 rei) ; the French, the little king (roitelet), 

 or king-berry (roi-berry), or the king of cold (roi de 

 froidure) ; and the Germans, the snow-king (schnee- 

 ktinig), and thorn-king (thurn-konig) . 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 (konig- 

 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 (Scolopax gallinula), 

 that young sportsmen are disposed to take it for the 

 male of the common snipe (S. gallinagd), 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., is., 2. 



