228 LANGUAGES AND WORDS 



on me to say which derivation is the truer. But what 

 makes me lean to the former is that not only has he the 

 latter 's experience to go upon, but also that having asked 

 the Editors of the " Encycl. Brit." to get the opinion of 

 the best man, and they (having opportunity of knowing 

 who that best man is and of getting his opinion) choose 

 McLauchlan. Of course, both he and they are liable 

 to error, and there are more differences of opinion among 

 scholars than among naturalists even, though Heaven 

 knows these are wide enough at times. What I should 

 recommend you to do is to state both and adopt 

 neither ! Your " Horse-cock " * brings us to the fabled 

 Hippolectryon of Aristophanes, or Cockhorse of our 

 childhood ! 



I don't think the law of priority can apply in the case 

 of derivations for a minute. We should have to accept 

 the famous lucus a non lucendo, Roma from Romulus, 

 Tibur from Tiburinus, and all the rest of the fanciful 

 derivations invented before Etymology was anything but 

 a series of guesses. 



Dr. McLauchlan's letters were, of course, written with 

 the object of his views therein expressed being made 

 public, but Mr. McArthur, I imagine, would not like 

 being quoted as though he thought himself or was thought 

 to be a Gaelic authority, for he told me in one letter that 

 he was not. 



I sent you a card yesterday anent Przevalsky one 

 part of which (the 3rd) is wanting. 



A Squirrel inquiry would no doubt be in some 

 degree interesting but I don't think people will 

 value it so much as they will this Caperkally investi- 

 gation. 



Everybody seems to think that " Gryse " in that old 

 statute means pig, I am sure it cannot be grouse. Have 

 you made out mittalis, atteils, goldings (NB.,gaulding is 

 now the general word in the English W. India Islands 

 for the smaller Herons), mortyms, schidderenis, brissel-cock 



* This is a reference to an improbable derivation of the word from the 

 Gaelic " capull," a horse. 



