NOVEMBEK 1, 1899.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



261 



a hare, and irovj, a foot). The Rose-coloured Starling 

 owes its name, Pastor roseus, to the fact of its following in 

 the tracks and even perching on the backs of cattle or 

 sheep in search of grubs : {Pastor, a shepherd). This 

 trait is again exemplified in the Buff-backed Heron 

 [Anita hubtikus), (hubitlcus, a herdsman). 



The Wrens, again, owe their name Troglodytes from 

 the fact of their building a domed nest. Troglodytes, 

 r^cuyXoSiiViJc, one who lives in holes. 



The Golden Plover was given its specific name Pluvialis 

 (rainy) because it was supposed to become more restless 

 and noisy on the advent of wet weather, not because it 

 frequented marshy places. The Dotterel obtains its specific 

 name, Morinellus, dim. of Morus {ixivpo;, a simpleton), 

 because the bird on the approach of the fowler was said 

 to imitate his gestures, stretching out a wing when he did 

 an arm, etc., but this habit is not an imitative one, and 

 is common to all the Charadiiidiv, to which this species is 

 allied. At the same time the Dotterel is a very simple 

 bird, and easy of approach, so that the name still holds 

 good. The Common Snipe owes its specific name Calestis 

 (belonging to heaven) from the habit of the male, which 

 during the breeding season is continually rising with rapid 

 beat of wing far into the skies. 



The Barn Owl [Strir /lamiiu^a) owes its generic name to 

 oTpi'J, from the root of rpi^^M (I cry sharply or shrilly). 

 and we find a word derived from Strix used in medieval 

 times of peculiar significance, when so many poor wretches 

 were tortured and put to death under the impression 

 they were persons of Ul-omen — namely, Strigia, a witch 

 or hag. 



Turnstone, as well as the scientific name of the bird 

 (Strepsilas int^'rpres), denotes its habits, Strepsihis being 

 derived from (Trpe<piu (I toi-n), and Auo- (a stone). Interpres 

 is stated to have been given by Linnasus because this bird is 

 a wamer or explainer to other waders, but the Turnstone is 

 a peculiarly silent bird, and I think the great naturalist used 

 the word in its broadest sense — that is, meaning a go- 

 between, or broker ; one who gets his living between two 

 persons or things. This puts me in mind of another 

 specific name of interest, namely, that of the Fieldfare. 

 The specific name, as we have it, of the Fieldfare is 

 pilaris (a ball). Now there is nothing characteristic in 

 the spots on the breast of the Fieldfare ; they are common 

 to all the Thrush tribe. We find pilaris, the translation 

 given by Gaza (1476) of ■:piyy.<; (a kind of Thrush), in 

 Aristotle, Hist. An. IX., 20, as if that name were derived 

 from 3piJ {Vilus, a hair), and os {oris, a mouth, which 

 might refer to the rictal bristles) ; but here, again, 

 we have the difficulty that this is a characteristic of all 

 the Turdida, and the Fieldfare is not the type of the 

 Thrushes. Can it be that the word meant is piUnis {t:\Ko;, 

 a felt cap or hat made to fit close, and shaped like the 

 half of an egg — a cap worn by the Romans at entertain- 

 ments and festivals) ? The grey crown of the Fieldfare in 

 breeding plumage so exactly suits this description. 



Nothing can be turned to better account than the 

 interpretation of the specific name of the Cirl Bunting 

 {Emberiza cir(us). Cirlus, like the German Zirl-amimr, is 

 from the Italian Zirlare (to chirp, to cry " zi, zi "). The 

 bird is called Ziti by the Piedmontese, the note of the 

 male-bird being exactly interpreted by this sound, and 

 one's attention in spring is instantly arrested by its con- 

 stant repetition from some conspicuous twig which is 

 favoured by the bird. 



The Flycatchers (Mtiscicapa) again obviously take their 

 name from their habit of obtaining food : Mttscicapa, from 

 musca, a fly, and cnpio, I catch. 



The generic of the Ringed Plovers, Aegialitis (aiyiaXmjf , 



a dweller by the sea-shore) , has a deeper meaning than its 

 literal one, for the derivation diyiaXsu; referred in heathen 

 mythology to the brother who was cut to pieces, and 

 whose remains were scattered along the sea-shore by his 

 sister Medea. Everyone who knows the habits of these 

 birds, how the flock, on dropping down, after a wheeling 

 flight, radiate and spread out all over the sands, can 

 appreciate the appropriateness of the synonym, the habit 

 being in marked contrast to those of the Sanderling 

 fCalitlris arenaria), which in little compact flocks advance 

 and retreat with each ebb and flow of wave with surprising 

 regularity and nimbleness. 



Other birds, again, are named with reference to distinctive 

 marks of colour in the feathers or soft parts, such as the 

 bill or legs, as the Black -throated Thrush (Turdus atri- 

 gularis], atrigidaris from atri, black, and gida, a throat. 

 The Twite {Linota flavirostra), flavirostra from rlavus, 

 yellow, and rostrum, a beak ; in fact this bird is known as 

 the yellow-nebbed lintie in North Britain. The Golden 

 Oriole {Oriolus i/albulu), Oritdtu from Aureolus, golden, 

 galbula, a yellow bird, the sight of which was supposed to 

 cure jaundice, though the bird died. The Harlequin 

 Duck [Cosmonctta histrionica), Coswonetta from KOtrfio;, 

 ornament, and vi'irra, a duck ; from its brilliantly contrasted 

 plumage ; hi^trioniea, belonging to or like an actor. 



It is interesting to note how this pecuUarly beautiful 

 style of plumage takes the popular fancy. A handsome 

 little Quail {Cgrton;/.v montizuma) of America is known to 

 the miners of Lower California and Arizona as the Fool 

 Quail, for the reason that its plumage is spotted and 

 striped in strong contrast. The Green Sandpiper (Totanus 

 ochropus), ochropus from £o%pos, pale yellow, and iroDs, 

 a foot. 



Again, acme abnormality of structure has called forth 

 attention, and a name given to emphasize the fact, such as 

 Pallas's Sand Grouse {Syrrkaptes paradoxus), Syrrluiptes 

 from cj»-5a-r£iv, to sew or stitch together, because the 

 last phalanges of the toes alone are free, all the toes 

 being as it were sewn together Uke a fingerless glove : 

 ! paradoxus, strange, contrary to expectation, referring of 

 course to the carious structure of foot. 



In fact, the nomenclature of birds opens up enough 

 romantic material to fiU a four volume novel, and 

 breathes in every line the work of a field naturalist, and 

 yet it merely touches the fringe of one subject in natural 

 history. Let us not, however, be dismayed at the wide 

 field which opens out for investigation ; rather let us 

 increase our ranks, and endeavour to instil into others the 

 enthusiasm which is the very essence of our life, and 

 whilst we make truth, keen observation, and sympathy our 

 cardinal principles, let us emulate Longfellow's village 

 blacksmith : — 



" Toiling — rejoicing — sorrowing — 



Onward through life he goes : 

 Each morning sees some task begun, 



Each evening sees its close : 

 Something attempted, something done. 



Has earned a night's repose." 



By John H. Cooke, f.l.s., f.g.s. 



The embedding of lichens is, at best, a delicate operation. 

 Prof. G. F. Pierce, of Stanford University, California, has 

 devoted some attention to this phase of microscopical technique, 

 and recommends a mixture of hard and soft paraffin, which 

 melts at about tjC^ C, as a satisfactorj' medium. After fixing 

 the material, small pieces of the paraffin are added to the pure 

 xytol, in which the material has already been cleared,^ and the 

 dish is kept warm, both to increase the solvent power of the 



