DECEMBER 301 



softened into ' goose,' but remains distinct in ' gander,' the 

 German gdnserich, and in ' gannet.' 



By common consent most nations have followed the 

 Latins in naming the cormorant the sea-crow, our word 

 being but a corruption of Corvus marinus, though some 

 hold that the latter syllables represent the Welsh mor- 

 fran, which means sea-raven. 



Latin also is the origin of ' oriole ' aureolus, the golden 

 thrush, a lovely creature which would make its regular 

 home with us were it not for the accursed industry of 

 collectors. 



The local names of birds are often very interesting, 

 preserving fragments of old-world speech. These are the 

 days of ' collections.' If some dweller in the country 

 would exert himself to catalogue the bird names in 

 different districts, he would be doing worthier service 

 than those who amass old postage stamps at fabulous 

 prices. Unluckily, ' there is no money ' in such a dis- 

 interested pursuit. 



LXXVII 



In these days of cheap abundance, the like of which 

 the world has never seen, and to which it may ^at g^-m 

 be that the world will one time look back with we eat 

 wistful wonder, full-fed folks are continually changing 

 their fads of diet. It is not many years since people 

 suffering the natural consequence of chronic repletion 

 were prescribed a ' cure ' consisting mainly of bread and 

 butcher's meat. Green vegetables were proscribed ; the 

 homely ' tater ' was anathema ; acres of beef and mutton 

 were consumed in simple faith that through them should 

 length of days be most surely attained. Now the boot is 



