REMARKS ON THE USE OF NAMES. 



18 



i 



there were centuries when tlie classics were undergoing the incessant changes inci- 

 dent to all spoken or living languages, just as our tongue is now. But having, in 

 the usual process of evolution, reached that point which we mean when we use the 

 term " classic," the Greek and Latin have come down to us in a certain form, so 

 measurably fixed as to permit no decided ulterior modification. Our orthography, 

 as far as possible, should reflect the purity and lucidity of such crystallization ; and 

 a Uttlc care will enable us to make such reflection dear. 



In the cases of actual (Ireek and Latin words employed as names of birds, there 

 arc probably not in the whole list a dozen instances of words which admit of defen- 

 sible alternative spelling. In the modern compounds of Greek and Latin stems, 

 tliere is necessarily some little margin for variability ; but in all cases, perliaps, at 

 least a defensible orthograi)hy may be attained, though some alternative may not 

 be without its claims to consideration. We can oidy eay, that in this matter we 

 have endeavored to reach good results according to definite recognized rules. 



In the much-vexed question of forming quasi-Latin genitives from the names of 

 persons, we have adopted the ibllowing simple and uniform rule: If the word ends 

 witli a consonant add single i for a man's name, ce for a woman's name ; if ending 

 with a vowel, cliange that vowel to i ; as bairdi, cassini, but lawrencii, bunapnrtii ; 

 hhickburncp, gracia. There are but few cxce[)ti()ns to this, as aniice, cost(e. The 

 letter y gives the most trouble : it is best generally to treat it as a consonant, and 

 say sitck/eyi, ridywayi ; but it must sometimes be rendered b^- t, as lucice fur Lucy 

 (Latin Lucia), derbiaiuis from Derby. It is rarely that a case occurs that sucb 

 practice cannot readily meet. Names of birds derived from those of persons may 

 of course be from any language, and consequently offer combinations of letters 

 unknown in Latin ; but it is useless to attempt to Latinize them, further than by 

 giving them a Latin genitive termination. We should be led into the pedantry of 

 bmnonis for browni, or even of niyri for blacki, if we attempt any systematic Latini- 

 zation of " barbarous " proper names. It is best to apply the above rule even to 

 names already Latin in form, and write, for instance, b/asitisi, not blasii. The 

 desirability of such conventional proceeding may be illustrated in the case of a bird 

 named after a Mr. Wilcox ; better wilcoxi, and be done with it, than rilcocis. 



Hitherto, we have spoken of Latin and Greek names of birds indiscriminately. 

 It will be remembered, however, that we are snp[)osed to write the names always in 

 Latin, be they of that language or actually Greek. This brings up the subject of 

 the transliteration of words from the latter into the former. Most of the letters of 

 the Greek al[)hal)et have their exact and simple equivalents in Latin ; but some car. 

 only be represented by two Latin letters, and some combinations of Greek letters 

 change in passing into Latin words. 



The Ibllowing are the simple equivalents : a = a;ftz=b,y-g;^ = d;i = e; 

 1^ = z; 7) = e ; I = t ; \ = I; n =z m ; V = n ; $ = X ; () = ; TT = p ; p = r ; if or 

 s = s ; T = t ; w = o. 



The following are simple substitutions : k = c ; v = y. 



