33 Origin of the Names of Beasts, Birds, and Insects. 



Abt. VI. — Origin of the Names of Beasts, Birds, and Insects ; 

 by Prof. J. W. Gibbs. 



The later investigations in comparative philology, it is thought, 

 enable us to give, with more precision and plausibility than has 

 been usual, the origin of the names of certain animals, and at the 

 same time to throw light on the origin of common nouns gener- 

 ally. 



The names of beasts, birds, and insects, are formed 



I. By derivation ; 



1. From the verbal root, by change of vowel or internal inflec- 

 tion merely ; as, 



Ape, (Anglo-Sax. apa. Germ, affe, Old Germ, affo ;) from Old 

 Germ. \/ av or af to imitate ; as if the imitator. 



Buck, (Germ, bock, Old Germ, pocch ;) from the root of Old 

 Germ, puhhaii, to thrust, and Eng. to poke ; as if tlie thriister. 



Bidl, (Germ, bull;) from the root of Germ, bellen, to bark, 

 Anglo-Sax. bellan, to roar, and Eng. to bell, (to cry as a hart,) or 

 to bawl; as if the roarer. 



Chough, (Anglo-Sax. ceo, Fr. choucas and chouette;) from the 

 root of Eng. to caiu or to haw ; as if the cawer or haiver. 



Cow, (Sansc. go, Germ, kuh. Old Germ, chua ;) from the root 

 of Germ, kauen, Old Germ, chiuivan, and Eng. to cheiv or to chaw ; 

 as if the chewer or chawer, that is, the ruminator. 



Crab, (Gr. xuoa^og, Lat. carabus, Anglo-Sax. crabha ;) from the 

 root of Anglo-Sax. creopan, and Eng. to creep ; as if the creeper. 



Crow, (Germ, kr'dhe, Anglo-Sax. craioe;) from the root of Germ. 

 krdhen, Anglo-Sax. croivan, to crow, croak, and Eng. to crow ; as 

 if the croaker. 



Duck, from the root of Eng. to duck ; as if the plunger. 



Flea, (LqX. pulex, Germ. Jloh, Anglo-Sax. flea;) from the root 

 of Germ, fliehen, AngloSsiX. flean, and Eng. to flee; as if the fleer. 



Fly, {Gevm. fliege, Auglo-Sax. fleoga ;) from the root of Germ. 

 fliegen, AngloSax. fleogan, and Eng. to fly ; as if the flyer. 



Fox, (Germ, fuchs, Old Germ, vuhs ;) from Old Germ. \/ vu, 

 yellow ; as if the yelloio-colored. 



Frog, (Anglo-Sax. froga or frocga, Germ, frosch. Old Germ. 

 vrosc]) from the root of Eng. to frisk ; as if the leaper. 



Hare, Anglo-Sax. hara, Germ, hase, Sansc. sasa ;) from Sansc. 

 v^ sas, to spring ; as if the springer. 



