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



Porcupine^ (lta\. porco-spi7ioso ;) from Lat. porous, a hog, and 

 spinosiis, thorny ; as if the spinous hog. 



So blackbird; bluebird; grossbeak, {as if grossbeaked ;) hum- 

 mingbird; redbird ; redbreast, (as if redhreasted ;) redstart, (as 

 if redtailed ;) redtail, (as if redtailed ;) wryneck, (as if wrynecked.) 



(2.) One part of the compound standing in rection or govern- 

 ment in reference to the other ; the latter part of the composition 

 expressing the principal or leading idea, and the former part some 

 modification thereof. 



(a) Where the first term expresses the dative case or the case 

 of participation ; as, 



Squirrel, (Gr. oKiovgog, Lat. sciurus, dimin. sduriolus, Fr. ecu- 

 reuil ;) from Gr. axKx, a shade, and oiquc, a tail ; as if having its tail 

 for a shade. 



(b) Where the first term expresses the accusative case or the 

 relation of the object ; as, 



Moldwarp, (Germ, maulwurf Old Germ, mulwerf;) from Old 

 Germ, mul or Eng. mold, and Old Germ, werfan, to turn ; as if 

 the mold-turner. 



Ossifrage or ospray, (Lat. ossifraga, Fr. ossifrage or orfraie ;) 

 from Lat. os, gen. ossis, a bone, and frango, to break ; as if the 

 bone-breaker. 



Oystei' catcher, the name of a bird. 



Woodpecker, a bird that pecks holes in trees. 



(c) Where the first term expresses the modal case or the rela- 

 tion of the mode or manner ; as, 



Crossbill, as if having a bill like a cross. 

 Spoonbill, as if having a bill like a spoon. 



(d) Where the first term expresses the locative case, or the 

 relation of the place where or time in which ; as. 



Grasshopper, which needs no explanation. Comp. Germ, heu- 

 schrecke, from hmi, grass, and schrecken, to spring, the name of 

 the same insect. 



May-bug, as if the bug appearing in May. 



May-fly, as if the fly appearing in May. 



Nightingale, (Germ, nachtigall, Anglo-Sax. nihtegale ;) from 

 Germ, nachti or Anglo-Sax. 7iihte, in the night, and Germ, g'dllen 

 or Anglo-Sax. galan, to sing ; as if the night singer. 



Woodcock, as if the cock living in the woodsj 



