94 EARLY ANNALS OF ORNITHOLOGY 
observes that the prices are in Scotch money. On September 
11th, 1511, there was bought ‘i sollane ’——*, on the 14th, 
“ij sollanis ijs,’ on the 15th, ‘‘ij sollanis ijs,’ and on the 
22nd “ij sollanis ijs.” 
The 6th August, 1512, when the accounts close, would 
have been rather too early for young Solans to be on sale, 
and after that Mr. Anderson finds a long gap of nineteen years 
in the series—namely, until September, 1531. 
In the “ Libri emptorum”’ of the next King, James V.— 
printed by the Bannatyne Club t—among many purchases for 
the furnishing the royal larder, such as Moorfowls, Partridges, 
Wild Geese, Swans, Teal, Plovers, Herons, Cranes, Dotterel, 
Redshanks, Larks, etc., we find nine or ten references to 
Solan Geese. Thus we have an entry of: “1j porcelli ij auce 
solares,”’ probably a clerk’s slip for “solanes.”’ These were 
served to the King on September 4th, 1525, at Edinburgh. 
And again on August 17th, 1529, there is ““ Empt’ vj auce 
solares.”” Auca is a well-recognised Latin name for the Goose, 
and one adopted by many authors. In the preface, the 
editor of these ‘‘ Excerpta E Libris,’ Professor John Fleming, 
has some interesting notes about the birds which were eaten, 
in the course of which he says: “‘ The Turkey, Guineafowl 
and Pheasant appear to be wanting, though the Peacock 
holds a place. . . . . The Quail is occasionally noticed ag 
Qualye ; while a bird under the name of Coturnix, obtained - 
from August to April, and which might have been suspected 
as similar, is probably the Water-Rail. There is no reference 
to the Ptarmigan or the Capercaillie. . . . The Wood- 
Pigeon, under the name of T'urtur, was occasionally purchased. 
With the exception of Larks, which are occasionally referred 
to, the list of land birds is thus limited. Among the Waders, 
the Heron is occasionally recorded under the names of Herle,t 
Ardea and Ciconia.”” The Crane is referred to, but I shall 
have more to say about this, and would now notice the 
Meaning of the name Solan Goose.—All that can be said 
about the etymology of the obscure word Solan is admirably 
set forth in Professor W. Skeat’s “ Etymological Dictionary,” 
* Price defaced, probably js. 
+ Proc., LIV., p. 14, and App. 3, 23. 
t ? Herne. 
