72 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



There is also an interesting article on the habits of Moor-hens from the pen 

 of Mr. C. L. Hett in the same journal for December, 1897 (vol. iv. p. 27), 

 in which Mr. Hett expresses the opinion that some of these nests are built 

 by the young themselves. — J. Lewis Bonhote (Ditton Hall, Fen Ditton, 

 Cambridge). 



Red-necked Phalarope in Lincolnshire. — Though perhaps not so rare 

 on the autumn passage as is generally supposed, the occurrence of the Red- 

 necked Phalarope [Phalaropits hyperboreus) seems worth placing on record. 

 During the last week of October, 1900, one of these birds was sent to me 

 by a local Plover-catcher which had just been killed at North Cotes. The 

 same man told me that he had caught a similar bird a few days previously, 

 but had allowed it to spoil. — G. H. Caton Haigh (Aber-ia, Penrhyn- 

 deudraeth, Merionethshire, North Wales). 



The Names of British Birds. — Mr. H. A. Macpherson, in his note 

 (Zool. 1900, p. 558 1, joins issue with me on the derivation of Fulmar, and 

 contends that the word has nothing to do with Foumart or Foulmart. In 

 this, I venture to suggest, he is not quite correct. The English used the 

 word originally (in ihe form of Foul Mart) to designate the Polecat, on 

 account of the strong smell for which that mammal is notorious. The word 

 was then borrowed by the Gaels of Scotland, and in the form of Fulmair 

 was, for the same reason, bestowed on the Petrel in question. The modern 

 Engli&h, in their turn, adopted the Gaelic name, by which the bird is now 

 universally recognised. I think Mr. Macpherson will find, on reference to 

 any trustworthy authority, that I am correct in stating that the word is 

 purely English, and it is through that language that it finds a place in the 

 Gaelic vocabulary. Still, if he can trace the word back to the " purely 

 Gaelic sources " he mentions, I am willing to admit myself in error. 

 A propos of Mr. Apliu's query as to Pie having some reference to the pied 

 plumage of the Magpie and other birds, a question of no little interest is 

 raised. It can, however, be easily understood that Pie, though really 

 imitative of the bird's cry, came to be significant of black and white plumage 

 owing to its association with the Magpie. If, on the other hand, Mr. x'^plin 

 contends that Picus (with which Pie is akinl has some connection with 

 pictus, " painted," his suggestion is probably the correct one. Mr. Aplin 

 also calls attention to the ch in Pochard being hard, and cites Poker as 

 another name for the bird. This very fact, instead of makiog the con- 

 nection between Pochard and Poacher slighter, iu reality considerably 

 strengthens it, since poach has an intimate relation to the word poke 

 (to thrust). As to the guille iu Guillemot, there is no manner of doubt 

 that it is the same word as gull. The French had simply adapted the 

 Breton (Celtic) form gwelan, and had added, by way of explanation, their 



