1843-44 HERSCHEL ON THE WORD 'DINORNIS' 229 



pardoned a criticism on this spelling ? The ety- 

 mology of this word and of Lyell's Plzbcene and 

 Mzbcene rocks points out el as the true spelling. 

 Now Lyell expressly rejects the e as contrary to 

 the analogy of the English language. The thing 

 itself appeared to me at the time only a lapsus, 

 but as you have followed his example it is time to 

 protest. The French, who never learn Greek 

 and have no notion of what hzivos means, will 

 from our spelling pronounce it d^nornis. . . . 

 ' Yours very truly, 



'J. F. W. Herschel.' 



Owen defended his spelling ' dinornis ' by 

 suggesting that if the spelling ' deinornis ' were 

 adopted, people would be just as liable to pro- 

 nounce it ' deenornis ' in English, by the analogy 

 of such words as ' receive,' &c. 



The following entries then occur in the 

 journal : — 



' February 8. — The new range of Carnivora 

 houses in the .Gardens looks very comfortable, and 

 the animals seem to enjoy their improved situa- 

 tion. There is now a splendid Arctic bear — it 

 only cost 30/. Poor Hunt (Jenny's keeper) now 

 has the young lioness and her blind foster-brother 

 the dog to look after. He said to me that he 

 would " far sooner have his poor Jenny." He was 

 so much cut up about her death that he could 

 hardly pronounce her name.' 



