72 The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 
very likely refer to the tail covers of the lapwing, conspicuous 
by their rich reddish-chestnut colour, and thus have given 
name to the bird. Freytag in his Arabic Lexicon, however, 
gives the word nobbah (^.Ijo) as upupa gemebunda, "the 
hoopoe," which is of a decided red or buff colour in its whole 
plumage, and that may be the species indicated. As to the 
sounds produced by different birds, it must be remembered 
that the same bird, often produces very dissimilar sounds ; 
the " houp, houp " of the hoopoe, whence its name, marked 
out softly, but rapidly, may remind one of the note of the 
dove, while a writer in tbe "Ibis" (vol. hi, p. 255) describes 
its note as a kind of hissing sound. The Accadian part of 
the tablet is broken, and gives us no help. 
(13.) The swallow, and perhaps also the swift, have several 
names. This bird — I think the swallow (Hirundo urbica) is more 
especially meant — was called by the Assyrians the as-ci-ci-tuv 
(^fE ^IbJ ^I^J ^110' ^ e cs-d-ni-ni- iuv or escilituv, 
borrowed from the Accadian (Efcf <^TE=J py~ £yy~ >^J|=) ; it 
was also called tsi-li-li-tuv ^g^Jf >- g£=y | £^ ][§=), 
the kha-tsi-ba-ruv ^£11 ^^"1 an( ^ ^ ne bu-li-li 
(^S~ >- £:£=Y y ^ gSE^ y). Tsililituv is evidently imitative 
of the swallow's note, and is to be referred to the 
Hebrew " to tingle," and tseldtsal (^S^S), " a tinkling 
instrument," as a "cymbal." The same may be said of 
the word ascicituv, with which the Arabic schacshdka 
(<jAii-£>) " pipivit passer" is to be compared. Escininituv 
is obscure. With this name is associated another, bu-li-li, 
with which, perhaps, the Arabic ballal (<£ta) "moist wind 
bringing rain and fertility " (Hebrew ^1 " rain "), may be 
compared; or the Assyrian word may be referred to the 
Hebrew bdlal (with which, however, the above-named 
Arabic word is connected) "to mix," to "compose," hence 
"to speak confusedly," and applied to a bird, "to 
chatter." Gesenius gives conj. II of the Arabic balbal, 
"balbutivit" "confuse locutus est psittaci instar, "he 
