NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
115 
was once the regular term to express the colour of an animal (cf. fallow-deer), 
but as this particular adjective soon became obsolete, it was exactly the term to 
become changed when books were rare. A consonant like D or B is often intro- 
duced between two others (as in thunder and cinder) and this, added to the 
nearly obsolete term, and confused with “field,” would readily change “felfur” 
into “fieldfare.” Surely a word so understanded of the people as “field” 
would continue without change. Next as to the word “ knot,” Mr. Otter states 
that he has never heard that Canute had a fondness for the flesh of this bird. 
Surely he does not advance this as an argument against any such derivation ; if 
so, I can but pass it as the weakest of his arguments. Drayton, in his “ Poly- 
olbion,” written a little after Camden’s “ Britannia,” writes : — 
“The Knot that called was Canutus bird of old 
Of that great King of Danes, his name that still doth hold. 
Ilis apetite to please that farre and neere was sought 
P'or him (as some have sayd) from Denmark hither brought.” 
Willughby also quotes the same reason. The old Household Books, like that of 
Northumberland, tell us that the knot was customarily eaten by the great, and 
was considered a very passable dish. Till the end of the seventeenth century 
they were regularly fattened for table. I stated previously that this derivation 
might be accepted for want of a better, and even now it seems to me to be no 
strain to connect with a popular and great king, a bird which was eaten by a 
lord and noble, and was commonest on the Danelagh shores. This derivation 
seems more feasible than that connecting it with the word “ gnat.” 
As to “ chaffinch,” the derivation from “ chatterfinch ” must seem possible to 
anyone hearing this bird in the hedgerow. Its note has made a great impression 
upon the rustic mind, as is shown by its local names of “ spink ” and “ twink,” 
and by the French and Celtic “ pin9on ” and “ pine.” The bird’s chirp is more 
striking than its food, and it therefore seems likely that the name should be 
derived from the former. As Mr. Otter draws my attention to the Latin name 
“ furfurio,” I would call his to the English “ chiff-chafif.” 
Station House, Oxted, Surrey, C. S. Holder. 
ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE, 1908. 
Mercury will be well visible as an evening star during the first fortnight of the 
month. On the 7th he will be only one-third of a degree N. of Mars. 
Venus will be brilliantly displayed as an evening star at the beginning of June, 
setting on the 1st at il.li p.m., but at the end of the month will have drawn 
too near to the sun for observation. Near new moon on the evenings of ist 
and 2nd. 
Mars is scarcely perceptible, but sets two hours after the sun at the opening 
of June. Very close to Mercury on evening of 7th. 
Jupiter will be a conspicuous evening star, setting at 11.53 P-™- on 1st, and 
at 10.17 on 28th. Near moon on 3rd. After June the planet will be invisible 
until the mornings of September. 
Saturn will be visible before sunrise, and rises at midnight at the close of June. 
Near moon on 21st. 
Uranus is well visible in the morning hours. In conjunction with moon on 
June 16, when at 3.13 a.m. he will be half a degree N. of our satellite. 
There will be a small partial eclipse of the sun observable on June 28, the 
times of occurrence being : Commencement 5.14 p.m., middle 5.38 p.m., ending 
6.2 p.m. 
At the time of the middle of the event, about one fifteenth of the sun’s diameter 
will be hidden. 
