137 
ADDENDA TO MR. MORRIS’S DERIVATIONS OF THE LATIN 
NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 
By Mr. T. B. Hall. 
In looking over a list of derivations of the names of our British birds prepared 
by me a few years ago, I find the following which are not given in the list 
furnished by the Rev. F. 0. Morris, in the second volume of your Magazine 
(pp. 24, 70, 140), and I have supplied the omissions as far as I am able, in the 
order they occur there. 
Buteo. Bvreuv, from Burov, food. Buzzard, so named from their rapacity. 
Falco. Or from falx a hook. Falcon, so named from their hooked talons 
and beak. 
tinnunculus. From tinnio , to chirp, so named on account of its noise. The 
specific name of the Kestril. 
Milvus. Velpotius Miluus , Quasi molliter volans, from its easy flight. Kite. 
Strix. Abbreviated from Strinx , which is derived from rgigco, to shriek. So 
named from its noise. Owl. 
Noctua. From nox , quia noctua volat, because it is abroad only in the night. 
Owl. 
Corvus. From hara , Heb., to make a noise. So named from their croaking 
noise. Crow. 
Pica. Quasi picta , from its various colours. The specific name of the 
Magpie. 
Vpupa epops. from st u upon, and o\J as the face, or from up up , the cry 
that it makes. The Whoopo or Hoopoe. 
Pyrrhula. Rather woppeXvi, from vropp red, and apa, a tail. Bullfinch. 
Passer. A patiendo , because it was anciently supposed to be subject to 
epilepsy ; or from itsipor, Heb. Sparrow. 
Turdus. Quasi tardus , from their late appearance. Thrush. 
pilaris. From pilus , hair. The specific name of the Fieldfare. 
(Enanthe. OivxvQy, from oms wine, and av9os a flower. A name given to a 
genus of plants (Dropworts), because their flowers smell like the Vine ; 
but why given as a specific name to the Wheatear ? 
Hirundo. Ab herendo , from their sticking their nests to the eaves of houses. ' 
Swallow. 
Columba. From xoXvpfixu to swim. So named from their swimming motion 
in the air. Dove. 
(Enas, o ivxs from oms wine. So called from its colour, which is like the 
. black grape. The specific name of the Stock Dove, 
