BIRD-NAMES.
[To THE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR."
SIR,—Your correspondent who questions the correctness of calling a titmouse a "tomtit," is not, probably, aware of the number of birds which colloquially have a Christian name affixed to them. Robin Redbreast has almost lost his second title ; but, besides him, we have Tom Tit, Jenny or Kitty Wren—the name varies in different parts of the country— Jack Daw, Mag Pie. Poll Parrot, and I think "Dick Sparrow" must be the origin of the term " Dick " applied to all little birds in the nursery. Was a crow ever called "Jim," and could that be the origin of "Jim Crow "P Besides this, in Essex, " Nanny Wash-tail" is the popular name of the wagtail. It seems curious that these birds should be singled out for Christian names rather than chaffinches, linnets, nightingales, and the rest. Perhaps " Martin " may have been a Christian name given to the blue haunter of our streams ; but if so, why should he be favoured more than his brother the swallow P And does any one know of a bird called "Doll," or "Dolly," which was once quite as common a name as Mag or Poi? Bill and Hal we might also expect to find among bird-names
am, Sir, &o.,
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