Hi Belinda
I really appreciated your remarks on the calcium content of junk food and I
hope the researchers read them.
"Tit" for bird species is about 700 years old (Middle English) with the
longer form "titmouse" of obscure origins - but I can see why some would
find that preferable because of an even older word from about 1500 years
ago, basically a different pronunciation of "teat" in Old English.
But then Long-tailed Titmouse/Titmice is a rather long name.
Another option is to use the American "chickadee" but we Poms are somewhat
resistant to that (and have more Paridae than them). That said I note we
have given into the taxonomists - not to the politically correct - by
renaming the lovely Bearded Tit as the Bearded Reedling (because it is more
related to Bulbuls or some such).
Incidentally, "tit for tat" used to be "tip for tap" until about 500 years
ago.
Michael Norris
Melbourne
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