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Maurits,
Think you were headed in the right direction. OED
defines bill as "bird's beak esp when slender, flattened or weak &
in pigeons and web-footed birds". Bill is derived from Old English whereas beak
has Gaulish origins apparently. Given the ancient animosities visited across 22
miles of channel, no wonder we are confused.
I suggest a sharper (forgive the pun...) way of
putting this is that it is the Bill (police) that filters the crims from the
turgid waters of society but it is the Beak (magistrate) at the pointy end who
puts them away...
Cheers
Shaun
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