John Leanard wrote:
"Another unfortunate royal bird is the Regent Honeyeater (and, for that
matter, the Regent Bowerbird). Now that most people no longer remember that
the Prince Regent had a taste for gaudy clothes, especially yellow ones?
what
does the name mean, who is the bird deputising for? Or is it simply
'reigning'?
I wouldn't like to see Regents called Warty-faced Honeyeaters, but what
about
Golden-streaked Honeyeaters, or Phrygian Honeyeaters?"
Lets face it, a name is name is a name. Do they really have to have a
meaning? Regent rolls of the tongue beautifully, there are enough
something-faced, something-tufted and something-streaked honeyeaters out
there already. Phrygian Honeyeater ??? AHHHHH !!! Earlier this century
they were commonly known as Warty-faced Honeyeaters. I've already let it
be known that I don't intend becoming the Warty-faced Honeyeater Recovery
Coordinator. Who is going to chain themselves to a bulldozer for a
Warty-faced Honeyeater?
David Geering
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