The type species of the (avian) genus Eremophila is the Shore Lark or Horned
Lark, Eremophila alpestris (there must be very few birds in the world with more
subspecies than this one; Peters lists no less than 40!). It usually breeds in
remote, barren places, such as tundras, dry plains, or high mountains, in
winter also occurring in coastal dunes, salt marshes, and onto farmlands. So I
think here the 'solitude-loving' meaning would apply.
BTW, the second species in the genus, Temminck's Lark, Eremophila bilopha, is a
species of sandy or stony deserts in North Africa and Southwest Asia.
Paul Van Gasse
Kruibeke, Belgium
-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Endersby [SMTP:
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 9:16 AM
To:
Subject: Re: birding-aus Plants and birds
Tim,
At least for the plant Eremophila, the meaning is desert loving from the
Greek eremia a desert and philo- loving You can find the roots in Stearn's
Botanical Latin (thereby also allowing a nice pun). For the bird there are
two options: desert loving as above or solitude loving (see Jobling's
Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names). My Greek dictionary gives
(transliterated) ereemos for desert and ereemeea for solitude or wilderness
so you might have to go to the type description to find out the truth. I
don't know where the Larks live - HBW hasn't got up to them yet.
regards (and keep philologising)
Ian
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