Patera Incus

Mo Holkar · 16 Aug 2010, 09:53 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: lists at ukg.co.uk (Mo Holkar)
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:53:29 +0100
Subject: (urth) Patera Incus
In-Reply-To: <SNT123-W39C189A8CDCD1BCEA1EA51CF9A0 at phx.gbl>
References: <SNT123-W39C189A8CDCD1BCEA1EA51CF9A0 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <568526.41209.qm at smtp823.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>

At 00:10 16/08/2010, Lee wrote:
> >Mo Holkar: Just on a zoological note: a fulmar is not a type of 
> gull, but a type
> >of petrel. Apart from both being birds, fulmars and gulls are not
> >related at all.
>
>Well, they are both seabirds comprising a smaller much smaller 
>subset than that which would include owls and ostriches.

Although they are in that sense more closely culturally associated 
with gulls than are owls and ostriches, really they are no more 
closely related to them than those other birds are. "Seabirds" is not 
a genetic relationship grouping, just a behavioural coincidence of habitat.

(Of course, Wolfe may have just been intending a cultural association 
of this sort in Fulmar's name, as it might have been difficult to 
find an actual gull-based name that didn't include the obvious word "gull".)

At 19:12 15/08/2010, James wrote:
>Hmm..Interesting, since fulmar means "foul gull".

That is certainly its etymology, although linguists will give you a 
long debate on whether etymology and meaning are necessarily strongly 
linked ;-) It's reasonable that the ancient Norse thought fulmars 
were a type of gull, as they do look superficially fairly similar. I 
would be surprised if Wolfe made the same mistake... although see 
parentheses above.

best,

Mo

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