Wasn't Ben Stiller in 'Meet the Quokkas'?
Old/Obscure Taxonomically Incorrect names for Animals
- Thread starter Cassidy Casuar
- Start date
There's a treasure trove of these in the 1709 book A New Voyage to Carolina by John Lawson. Some of them are easier to figure out than others.
The Beasts of Carolina are the
Buffelo, or wild Beef.
Bear.
Panther.
Cat-a-mount.
Wild Cat.
Wolf.
Tyger.
Polcat.
Otter.
Bever.
Musk-Rat.
Possum.
Raccoon.
Minx.
Water-Rat.
Rabbet, two sorts.
Elks.
Stags.
Fallow-Deer.
Squirrel, four sorts.
Fox.
Lion, and Jackall on the Lake.
Rats, two sorts.
Mice, two sorts.
Moles.
Weasel, Dormouse.
Bearmouse.
Insects* of Carolina
Allegators
Rattle-Snakes
Ground Rattle-Snakes
Horn-Snakes
Water-Snakes, four sorts
Swamp Snakes, three sorts
Red-bellied Land-Snakes
Red-back'd Snake
Black Truncheon Snake
Scorpion-Lizard
Green Lizard
Frogs, many sorts
Long black Snake
King-Snake
Green Snake
Corn Snake
Vipers black and gray
Tortois
Terebin Land and Water
Brimstone-Snake
Egg, or Chicken-Snake
Eel-Snake, or great Loach
Brown Lizard
Rotten-wood Worm, & c.
* For some unexplained reason, Lawson classified Reptiles and Amphibians as Insects.
Birds of Carolina
Eagle bald
Eagle gray
Fishing Hawk
Turkey Buzzard, or Vulture
Herring-tail'd Hawk
Goshawk
Falcon
Merlin
Sparrow-hawk
Hobby
Jay
Green Plover
Plover gray or whistling
Pigeon
Turtle Dove
Parrakeeto
Ring-Tail
Raven
Crow
Black Birds, two sorts
Buntings, two sorts
Pheasant
Woodcock
Snipe
Partridge
Moorhen
Red Bird
East-India Bat
Martins, two sorts
Diveling, or Swift
Swallow
Humming Bird
Thrush
Wood-Peckers, five sorts
Mocking-birds, two sorts
Cat-Bird
Cuckoo
Blue-Bird
Bulfinch
Nightingale
Hedge-Sparrow
Wren
Sparrows, two sorts
Lark
The Tom-Tit, or Ox-Eye
Owls, two sorts
Scritch Owl
Baltimore bird
Throstle, no Singer
Whippoo Will
Reed Sparrow
Weet bird
Rice bird
Cranes and Storks
Snow-birds
Yellow-wings
Water Fowl are,
Water Fowl.
Swans, called Trompeters
Swans, called Hoopers
Geese, three sorts
Brant gray
Brant white
Sea-pies or pied Curlues
Will Willets
Great Gray Gulls
Old Wives
Sea Cock
Curlues, three sorts
Coots
Kings-fisher
Loons, two sorts
Bitterns, three sorts
Hern gray
Hern white
Water Pheasant
Little gray Gull
Little fisher, or Dipper
Gannet
Shear-water
Great black pied Gull
Marsh-hens
Blue Peter's
Sand-birds
Runners
Ducks, as in England
Ducks black, all Summer
Ducks pied, build on Trees
Ducks whistling, at Sapona
Ducks scarlet-eye, at Esaw
Blue-wings
Widgeons
Teal, two sorts
Shovelers
Whisslers
Black Flusterers, or bald Coot
Turkeys wild
Fishermen
Divers
Raft Fowl
Bull-Necks
Redheads
Tropick-birds
Pellican
Cormorant
Tutcocks
Swaddle-bills
Men [mew]
Sheldrakes
Bald Faces
Water Witch, or Ware Coot
Fish of Carolina
The Fish in the salt, and fresh Waters of Carolina, are,
Whales, several sorts
Thrashers
Divel-Fish
Sword-Fish
Crampois [grampus]
Bottle-Noses [dolphins]
Porpoises
Sharks, two sorts
Dog-Fish
Spanish-Mackarel
Mullets
Shad
Fat-Backs
Guard, white
Guard, green
Scate or Stingray
Thornback
Congar-Eels
Lamprey-Eels
Eels
Cavallies
Boneto's
Blue-Fish
Drum, red
Drum-Fish, black
Angel-Fish
Bass, or Rock-Fish
Sheeps-Heads
Plaice
Flounder
Soles
Sun-Fish
Toad-Fish
Sea-Tench
Trouts of the Salt Water
Crocus [croaker]
Herring
Smelts
Shads
Breams
Taylors
Fresh-Water Fish are,
Sturgeon
Pike
Trouts
Gudgeon
Pearch English
Pearch, white
Pearch, brown, or Welch-men
Pearch, flat, and mottled, or Irishmen
Pearch small and flat, with red Spots, call'd round Robins
Carp
Roach
Dace
Loaches
Sucking-Fish
Cat-Fish
Grindals
Old-Wives
Fountain-Fish
White-Fish
The Shell-Fish are,
Large Crabs, call'd Stone-Crabs
Smaller flat Crabs
Oysters great and small
Cockles
Clams
Muscles
Conks
Skellop [scallop]
Man of Noses
Periwinkles, or Wilks
Sea-Snail-Horns
Fidlars
Runners
Spanish or Pearl-Oysters
Flattings
Tortois and Terebin, accounted for among the Insects
Finger-Fish [star fish]
Shrimps
Fresh Water
Craw-Fish
Muscles
The Beasts of Carolina are the
Buffelo, or wild Beef.
Bear.
Panther.
Cat-a-mount.
Wild Cat.
Wolf.
Tyger.
Polcat.
Otter.
Bever.
Musk-Rat.
Possum.
Raccoon.
Minx.
Water-Rat.
Rabbet, two sorts.
Elks.
Stags.
Fallow-Deer.
Squirrel, four sorts.
Fox.
Lion, and Jackall on the Lake.
Rats, two sorts.
Mice, two sorts.
Moles.
Weasel, Dormouse.
Bearmouse.
Insects* of Carolina
Allegators
Rattle-Snakes
Ground Rattle-Snakes
Horn-Snakes
Water-Snakes, four sorts
Swamp Snakes, three sorts
Red-bellied Land-Snakes
Red-back'd Snake
Black Truncheon Snake
Scorpion-Lizard
Green Lizard
Frogs, many sorts
Long black Snake
King-Snake
Green Snake
Corn Snake
Vipers black and gray
Tortois
Terebin Land and Water
Brimstone-Snake
Egg, or Chicken-Snake
Eel-Snake, or great Loach
Brown Lizard
Rotten-wood Worm, & c.
* For some unexplained reason, Lawson classified Reptiles and Amphibians as Insects.
Birds of Carolina
Eagle bald
Eagle gray
Fishing Hawk
Turkey Buzzard, or Vulture
Herring-tail'd Hawk
Goshawk
Falcon
Merlin
Sparrow-hawk
Hobby
Jay
Green Plover
Plover gray or whistling
Pigeon
Turtle Dove
Parrakeeto
Ring-Tail
Raven
Crow
Black Birds, two sorts
Buntings, two sorts
Pheasant
Woodcock
Snipe
Partridge
Moorhen
Red Bird
East-India Bat
Martins, two sorts
Diveling, or Swift
Swallow
Humming Bird
Thrush
Wood-Peckers, five sorts
Mocking-birds, two sorts
Cat-Bird
Cuckoo
Blue-Bird
Bulfinch
Nightingale
Hedge-Sparrow
Wren
Sparrows, two sorts
Lark
The Tom-Tit, or Ox-Eye
Owls, two sorts
Scritch Owl
Baltimore bird
Throstle, no Singer
Whippoo Will
Reed Sparrow
Weet bird
Rice bird
Cranes and Storks
Snow-birds
Yellow-wings
Water Fowl are,
Water Fowl.
Swans, called Trompeters
Swans, called Hoopers
Geese, three sorts
Brant gray
Brant white
Sea-pies or pied Curlues
Will Willets
Great Gray Gulls
Old Wives
Sea Cock
Curlues, three sorts
Coots
Kings-fisher
Loons, two sorts
Bitterns, three sorts
Hern gray
Hern white
Water Pheasant
Little gray Gull
Little fisher, or Dipper
Gannet
Shear-water
Great black pied Gull
Marsh-hens
Blue Peter's
Sand-birds
Runners
Ducks, as in England
Ducks black, all Summer
Ducks pied, build on Trees
Ducks whistling, at Sapona
Ducks scarlet-eye, at Esaw
Blue-wings
Widgeons
Teal, two sorts
Shovelers
Whisslers
Black Flusterers, or bald Coot
Turkeys wild
Fishermen
Divers
Raft Fowl
Bull-Necks
Redheads
Tropick-birds
Pellican
Cormorant
Tutcocks
Swaddle-bills
Men [mew]
Sheldrakes
Bald Faces
Water Witch, or Ware Coot
Fish of Carolina
The Fish in the salt, and fresh Waters of Carolina, are,
Whales, several sorts
Thrashers
Divel-Fish
Sword-Fish
Crampois [grampus]
Bottle-Noses [dolphins]
Porpoises
Sharks, two sorts
Dog-Fish
Spanish-Mackarel
Mullets
Shad
Fat-Backs
Guard, white
Guard, green
Scate or Stingray
Thornback
Congar-Eels
Lamprey-Eels
Eels
Cavallies
Boneto's
Blue-Fish
Drum, red
Drum-Fish, black
Angel-Fish
Bass, or Rock-Fish
Sheeps-Heads
Plaice
Flounder
Soles
Sun-Fish
Toad-Fish
Sea-Tench
Trouts of the Salt Water
Crocus [croaker]
Herring
Smelts
Shads
Breams
Taylors
Fresh-Water Fish are,
Sturgeon
Pike
Trouts
Gudgeon
Pearch English
Pearch, white
Pearch, brown, or Welch-men
Pearch, flat, and mottled, or Irishmen
Pearch small and flat, with red Spots, call'd round Robins
Carp
Roach
Dace
Loaches
Sucking-Fish
Cat-Fish
Grindals
Old-Wives
Fountain-Fish
White-Fish
The Shell-Fish are,
Large Crabs, call'd Stone-Crabs
Smaller flat Crabs
Oysters great and small
Cockles
Clams
Muscles
Conks
Skellop [scallop]
Man of Noses
Periwinkles, or Wilks
Sea-Snail-Horns
Fidlars
Runners
Spanish or Pearl-Oysters
Flattings
Tortois and Terebin, accounted for among the Insects
Finger-Fish [star fish]
Shrimps
Fresh Water
Craw-Fish
Muscles
Could you put down the modern name for each of these animals?
These are the ones that I could figure out.
Buffelo, or wild Beef. [Bison]
Panther, Cat-a-mount. [Cougar]
Tyger. [Cougar?]
Wild Cat. [Bobcat]
Polcat. [Skunk]
Stags, Fallow-Deer. [White-tailed deer]
Lion, and Jackall on the Lake. [Local rumors about lion and dog-like creatures that stalk a remote lake]
Bearmouse/Rearmouse. [Bat]
Scorpion-Lizard [Skink?]
Green Lizard/Brown Lizard [Carolina anole]
Long black Snake/ Egg, or Chicken-Snake [Rat snake]
Vipers black and gray [Cottonmouth and Copperhead]
Tortois [Sea turtles]
Terebin Land and Water [Terrapins and Tortoises]
Brimstone-Snake [Glass lizard]
Rotten-wood Worm, & c. [Worm snake]
Fishing Hawk [Osprey]
Turtle Dove [Mourning dove]
Parrakeeto [Carolina parakeet]
Pheasant [Grouse?]
Partridge [Bobwhite]
Red Bird [Cardinal]
Brant white [Snow goose]
Hern gray [Great blue heron]
Hern white [Great white egret]
Ducks pied, build on Trees/Fishermen [Hooded merganser?]
Ducks scarlet-eye, at Esaw [Wood duck]
Blue-wings [Blue-winged teal]
Men [mew]
Divel-Fish [Manta ray]
Crampois [Grampus]
Bottle-Noses [Dolphin]
Crocus [croaker]
Skellop [scallop]
Fidlars [Fiddler crab]
Finger-Fish [star fish]
Could Turtle Dove not have been Passenger Pigeon?
I had forgotten about Passenger pigeons but I think that Pigeon is referring to them since Turtle dove was another old name for the Mourning dove.
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I don't know whether or not this is a common mistranslation, but I have a Japanese textbook which says that the Japanese word, suppon, means, 'snapping turtle; terrapin'. Never mind the implication that snapping turtles and terrapins are the same animal; suppon is actually the Japanese name of the Chinese softshell turtle!
The Book of Indian Animals from 1971 I believe has some interesting ones. Sorry if any have already been mentioned.
Hunting Leopard= Cheetah
Tiger Civet= Spotted Linsang
Toddy Cat= Common Palm Civet
Cat-bear= Red Panda (used in preference to the other name)
Antelope-rat= “Gerbille”
Mole-rat= Bandicoot Rat
Mouse-hare= Pika
Indian Bison= Gaur
Hunting Leopard= Cheetah
Tiger Civet= Spotted Linsang
Toddy Cat= Common Palm Civet
Cat-bear= Red Panda (used in preference to the other name)
Antelope-rat= “Gerbille”
Mole-rat= Bandicoot Rat
Mouse-hare= Pika
Indian Bison= Gaur
An early whale was called 'Basilosaurus' because scientists thought it was a lizard
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
But some of these names are still in use in India right?
I have definitely seen fairly recent articles written by Indian conservationists about dhole populations that mentioned "Indian bison" because I remember thinking at the time "wtf is an Indian bison?" and then learning that it was another word for the gaur.
- When it was first discovered, the Sloth bear was naked "bear-sloth", as its discoverer thought it was a close relative of the extinct giant ground sloths of South America. Later, the name was changed once people realized it was a type of bear.
- Another one is the Red-crested and red-capped cardinals, which are actually tanagers and aren't related to other cardinals.
- Another one is the Red-crested and red-capped cardinals, which are actually tanagers and aren't related to other cardinals.
The very wrong name of "Cape Pigeon" was applied to the Cape Petrel for a long time in New Zealand; I think that it only became unpopular in the late 20th century.
They have been a little closer related to true cardinals than currently. Grosbeak is another name spread across a few different families, as is tanager.
And how many families are called warbler now? Five, I think?
Most New Zealanders insist on referring to the Grey Gerygone and Chatham Island Gerygone as "Warblers" in English.
Scientifically, the Spoon-billed sandpiper was originally described as the “Pygmy spoonbill”, and the Great Frigatebird as the “Least pelican”.
I have seen/heard only the ‘toddy cat’ and ‘bison’ terms applied in common use, eg. on zoo signage.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
It is definitely still a term being used in popular articles in India from what I've seen.
Indian Bison Pune: Indian bison strays into residential area in Pune; dies after rescue | Pune News - Times of India
I find that reasonable.