Welcome Swallow (1 Viewer)

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jan 15, 2020

• #1

I'd been wondering about this, and now someone has asked me LOL

Can anyone tell me what the origin of the name "Welcome" was please?

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Jan 15, 2020

• #2

I know I've mentioned how much I love the name anytime I see one posted and I also wondered where it came from.

 

Jacana

Will Jones

• Jan 15, 2020

• #3

From Wikipedia:

Both its species name and common name refer to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring in southern parts of Australia.

Click to expand...

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Jan 15, 2020

• #4

Ah! Thanks Will!

 

P

PScofield

Well-known member

• Jan 16, 2020

• #5

In his OD Gould (1843) states "...neoxena has suggested itself as appropriate from the circumstance of its appearance throughout the whole of the southern portions of Australia being hailed as a welcome indication of the approach of spring and its arrival associated with precisely the same ideas as those popularly entertained respecting our own pretty swallow in Europe."

 

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jan 16, 2020

• #6

Thanks so much all. I did sort of wonder if it was something like that.

 

Ken Doy

Ken Doy

• Jan 16, 2020

• #7

It actually comes from the sailors many years ago who on seeing Swallows knew that land wasn't far away .
Ken

 

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Jan 16, 2020

• #8

Ah! Thanks Ken. I'd not thought of that. That sounds quite logical too.

 

Ken Doy

Ken Doy

• Jan 17, 2020

• #9

http://www.birdlife.org.au/www.birdlife.org.au › bird-profile › welcome-swallow
Welcome Swallow | BirdLife Australia
Sometimes they even occur at sea — the name 'Welcome' swallow comes from sailors who knew that the sight of a swallow meant that land was not far away.
Ken

 

Jacana

Will Jones

• Jan 17, 2020

• #10

Sounds like the sailor definition is a neologism and originally it was due to people welcoming spring.

 

Larry Sweetland

Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'

• Jan 17, 2020

• #11

It was the first landbird we saw upon arriving at Sydney after being on a cargo ship for 13 days from Singapore. It felt like it was welcoming us to Aus.

 

Taphrospilus

Well-known member

• Jan 17, 2020

• #12

PScofield said:

In his OD Gould (1843) states "...neoxena has suggested itself as appropriate from the circumstance of its appearance throughout the whole of the southern portions of Australia being hailed as a welcome indication of the approach of spring and its arrival associated with precisely the same ideas as those popularly entertained respecting our own pretty swallow in Europe."

Click to expand...

To find here but it is Gould, 1842.

 

l_raty

laurent raty

• Jan 17, 2020

• #13

Taphrospilus said:

To find here but it is Gould, 1842.

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1842 it is... but that PZS description was nevertheless published in 1843 (Part X, No. CXVII: see Sclater 1893).
What was published in 1842, is plate 13 (+ text) of Vol. II of Gould's Birds of Australia here (see Waterhouse 1885 and McAllan 2004).

(But, anyway, both include the statement. )

 

Taphrospilus

Well-known member

• Jan 17, 2020

• #14

As usual you are correct :king: and synchron with comments on Zoonomen.

 

Last edited: Jan 17, 2020