Birds in Scandia … (1 Viewer)

[Björn Bergenholtz]

Just curious; regarding today's HBWAlive Key entry:

scandiaca / scandiacus
Mod. L. Scandia Scandinavia < L. Scandia Denmark.
● “In Daniae et Norwegiae maritimis”; ex “Anas latirostra” of Brünnich 1764, “Anas Skoora” of Müller 1776, and “Lapmark Duck” of Pennant 1784, and Latham 1785 (?syn. Melanitta nigra.).
● “Habitat in Alpibus Lapponiæ” (Linnaeus 1758); ex “Strix capite auriculato, corpore albido” of Linnaeus 1746. This name, in the original combination Strix scandiaca Linnaeus, 1758, is the third toponym in avian nomenclature (Nyctea).

Is Scandinavia derived from Denmark ... !?

I thought the Latin word for Denmark was Dania … isn´t it? And that Scandia (as in Scandinavia) had its origin in the Greek word Σκανδία?

Can someone, please, explain and enlighten us non-Latin-knowing!

In any case I think Denmark had very little to do with those birds, nothing with the Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus (or Nyctea scandiaca) LINNAEUS 1758?

However; not to confuse with Scania, (Skåne), the Southernmost Swedish province, that earlier belonged to the same Denmark.

Cheers!

Björn

PS. Here´s a link to an important map, the Carta Marina (ca. 1540) by Olaus Magnus, very influential on how those Latin names (thereafter) was used in Sweden (and Scandinavia). Excerpt of centre piece attached.

PPS. And James, it´s; "A. [Anas] Skoorra" MÜLLER 1776. Double-o, double-r (like in your Key, here). It´s a typo (alt. Printers error) in Gmelin 1789 (and on the Richmond card, simply repeating Gmelin).
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[njlarsen]

Interesting question as to when different names meant different things. However, my understanding was that around 1758 there were still dreamers wanting Skaane, Halland, and Blekinge back, but the chance of that ever happening was pretty much nil.

However, let me just supplement with one (or two) current aspect(s): when I hear Scandinavia used today in a political meaning, it is usually all three countries (DK, S, N) included. Some winters, quite large numbers of Snowy Owl do make it down to Denmark.

Niels

 

[James Jobling]

Björn, My Lewis & Short Latin dictionary has the following entry:

"Scandinavia ..a large and fruitful island in Northern Europe; acc. to some Zealand; acc. to others Schonen, ...Also called Scandia"

 

[Xenospiza]

You really should forget about Pliny.
Just look up the (English) wikipedia article on Scandinavia and see what he wrote... and what other people made of that later!

 

[James Jobling]

To the Romans the lands beyond the Alps were full of barbarians so their geography of that area was suitably vague. I have always thought that Scandinavia or Scandia referred to the Danish island of Sjælland (on which Copenhagen is now located). Yet the exact identities of Pliny's names are of little consequence in the 21st century; it is how they were perceived by Linnaeus and his contemporaries in the middle of the 18th century that should draw our attention.

 

[Björn Bergenholtz]

I´ve deleted my second post. There´s apparently no need to continue this thread, as we´re stuck in different corners and I haven´t got time to continue it. In my world Scandia is Scandinavia. Full stop.

How Linnaeus and his tutor Olof Rubeck d.y. (1660–1740), as well as other contemporary Swedish naturalists, all (in Sweden) used the name Scandia seems to go back to the Carta marina (see Post No.1), when Denmark was Dania. For my purpose I sure don´t have to go further than that. As I understand it both those birds [Rudbeck's Snowy Owl/s (from Lapland in the summer of 1695) and the Duck, possibly Ducks (ex. the "Anas latirostra”, the "Skoorra", from Finnmarken, and the "Lapmark Duck"] all had their origin in Scandinavia. That´s it. That´s all that I need. The actual origin of the name Scandia, if any other, before that, is far beyond my grasp. And, of course, of no true relevance in this case.

Scandia … over and out!

PS. James; on the Snowy Owl quote: ex “Strix capite auriculato, corpore albido” of Linnaeus 1746, shouldn´t it be: ex “Strix capite aurito, corpore albido” of Linnaeus 1746? The "auriculato" phrase is from Linnaeus's Systema naturae 1758, not the Fauna Svecica 1746.