"See," cries the chorus of admiring preachers,
"How Providence provides for all His creatures!"
"His care," the gnat said, "even the insects follows:
For us He has provided wrens and swallows."
—Sempen Railey
2009 Update: A former order in a previous taxonomy which included hedgehogs and shrews. The order was abandoned when its members were found to have too little kinship with one another, and too much in common with zöologists' relations.
Why was a lawn game named after me?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, Cricket. Are you sure you're at the right blog?
ReplyDeleteDoug! You're a botanist! With the botanist's disdain for the zoölogist! Who knew? Applause from the marine botany contingent. ;)
ReplyDeletecricket: Old French "goalpost, stick". Which probably rattled when the ball or the keeper struck it (Old French cricket, from criquer, "to creak or rattle"). So the "criquet" of criquet is really the wicket. Which probably got its name changed, and the adjective "sticky" applied to it, to prevent people from stomping on it (thus ending the game) to stop all the noise.
Hey. That explanation makes as much sense as does anything else about (the game of) cricket ...
Okaaay. Never heard of this word. I don't like insects, and apparently insectivora eat insects...so maybe I like insectivora?
ReplyDeleteDid you make this all up? Again?
Insectivora n.? If it eats cockroaches, send it to me, please. In fact, send several. I think everyone on the island will want one or two of their own.
ReplyDeleteThis is far above my skill level.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a secret society of bug eaters got caught out of their assigned element.
Rambling on...........
ReplyDeletegnat...grunt
all the same
serf...slave
we can choose
for it is we
who empower our
leaders
though we have
little kinship
though equally
exciting to
soar with ravens
as to watch
an ant pile
flow
Peace
Cricket, I suppose because the croquet has no friends.
ReplyDeleteKaren, are any of us?
Excellent etymology, Amoeba. Now explain "bowl a maiden over."
TLP, Ambrose Bierce might have invented the word so I didn't have to. Hedgehogs are cute. Shrews might be too, when four-legged.
Quilly, Georgia has that issue as well. The natural predator of the cockroach is the boot heel.
Cooper, that happens to bug eaters at bars, too.
Bear, I think I chose to empower insectivora. Clean up congress in an hour, I reckon.
Oh, come on. You've seen cute two-legged shrews.
ReplyDeleteYou're not wrong about that, blogmama.
ReplyDeleteBut Doug, Hawaii is a barefoot state!
ReplyDeleteNot if there's roaches on the floor and sense among the citizens.
ReplyDelete