Containing over 8,500 entries, A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names is the first book to explain the derivation and meaning of all valid scientific bird names. This valuable reference defines each name part separately to avoid the confusion of future revisions--a name like Passer domesticus will only be found as the separate entries Passer (sparrow) and domesticus (domestic). Other entries provide fascinating details and helpful information. We learn, for example, that lewis is derived from explorer Meriwether Lewis, and decussatus indicates that a bird is marked with X-shaped crosses. And an informative introduction discusses the ways in which birds have been named for their appearance, for a person or place, or some aspect of their habitat, food, or voice.With a full bibliography and extensive cross-references, A Dictionary of Bird Names will find a permanent place on any bird-lover's shelf.