| 词源 |
yellowhammer. This bird is named not for any hammer but from the earlier yellow-ham (Old English geolu, “yellow” plus hama “covering”), in reference to its bright yellow markings. The European yellow bunting, as it is also called, was once be- lieved to be cursed because it fluttered about the Cross and was stained by Christ’s blood, which colored its plumage and marked its eggs with red forever after. In times past children were encouraged to destroy its “cursed eggs.” |