>On Mon, 22 Jul 1996, Dennis Paulson wrote:
>
>>
>> I think you're probably talking about Libellula lydia, the Common
>> Whitetail. I would call the abdomen (the part "behind the second set of
>>
>This scientific name reminds that the French for dragonfly is libellule -
>my favorite French word. Beautiful, n'est-ce pas?
>
> Jim Elder (jime at eskimo.com)

Oui.

In Spanish it's libelula, in German Libelle. This may have been intended
to mean "little book," perhaps referring to the closed wings of a dragonfly
specimen. The complex venation might even look like writing.

Aechmophorus, the genus of the Western Grebe, means "spear-bearer."
Thought I'd throw in a bird fact, too.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 206-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 206-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416