Jerry and Sandy Converse wrote:

> The dictionary just says " North, North wind"

Other dictionaries say: "of, or pertaining to, the North, or of,
or pertaining to, the North Wind." Derived from Boreas, the
ancient Greek personification of the North Wind.

Compare and contrast to Austral: from Auster, the personification
of the South Wind.

Thus Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis for the northern and
southern auroras, Poe's reference "...in the climes of the
Boreal Pole" (i.e. up north), Australia (down south), etc.

I do not know who first attached the appellation Boreal to this
northern owl - is there an Austral owl? :-)

Gary DuVall
Seattle
duvall at foxinternet.net