In his erudite article "Capitals Please!" Carlo has pointed out that a "white Rock Pigeon" is a white morph Columba livia, whereas a "White Rock pigeon" is a Columba(sp) seen in White Rock Village.
He has unfortunately not considered the "white rock pigeon", which is a Columba(sp) perched on a white granitic object. ?
Now if the "white rock pigeon" is identified as to species it could become a "white rock Rock Pigeon".? And if it is a white morph C.livia on the granitic object it would become a "white rock white Rock Pigeon".? Further if that was observed in White Rock Village, we have a "White Rock white rock white Rock Pigeon".
In working on environmental reports I have encountered problems where the ornithologist stated that bird names must be capitalized, whereas the ichthyologist insisted that fish names must be in lower case.? (Presumably a bc sucker would be a species of Catostomus, whereas a BC sucker would be someone in a local casino.) ?
Now try constructing a succinct sentence describing the observation of an albinistic Rock Sandpiper pecking at the sun-bleached carcass of a rock cod seen on a white granitic object in White Rock Village, and see if you can drive your editor screaming out of the building. ??
Eric Tull
Sidney
