Lucky for you, Google translate just launched Latin translation http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/veni-vidi-verba-verti.html
On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 6:27 AM, Abhijit Menon-Sen <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi. > > The following text is quoted from John Ray's ("Joannis Raii") 1713 > "Synopsis Methodica Avium & Piscium", based on descriptions of some > birds around Madras by an Edward Buckley. > > 12. Pica Indica vulgaris: Ponnunky pitta; Gent. Ponnandur[c?]y; > Maderaspatanensibus: The MADRASS-JAY. Fig. 10. Nostrati Picae > glandariae affinis est Linea arcuata albida supra oculos. Alarum > tegetes virescunt, Scapis flavescentibus: juxta basin alarum > macula coerulea: Remiges & Cauda nigrescunt: Uropygium coeruleo > maculatur: inter femora usque ad caudam rubescit. > > Now, I understand broadly what this means. Linea arcuata albida supra > oculos is a curved white line above the eye, macula coerulea is a blue > spot (on the wing), inter femora usque ad caudam rubescit approximately > means "red from the thighs to the tail", etc. The bird in question is > the Indian Pitta /Pitta brachyura/, named ponnangi pitta in Telugu, > and the description matches it pretty well. > > Still, I'd be grateful if someone who understands Latin better than I > could help me translate this properly (and if they do, I'm likely to > immediately abuse their goodwill by posting other descriptions ;-). > > -- ams > >
