Live and learn (5)
Image source
Nankeen originally referred to a firmly-woven, hard-wearing material, yellowish-brown in colour, produced in Nanking, (now Nanjing) China. Nankeen is a corruption of the name Nanking. Later, material was dyed yellow to resemble Nankeen.
The material was used in the 19th century to produce working trousers, often known by the wonderful name, ‘Nankeen inexpressibles.’
.jpg)
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
The Nankeen night heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) is reddish-brown in colour, and so is also known as the rufous night heron. It is native to Australia, and found in many other parts of Australasia. It is almost entirely nocturnal, emerging after sunset to feed on crabs, crayfish, frogs, lizards, and a variety of insects including crickets, caterpillars and ants.
.jpg)
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Another rufous Nankeen bird, and native to New Guinea and Australia, is the Nankeen kestrel (Falco cenchroides) Though it is a falcon, it does not pursue its prey, although it often hovers over areas which might provide good hunting. One of its common names is the Mosquito hawk! Generally, it perches in full sight, scanning the ground for prey, mostly in the form of small rodents, and reptiles.
Little boys in Georgette Heyer novels wear nankeens. Hard wearing I think.
ReplyDeleteLike twill.
DeleteThat little hawk is eating that huge lizard! Wow!
ReplyDeleteI've heard the term nankeen, but didn't know it's history. Thank you for that fun lesson.
I wonder if it swallows it whole?
DeleteThis was interesting, I did not know we had those birds here. I imagine the nankeen trousers were tough enough to be worn when riding horses etc and for climbing trees and rocks as boys seem to like to do, though you don't see much of that these days with all the screens available instead.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard-wearing material.
DeletePerhaps the trousers are a Chinese forerunner to denim jeans.
ReplyDeleteGood thought!
DeleteWe have the American Kestrel which I think is one of the prettiest of our hawks. It feeds mostly on insects.
ReplyDeleteAmerican Kestrel is not a hawk, Dorothy. It is a falcon.
DeleteIt is a pretty bird.
DeleteYes, David, I am actually aware that it is a falcon, thank you! Good grief! It is also called a hawk - a Mosquito Hawk. Perhaps you will want to go and correct those who gave it that name.
DeleteAnother new word in my (little) dictionary.
ReplyDelete😂😃
DeleteAn interesting and enlightening post.
ReplyDeleteThank you. 😊
DeleteI remember in Georgette Heyer's Regency novels she used to describe clothing, including men's 'inexpressibles'!
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who used to read Georgette Heyer novels. Maybe I should start reading them.
DeleteLive and learn indeed!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I come across words that I think cannot possibly be true, and yet they are.
DeleteI wish my boys had hard wearing material for their pants. And not just for working trousers.
ReplyDeleteBoys are hard on clothes, much more so than girls.
DeleteOnce a teacher, always a teacher. What do we say boys and girls? "Thank you Mrs Cooke!"
ReplyDelete🙁😟
DeleteLovely piece of writing on a cloth made especially for being hardwearing. Now did jodhpurs develop from that I wonder.
ReplyDeleteCould well be. It would make sense.
DeleteI believe I've seen the trousers before but didn't know about the cloth or the name
ReplyDeleteAll new to me . . .
DeleteI am familiar with Nankeen Night Heron and Nankeen Kestrel, having seen both species, but I had no knowledge at all of the eponymous trousers. Now I want a pair!
ReplyDeleteVery smart you would look, too!
DeleteEvery day is a school day, there's always something new to learn, and I've learnt three new things right here.
ReplyDeleteStop learning and stop living, I think, cheery soul that I am! 😂🤣
DeleteI need to be careful when saying I'll slip into my nankeens that people don't think it's a bird.
ReplyDeleteCarlos might not like that, either, as birds aren't your thing. 😉
DeleteI do like the Nankeen night heron, it has lovely colours.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It is pretty, isn't it?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI think I heard about a nankeen heron somewhere just recently, and I wondered why it was called that. You have answered my question!
ReplyDeleteCoincidence is a funny thing!
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that Nankeen is in China, but the birds are not native to that area.
ReplyDeleteI think Nankeen refers to the colour of the birds, though I agree it could be confusing.
DeleteI had no idea.
ReplyDeleteNor me!
DeleteI so enjoy learning each time I visit...and again, this is something new to me. I do find it very interesting. the good thing is, when I read something here that I've not heard of, I always do a little research and learn new things..
ReplyDeleteLife is long-term learning, I find.
DeleteI'm with the commenter who pondered that Nankeen birds aren't from the area they are named after., and why was that? I never knew about Nankeen birds, or nankeen pants, for that matter. I liked that kestrel. We have a different kestrel where I live and you'd think they are cute but their behavior is far from cute.
ReplyDeleteBirds of prey are often handsome, but their habits are not endearing!
DeleteI have enjoyed another fascinating read here. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise.
DeleteFrom Nanjing cloth to birds like the Nankeen night heron and Nankeen kestrel, “Nankeen” carries its warm colour across worlds.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that Nankeen hasn't become a recognised name for a colour. Maybe it has and I've missed it!
DeleteVery interesting.
ReplyDeleteHere where I am we have a Black-crowned Night Heron but we see them out a lot in the daytime so I'm not quite sure how they got that name lol
How funny, A confused bird . . .
DeleteI have never heard of this term!
ReplyDelete😃
DeleteI've never heard of them. Cute birds though.
ReplyDeletePretty birds, really.
ReplyDelete