Here, Kinbote is backhandedly confessing that Professor Hurley’s obituary provided him with new and accurate information about Shade, which ironically shores up Hurley’s credibility when he criticizes Kinbote’s ability as a scholar. Kinbote doesn’t dig into this (even though that’s his job), but “
bombycilla” is the genus to which waxwings belong, the bird from the opening line of “Pale Fire.” That Shade’s father had a waxwing named after him makes the image of the slain waxwing in “Pale Fire” more complex—it’s invoking both of Shade’s dead parents. This is the kind of information that’s important to include in an annotated edition of a poem, but Kinbote is incapable of such focus and rigor. It’s also noteworthy that he brings up the name “Botkin”—throughout the novel, he makes several offhand yet conspicuous references to the name “Botkin” and to professor Botkin, which hints at his true identity.