BARLEY BAK-TAILED. 13 



BARN-OWL [No. 227, White-breasted Bam-Owl ; No. 228, 

 Dark -breasted Bam-Owl]. This species has been separated 

 into the two forms noted, the White-breasted being the 

 resident species and the Dark-breasted a casual migrant. 

 The name Barn-Owl arises from its predilection for bams 

 and other old l)uildings : it occurs first in Willughby. It is 

 the AVliite Owl of Pennant and other authors, and the 

 "Yellow Owl," "Church Owl," etc., of yet others. 

 Yarrell (1st ed.) calls it the " White or Barn Owl," and 

 the latter name has generally been ado]ited by later ^\Titers. 

 " Wliite Owl " is derived from the white hue of the under- 

 parts : " Yellow Owl " from the ta^\^ly yellow upper- parts : 

 " Church Owl " from its partiahty for churches. This and 

 other species of owls were formerly very generally regarded 

 as birds of ill-omen. Chaucer, refei-ring obxaously to tliis 

 species, says : — 



The owle al nyght aboute the ballses wonde. 

 That prophete ys of woo and of myschaunce. 



An ancient belief that this bird shrieking at a bii'th portended 

 ill-luck to the infant is alluded to in Shakespeare (Henry VI, 

 pt. ni, act V, sc. 6). 



The Owl shrieked at thy birth, an evil sign. 

 B.AJiN Swallow. A common provincial name for the 

 SWALLOW, so called from its nesting on the rafters, etc., 

 of bams and other out-buildings. 



BARRED WARBLER [No. 143]. So called from its grey-and- 

 white barred plumage. 



Barred Willow Warbler: The YELLOW-BROWNED 

 WARBLER. 



Barred Woodpecker: The LESSER SPOTTED WOOD- 

 PECKER. (Be\nck.) So called from the black and 

 white of its \vings and upper-parts presenting a barred 

 appearance. 



Barrel Tit : The LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE. (Provincial.) 



Barrow's Goldeneye. An American species of which one example 

 is erroneously thought to have occurred in Suffolk. 



BAR-TAILED GODWIT [No. 402]. The name is found in 

 Fleming (1828) and arises from the dusky bars on the white 

 upper tail-coverts. It occurs in Turner (1544) as " Godwitt 

 or Fedoa," and in Willughby as " Godwit, Yanvhelp, or 

 Yarwip." Pennant calls it Godwit and Montagu the Com- 

 mon God\\it. Godwit is from A.-Sax. god-wihta (lit. good- 

 eating). 



