84 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Fairy Bird : The LITTLE TERN. (Gahvay.) 



Falcon : The PEREGRINE was formerly simply designated 

 Falcon by falconers. The species occm's in Barlow (1655), 

 as Falcon, and in Merrett as Faulcon. The name is derived 

 from Lat. Falco. Newton says the earliest use of this 

 word {Falco), which is unlaiown to classical writers, is 

 said to be by Servius Honoratus {ca. 390-480 a.d.) in his 

 notes on "^Eneid," lib. x, v, 145. It seems to be possibly the 

 Latinised form of the Teutonic Falk, though falx is 

 commonly accoimted its root. 



Falcon Gentle or Gentile Falcon : The female PERE- 

 GRINE FALCON. It occurs in Willughby (1878) and 

 also in Albin. The term Falcon or Falcon Gentle appears 

 from the days of falconry to have always been given to 

 the female iDird, the former name from her superior size 

 and excellence, while Grentle is from Fr. gentil, signifying 

 neat or handsome, but perhaps also denoting the more 

 noble nature of the bird as compared A^ith the Hawks. 

 Linnseus's Falco gentilis was based upon Albin's description, 

 but is without doubt the immature GOSHAWK. In the 

 Isle of Skye and other of the western islands of Scotland, 

 ever since the days of falconry, the larger and stronger 

 female was designated the " Falcon " simply, the male 

 being known here, as elsewhei'e, as the Tiercel or Tiercel 

 Gentle (q.v.). 



Falk or Fair : The RAZORBILL. (Hebrides.) An equivalent 

 of Auk. 



Faller : The HEN-HARRIER. 



Fallow-chat : The WHEATEAR. (Provincial.) On account 

 of its partiality for the clods on fallow land. Swainson 

 also gives Fallow-finch and Fallow-lunch as provincial 

 names. 



Fallow-smich : The WHEATEAR. (Willughby.) Merrett gives 

 " Fallow-Smiters " as a Warwicksliire name for the species. 



Familiar Creeper : The TREECREEPER. (Pennant, 1812.) 



Fanner-hawk. A West Sussex (Arundel) name for the 

 KESTREL. Somewhat synonymous with Windhover 

 (q.v.), the name no doubt arising from the fan -like move- 

 ment at intervals when hovering. Also occurs as 

 Fan Hawk. 



Fantail Warbler : The SEDGE-WARBLER. 



Faoileann. a Gaelic name for the HERRING-GULL. (Western 

 Isles.) 



