158 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



however is used by the latter as an equivalent of " ]\Iistle " 

 (or Mistletoe), is evident from the remark (p. 187) that 

 it " feeds in winter upon Holly berries, but feeds the young 

 upon ' Misselto ' berries." Aristotle mentions this species 

 also rnider the name of viscivorous, '' since it feeds on 

 naught but mistletoe and gum." Albin (1738) spells it 

 " Mizzel-bird," perhaps erroneously. Pennant (1766) says 

 that " the ancients believed that the misseltoe could not be 

 propagated but by the berries that had passed through the 

 body of tliis bird." Newton (Yarrell, 4th ed., i, p. 620) 

 says the bird " derives its name from feeding on Mistletoe 

 berries, a fact knoA^Ti to Aristotle," and says the name 

 should be Mistletoe Thrush, not Missel Thrush. The 

 spelling Missel Thrush seems to be due to a want of know- 

 ledge of the mis-spelling of the plant's name. Skeat also 

 says the name is from its feeding on the berries of the 

 mistletoe, which he derives from A. Sax. mistel, a dim. of inist, 

 and tan, a twig, but Lees ("' Botanical Looker-out," 1842) 

 suggests Old. Eng. mistion, defined b}" Jolm.son as "the state 

 of being mingled," and Old. Eng. tod ov toe, a bush, i.e. "min- 

 gled bush," an allusion to its parasitic nature. As is well 

 known, the mistletoe was held sacred by the Druids. Its 

 growth w^as ascribed to seeds transplanted from one tree to 

 another by this bird. Another derivation is that given by 

 Prior (" Popular Names of Brit. Plants "), w'ho says that it is 

 from " A.Sax. mistiltan, from mistl, different, and tan, twig, 

 being so unlike the tree it grows upon." The Mistle-Thrush 

 is supposed in some localities to sing particularly loud and 

 long before rain (see Storm-cock). 



MiTEY. A Shetland name for the STORM-PETREL. Mr. 

 Robert Godfrey tells me he has heard it used in Fethaland 

 and tliinks it may be a contraction of " Alamouti " (q.v.). 

 Swain son has " Mitty." 



MiTHER o' THE MAWKiNS : The LITTLE GREBE (Stirling). 

 i.e. "Mother o' the hares," signifying a witch or uncamiy 

 person, from its diving capabilities (Swainson). 



MizzLY Dick : The MISTLE-THRUSH. (Northumberland.) 



Moat Hen : The MOORHEN (q.v.). 



MocHRiJM Elders: The CORMORANT. (Wigtown.) From 

 a loch of that name. 



Mock Nightingale: The BLACKCAP (Norfolk); the 

 SEDGE-WARBLER (North Yorkshire). 



Molenek. a Cornish name for the GOLDFINCH. 



Moll Hern : The HERON. (Midlands.) 



