212 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Sentinel Shrike. A name sometimes given to the GREAT 

 GREY SHRIKE ; it exists also in its specific name excubitor 

 (i.e. a sentinel) and in the names by which this Shi'ike 

 is known in several comitries on the Continent. It origin- 

 ates from the bird's habit of sitting sentinel-mse on an 

 exposed perch, and from its marvellous powers of vision 

 it was commonly made use of in the days of falconry as 

 a sentinel to detect the approach of a wild hawk ; it is 

 in fact still so employed in Holland. 



SERIN [No. 28]. Sometimes called the Serin Finch. From 

 Fr. seri7i, probabl}^ from Lat. siren, on account of its song. 

 It occurs in Willughby as the " Serinus of Gesner," 



Serfla. a provincial name for the RED-BREASTED MER- 

 GANSER. (Montagu.) 



Set-Hammer. A Teesmouth fowler's name for the BAR- 

 TAILED GODWIT. 



Seven-coloured Linnet: The GOLDFINCH. (Shropshire.) 



Seven Whistler : The WHDIBREL ; from the clear whistling 

 note, supposed to be repeated about seven times. 



Shad-bird : The COMMON SANDPIPER. (Shrewsbury) ; 

 because before the erection of weirs at Worcester the shad 

 used to ascend the river about the middle of April, the 

 time of the arrival of the Common Sandpiper (Jackson, 

 •' Shropshire Word-Book," p. 372). 



SHAG [No. 317]. Often called the Green Cormorant. The 

 name " Shag " first appears in MeiTett, who says 

 Cormorants are so called in Cornwall. Willughby also 

 terms it " the Shag, called in the North of England the 

 Crane." Pennant calls it " Shag Cormorant." From 

 Icel. skegg=the beard, from skaga=^to protect ; so called 

 on account of the recurved crest of feathers with which 

 the head is adorned in spring-plumage. 



Shagga: The CORMORANT, also the SHAG. (Cornwall.) 

 See SHAG. 



Shake : The REDSHANK. (Connemara.) From the constant 

 nodding of its head while on the ground (Swainson). 



Shaking Pettychaps. A name for the WOOD-WARBLER. 

 (Hett.) 



Sharpie: The BLACK-HEADED GULL. (Bridhngton, 

 Yorkshire.) 



Sharp-saw: The GREAT TITMOUSE. (Norfolk.) From its 

 " saw-sharpening " notes. 



Sharp-tailed Duck. Montagu gives this as a provincial 

 name for the LONG-TAILED DUCK. 



