222 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Spar-Hawk or Spur-Hawk: The SPARROW-HAWK. 

 ( Aberdeenshire . ) 



Sparlin-fowl or Sparkling-fowl : The GOOSANDER (female). 

 The first form occurs in Willughby and the second in 

 Pennant, Montagu, etc. 



Sp.irrow : The HOUSE-SPARROW. From A.Sax. Spmrwa, a 

 sparrow. Occm's in Turner, and is the general English name 

 for the species, House-Sparrow being a book-name chiefly. 



SPARROW-HAWK [No. 249]. Probably from A.Sax. Sjwarwa 

 (Sparrow) and Hafoc (Hawk), Mid. Eng. Hauk. The 

 name "Sparrow-Hawk" occurs in Merrett's Pinax (1667), 

 where it is called Accipiter fringillarius et nisus, after Aldro- 

 vandus (pp. 345-7). Turner's " sparhauc " is the GOS- 

 HAWK. In falconry the name Sparrow-Hawk was formerly 

 used to denote the female, the male being termed " Musket " 

 or Musquet Hawk (q.v.). 



Sparrow Owl. A name for the LITTLE OWL. (Hett.) 



Sparve : The HEDGE-SPARROW. (West Cornwall.) From 

 A.Sax. spmrwa, a sparrow. 



Spear Sparrow. The female REED-BUNTING is so called 

 in Hampshire. (Swainson.) 



Spear Wigeon : The RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, (co. 

 Kerry.) 



Spease or Speethe : The KN'OT. (Holy Island.) Also applied 

 there to the BAR-TAILED GOD WIT. It originates from 

 the bird's wheezj^ note when on the ground. 



Specht or WoDSPECHT. Turner gives this as the English name 

 of a Woodpecker, apparently the LESSER SPOTTED 

 WOODPECKER. (See Speicht.) 



Speckled Dick : The GOLDFINCH. (Shropshire.) 



Speckled Diver or Loon : The RED-THROATED DIVER. 

 Occurs in Pennant, Latham, etc. Given also as a pro- 

 vincial name for the BLACK-THROATED DIVER by 

 Montagu, who, however, misprints it " Speckled Zoon." 



Spectacled Goose : The GANNET. (Provincial.) From the 

 bare circle of skin surroimding the eye. 



Speel-the-tree. a name for the TREECREEPER. (Hett.) 



Speicht or Speight (corrupted also to Spite as in Wood-Spite) : 

 The GREEN WOODPECKER generally. From Crer. 

 SpecJif. 



Speikintares : The COMMON TERN. (Ross-shire.) 



Speir she' AG. A Gaelic name for the SPARROW-HAWK. 

 The latter word is properly wi'itten seabkag (^a hawk). 



