252 DICTIONARY OF XAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Storks " are said to live only in republics and free States ; 

 but this we found by experience to be false, observing them 

 in the Territories of some Princes in Germany. There is a 

 tradition also that they feed and nourish their parents in 

 their old age, when thej^ are unable to seek their own food." 

 The latter belief, it may be remarked, is taken from Pliny. 

 White-tail: The \^TEE ATEAR. (Pro\ancial.) Cotgrave (1611) 

 has " AVhittaile." 



WHITE-TAILED EAGLE [No. 244]. The name occurs in Wil- 

 lughby, who quotes Gaza's name alhicilla for it (on account 

 of its white tail), which was retained by Linnaeus and modem 

 authors. The white tail, however, is only to be foimd in 

 the adult bird, and does not appear untU it is six or seven 

 years old. The immature bird in uniform dark plumage 

 Avas originally described as a separate species under the 

 name of Sea Eagle {Falco ossijragus of Linnaeus). This is 

 the " Sea Eagle or Osprey " of Willugbby, the Sea Eagle 

 of Pennant (fo. ed., 1766), and of LeA\dn, Latham, 

 Montagu, etc. 



WHITETKROAT [No. 147]. This name, which occurs in 

 Willughby (1678) and most subsequent authors, is derived 

 from the white chin and throat. 



White-throated Blackbird : The RING-OUZEL. 



Whitethroat Warbler: The WHITETHROAT. 



White-topped Heron : The NIGHT-HERON. (Hett.) "^ 



WHITE WAGTAIL [No. 82]. The name White Wagtail first 

 occurs in Willughby, who also names the species Motacilla 

 alba, the distinctness of the PIED WAGTAIL not being 

 recognised until 1832, by Gould. It seems probable that 

 Willughby described an example of the true M. alba and 

 not of M. luguhris, for he states that the middle of the back 

 "inclines to cinereous " and the white extends on the side 

 of the neck " almost to the wings." The name White 

 WagtaU is of course used by all old British authors for the 

 species now Ioiotati as the Pied Wagtail. This bird 

 seems to have been regarded as of medicinal value in former 

 times, for Willughby gravely states that " One or two 

 ounces of the powder of this bird put in a pot close-stopt 

 and bak'd in an oven together Avith the feathers, taken in 

 Saxifrage water, or strong White wine, is said to be good 

 against the Stone, especially that of the kidnej^s." 



White-wall: The SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. (Northants.) 

 White Water Wagtail : The PIED WAGTAIL. (Pennant.) 



