FULMAR— GODWIT 275 



FULMAR (see also Petrel). — Fulmair ; Grey petrel ; John 

 Down ; Malduck, mallemock, mallemoke, malmock. 



See Martin's description of Western Isles. 



Its name seems to originate, like "foumart/' a polecat, from 

 the peculiar and disagreeable odour of this bird, or the oil it is said 

 to vomit. There is an Icelandic term Folc mar, given as a sea 

 horse, which some suppose to be the root name. 



G 



GALLINULE, or WATER-HEN (see also Coot).— Cearc- 

 uisge, etc. 



This is a rare bird in the Highlands, as it is a denizen chiefly of 

 the swamps near the Mediterranean, though sometimes actually 

 mistaken for our moor-hen, which it resembles. It is somewhat 

 larger and of a more purple hue. 



GANNET (see also Solan Goose). — Amhas, sulaiche, sulair, 

 sulaire. 



Bass goose, basser ; Channel goose ; Gan (A. S. " ganot," a 

 gander) ; Herring gant ; Solan or soland goose, spectacled goose. 



GEILT.— Geilt. 



This is a more or less mythical bird, and is included here 

 merely on account of its being found in the Book of the Dean of 

 Lismore in " Laoidh nan ceann," by Caoilte mac Ronan, where it 

 will be found. O'Reilly says this word means, inter alia, a fierce 

 untameable bird of some unknown species. The phrase "Geilt 

 gluine" exists. (See Dublin University Magazine for March 1854, 

 Vol. XLIIL, page 322.) 



GOATSUCKER.— Gabhar-adhair, etc. 



Churn, churr ; Dor-hawk ; Fern owl ; Gar-owl ; Night churr, 

 night hawk, night jar. 



This misnamed bird has, from the time of Aristotle down to 

 the present day, been in disgrace with mankind ; it is, however, 

 an unoffending fowl, and its character foully stained by sheer 

 inattention to facts, as, instead of sucking goats or cows, or any 

 other animal, it merely gets underneath such animals to catch 

 flies off their udders, etc. 



GODWIT (see Curlew). — Roid-guilbneach, etc. 



Barge, bar-tailed godwit, black and white - tailed godwit, 

 black-tailed godwit ; Frankline ; Godwin, godwyn ; Half curlew, 

 half whaup ; Jadreka snipe ; Necked barnacle ; Pick, poor Willie, 

 prine ; Red godwit ; Scammel, sea woodcock, shrieker, small 

 curlew, stone plover ; Yardkeep, yarwhelp, yarwhip. 



