JACKDAW— KITE 297 



This pert bird is well known north and south. One proverb 

 runs — 



Guth na cubhaig 'am bial na cathaig. 



The cuckoo's voice in the jackdaw's mouth. Deceit. 



K 



KESTREL (see also Hawk). — Clamhan-ruadh ; Dearcan, dear- 

 gan, deargan-allt. 



Castrel, creyer ; Gastrel ; Hover-hawk ; Kastril, keelie^ kestril, 

 kistril ; Peep-hawk ; Stanchell^ stand-hawk, stannell, steingall, 

 stonegall ; Willie-whip-the-wind, wind-cufFer or hover. 



KINGFISHER. — Ale ; Bior-an-t-uisge, biorra, biorra-cruidein 

 or cruitein ; Cairneach, coirneach, cruidein, cruitean, cruitein; 

 Gabha, gobha, gobha-dubh-nan-allt, gobh'uisge, gobhachan-uisge ; 

 lasgair-cairneach ; Murlach. 



Bessy - blue - back, bluebird ; Dipper, ducker ; Ess - cock ; 

 Gaudnie; Halcyon; Kings-fisher, kittie-neetie; Longbill; Shagarack, 

 shagarak, spit-of-the-fisher ; Water-craw or ouzel. 



Cleland says the name "halcyon" is derived from "hal, 

 lig-y-un," hal, fine or calm, and lig-y-un, lying or breeding on the 

 water. A general belief existed that it was always calm when 

 this bird was breeding. The Gaelic name "biorra" comes from 

 "bir," an old Gaelic word for water. The "halcyon" or calm 

 breeding days are said to be seven, and occur in mid-winter, 

 called St Martin's summer. If a dead kingfisher be hung up by a 

 string, it is said that its beak will always point in the direction of 

 the prevailing wind. No moth will come near it. The kingfisher, 

 like the cuckoo, is said not to make a nest for herself, but to lay 

 her egg or eggs in the first convenient cavity. A writer of an old 

 essay to the Highland Society says it is very destructive to salmon 

 spawn. 



KITE. — An t-eun fionn ; Clamhan, clamhan-gobhlach, cos- 

 garrach (lit. conqueror), croman, croman-gobhlach (swallow-tailed), 

 croman-lachaidh-lachduinn-lochaidh or luch, crom-reoch or 

 riabhach ; Earfhiach ; Parr or parra-riabhach-nan-cearc, preachan, 

 preachanach, preachan-ceirteach or nan cearc (ring-tailed) ; 

 Seanan. 



Crotchet-tailed puttock, crotch-tail (Essex), cyta (A. S.) ; 

 Faller, fork-tailed gled ; Glade, glaid, glead, gled, glede, gleead, 

 gleed, gleid, glid, glida, grey buzzard ; Hendriver ; Jack-e-stop ; 

 Katabella, kestrel ; Melle (A. N.), miller ; Potok, puttock ; Red 

 gled, ringtail; Salmon-tailed gled. 



