304 MAVIS— NIGHTINGALE 



MAVIS (see also Thrush). — Cullionag (lit. holly-bird) ; 

 Smaolach, snieol, smeolaeh, smeor, smeorach ; Truideag. 



Common thrush ; Garden-thrush ; Linnet-ousel or ouzle ; Mavie, 

 mavish, mawish, mawysse (A. S.), mevies, missel-thrush ; Ousel, 

 ouzle ; Song-thrush ; Thristle-cock, throstle, thrush. 



Ousel or ouzle is from " Ansala." 



The mavis or thrush is supposed in the Highlands to sing in 

 Gaelic. It was said by some ardent seceders in or after 1843 to 

 have been heard saying or singing : — 



An eaglais shaor 's i 's fhearr, 



An eaglais shaor 's i 's fhearr, 



Na * moderates,' na ' moderates,' 



Cha 'n fhiach iad, cha 'n fhiach iad ! 

 The Free Kirk's best by far, the Free Kirk's best by far. 

 The Moderates, the Moderates 

 Are worthless, are worthless ! 



Many Gaelic or Celtic songs to this bird and also personifying 

 it are extant ; among the most notable of the latter are the well 

 known Smeorach Chlann Raonuill ; Thorra Ghoill, etc., etc. 



Cha dean aon smeorach samhradh. 



One mavis makes not summer. 

 Cha 'n 'eil port a sheinneas an smeorach *s an Fhaoilleach, 

 nach caoin i mu'n ruith an t-Earrach. 



For every song the mavis sings in February, she'll lament 

 ere spring be over. 

 Cho binn ri smeorach air geig. 



As tuneful as a mavis on a bough. The ne plus ultra of 

 sweetness. 

 MERGANSER (see also Duck).— Crann-lach ; Tumaire. 

 Bar-drake ; Diving-goose ; Earl-duck ; Grey-diver ; Harle, 

 harle-duck, herald, herald-duck ; Land harlan, lesser-toothed 

 diver; Popping wigeon ; Sawbill, sawbill wigeon, sawneb, scale- 

 duck. 



MERLIN (see Falcon, etc.). — Meirneal. 

 Rock-hawk ; Sparrow-hawk, stone-falcon. 

 MISSEL-THRUSH (see Thrush). 



N 



NIGHTINGALE. — Beul-bhinn or binn; Eosag; Lon (Dean 

 of Lismore) ; Ros-an-ceol ; Seiniolach, smileach, smileag, smiol, 

 smiolach, smoltach, spideag. 



Barley-bird ; Nightgale (Morte d' Arthur) ; Rosignell. 



From '*niht," night, and ^'gale," a singer— a night singer. 



Not heard much — if at all— in either Scotland or Ireland. 



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