PARTRIDGE— PETREL 319 



parraist, patraisg, patrisg, pearslag, peatraid, peirleog, peirsteag, 

 peirsteog, perdris or pertris (Old Celt.), peurdag, peurlag, piaghaid- 

 thruisg, piothruisg. 



Englishman ; Frenchman or French partridge ; Gast (? Cast) 

 bird (single), Guernsey partridge, gyrgirik, gorgark (old — obs.) ; 

 Parthyrd (A. S.), pairtrick, paitrick, partreck, partrick, patrick, 

 pattheridge, pertryche ; Red-legged partridge, rudge (Cornw.). 



The Sanscrit name for this bird is " tittira," from the similarity 

 to its cry or call. It is pre-eminently a bird of the low grounds, 

 where the " portly " sportsman can, with some assistance, slay it. 

 The hill partridge is a more beautiful bird, less sought after and 

 less known. A covey is generally called a "clutch." A saying 

 exists " cho domhail ri paitrisg no peatraid," as firm as a partridge, 

 probably "as plump as a partridge." This bird was one of the 

 " wildfowl " against the sliooting of which an act was passed 

 specially in 1551, the penalty being death. 



PEACOCK, etc. — Cearc-pheucaig (hen), coileach-peucaig or 

 pheucaig ; Eucag ; Geasadach, geasdach ; Padghal, paideal, 

 paidgheal, peabh or peubh-chearc-choileach or eun, peabh- 

 shaileach, peacag, peucag, peucagach, peuchdag. 



Maycock (hen) ; Pacok (A. S.), pae (Ritson), papynge, pavone 

 (Spenser), pawa, pawe, pawcoke, pea (Nares), peanie (hen), pecoke, 

 pocokk, pohen (Skelton), pokok, pown (male). 



No Highland bird this, still the above terms in Gaelic therefor 

 have been found. It is a living superstition in the Lowlands, etc., 

 that feathers of peafowl mean sickness so long as kept. The 

 month of March should proverbially go out like a peacock's tail. 

 In Lightfoot's Flora Scotica, Colonsa is said to have been a place 

 where the peacock succeeded notably. The Irish — or ancient 

 Celtic — name, " Gerachdach," means literally "the screecher." 

 The saying as to the month of March is, " EarbuU peucaig air 

 an Earrach " — Spring with (or goes out with), a peacock's tail — 

 gorgeously sunny weather. 



PELICAN. — Eun-mor-an-fhasaich ; Pelag, pelicein, peliocan. 



So called from its large bill. This bird, like the parrot, is 

 merely given from having been found worthy of appearing in 

 Gaelic dictionaries, etc. 



PENGUIN (see Auk). — Said to be from " pen," a head, and 

 " gwyn," white. This bird's head, however, is black. 



PEREGRINE (see Hawk). — Coigreach; Seabhag, seabhag- 

 gallda. 



Blue, grey, hunting goshawk, common falcon. 



PETREL. — Aisileag, asaileag, assileag ; Eun gur-le-gug ; 

 Fainleag, fainleog, falmair, falmaire, famhlag-mhara, fanlag. 



