334 SOLAN GOOSK— SPARROW 



A saying, found in Turner, runs : — 

 'S nach fearr iad na'r coinneamh na cromanna-loin. 

 And they are not more fit to oppose us than snipes. 



SOLAN GOOSE (see also Goosp:). — Amhas, amhasag, amhasan, 

 amhsainn, amhsan, ansa, asan ; Kun ban an sgadain ; Fachaich 

 (fatlings) ; Goug, guga (young) ; Macfraoir ; Sulaiche, sulair, 

 sulaire. 



Basser, bass-goose ; Channel goose ; Gannet, ganot (A. S.) ; 

 Herring-gant ; Soland-goose, spectacled goose. 



Said to be from either Icelandic " sulan," the gannet, or Gaelic 

 " an sula or an sulaire." 



This bird or fowl is very keen of sight, and rises to a great 

 altitude to discern its prey, whence it darts with the greatest 

 certainty. St Kildians hold it in great respect, and preserve the 

 young as food or"annlan." "The gannet's bath" is a |)oetical 

 term for the sea from this habit of the bird diving from a great 

 height. 



Bhiodh an t-amhas leis fein While the gannet by itself 



Ann an uighe nan speur, In the space of the skies, 



A shuil gheur air an doimhne mhoir. Its eye on the mighty deep. 



Archibald MacDonald, the Uist bard, refers humorously to a 

 certain Dr MacLeod as being extra fond of the fat of this bird, 

 which, by the way, is considered a specific remedy for man or 

 beast, especially in St Kilda. This, or the oil therefrom, has been 

 called " Gibanirtick " (Gioban lortach), it is said even to heal 

 cancer. The foregoing word giban or gioban is derived from 

 geuban or giaban, the craw or crop of any bird. See ante, at 

 Birds. In Scott's Antiquarif, a solan-goose appeared at Oldbuck's 

 table, " the relishing solan-goose blood ran." 



SPARROW. — Baois ; Ciolag, ciolachaire, ciolog (Ir. — hedge) ; 

 Donnag, donnan, donneun (brown one or bird) ; Gallan or gallun- 

 strathaire (Old Ir.), gealbhan, gealbhan-sgiabail or sgioboll, 

 gealbhonn, gealbhonn-garaidh glas or nam preas (hedge), gealbhan- 

 garrdha (Ir.), glaisean, glaisean-coille (wood), glaiseun (greybird) ; 

 Riabhag (Ir.) ; Sporag (house). 



Aichee ; Billy cuddy, black wren, blind dunnock, blue dickie 

 Isaac Jaunie sparrow or Tom, bush-sparrow ; Chummy (house), 

 cosal (Forfar), craff (Cumb.), creepie, cudgy, culfer, culfre (A. S.); 

 Dickie, donck, doney, donnock, dunnock, dykesmowler ; Easing, 

 easing-bird ; Fieldie, field-sparrow ; Greybird ; Hatcher, haysuck, 

 hay sucker, hayzick, hayzock, hazeck, hazock, hedge accentor 

 chanter chat, mike, spick, spurgie or warbler, heisugge (Chaucer), 

 hempie, hempling, heysugge, hizac, hoosie ; Izaac ; Mountain- 

 sparrow ; Pin nock, pynok, Philip, phip ; Reefouge Q riabhag), 

 roo-doo, row-dow ; Segge, shufflewing, spadger, spalliard (Devon), 

 spargie, spearewa, speuk, sprauch, sprig, sproug, sprug (i.e., sporag). 



