350 WRYNECK— YELLOW-AMMER 



WRYNECK. — Cam'aich, cam-mhuin or mhuineal ; Geocair, 

 geochd, gwas-y-gog (Welsh). 



Barley-bird ; Cuckoo's-fool footman knave leader marrow 

 mate messenger or whit ; Dinnick ; Emmet-hunter, eten-bird ; 

 Hobby ; Jack-squall ; Long-tongue ; Mackerel-bird ; Nile-bird ; 

 Pea-bird ; Rind or rinding-bird ; Slab (North), snake-bird, summer- 

 bird ; Tongue-bird, turkey-bird ; Weet-bird, wrythe-neck. 



The frequency of names in connection with that of the cuckoo 

 is a justification for the supposition by some that it is the cuckoo's 

 leading companion, though not the cause of that appearance on 

 herbs, etc., called "cuckoo-spit," said to be cast at it from vexation. 

 The herb called "cuckoo's shoe" has, inter alia, its own share of 

 that "spit," or more properly exudation from the aphis which 

 infests it. 



YELLOW-AMMER or HAMER.— Buidheag or buidheann- 

 luachair, buidhein, baidheog or buidheog (Ir.). 



From " Am," a word signifying to chirp, lit. a chirper. 



A little bit o' bread an' no cheese ; Basky-bird, Bessy, black- 

 smith, blakeling, bread an' cheese, bunting ; Cheeser, coldfinch ; 

 De'il, de'il, de'il tak' ye, devil's bird ; Gladdie, goldfinch or spink, 

 goldy, gooldie, gooler, gooly, gouldy, gowdie, gowdy, guler ; 

 Johnny-ring ; Molly ; Owl ; Plover, Poll, pretty pretty jiretty 

 creeture ; Scottish canary, scribbling lark, skite; Waggie, wagtail, 

 wren, writing-hawk lark or master ; Yallackie, yeldock or 

 yeldrock, yeldrin, yellaieckie, yellow amber or omber bunting, 

 yarlin yite or yowley, yeorling, yirlin, yoit, yoldrin, yoldring, 

 yolling, yorlin, youlring. 



This bird is said to be held in detestation from having half a 

 drop, a drop, or three drops of the devil's blood in it. The terms 

 " writing hawk," etc., arise from the similarity of scrawling marks 

 on its eggs to some people's writing ; an additional term is 

 " Grecian," as the marks were supposed to resemble Greek 

 characters. Some people say that this bird brings ill-luck if it 

 nests near a dwelling-house, which it frequently does, so it is 

 industriously persecuted and its nest destroyed. A boys' rhyme 

 runs : — 



*' Whittletae, whittletae tee whee, 

 Harry ma nest an' the de'il tak yee." 



or, " Deil, deil, deil tak' ye," which is now refined down to " A 

 little bit of bread and no cheese." 



A superstition also exists — or existed — that jaundice could be 

 cured by merely looking at this bird, but if the person was cured 

 the bird died. 



