DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



same actions are earlier described by Dray ton (" Polyol- 

 bion," 1613). Kay also accounts for its name by saying 

 that we call a foolish, dull person a Doterell, and " on this 

 account our people also call it Doterell, as if they were to 

 say doating with folly." The Gaelic name for the bird, 

 An tamadan mointich, also signifies " the fool of the peat 

 bog," or moor. Willughby relates that in Norfolk the 

 bird was caught by several persons carrying stones in each 

 hand, which they struck against one another and so drove 

 the birds into the net. A Scottish saying is : 



When dotterel do fast appear, 

 It shows that frost is very near ; 

 But when the dotterel do go, 

 Then you may look for heavy snow. 



DOUBLE SCOTER: The VELVET SCOTER. (Bewick.) 



DOUBLE SNIPE: The GREAT SNIPE. So called from its 

 being of superior size to the COMMON SNIPE. 



DOUCKER SCOTER: The VELVET SCOTER. (Hett.) 



DOUK: The DIPPER. (Settle; Yorkshire.) 



DOURER or DOUCKER: The LITTLE GREBE. (Cheshire.) 

 Willughby calls it the " small Doucker." while Turner 

 gives Douker as a general name for the Grebes. The word 

 signifies literally " ducker " and is cognate with Dutch 

 duycker. It is a local name for the TUFTED DUCK and 

 COMMON POCHARD, and according to Hawker Doucker 

 is a gunner's name for the immature GOLDENEYE in 

 Scotland. 



DOVE. A general term for the species of wild pigeons ; in 

 Scotland it becomes " Doo." 



DOVE-COLOURED FALCON : The HEN-HARRIER. (Bewick.) 

 Dove-Hawk is also an old local name for the species, and 

 probably refers to its blue-grey colour. 



DOVEKEE or DOVEKY (also written Dovekie). The whalers' 

 name for the BLACK. GUILLEMOT; but sometimes 

 misapplied to the LITTLE AUK. 



DOWER: The TUFTED DUCK. (East Coast.) 

 Dow FULFAR (Dove Fieldfare) : The FIELDFARE. 



Downy Woodpecker. An American species said but on in- 

 sufficient evidence to have been obtained in England. 



DRAIN SWALLOW : The GREEN SANDPIPER. (Spurn, 

 Yorkshire.) 



DRAKE HEN or DRAKER HEN. Yorkshire names for the LAND- 

 RAIL. 



