212 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



SENTINEL SHRIKE. A name sometimes given to the GREAT 

 GREY SHRIKE ; it exists also in its specific name excubitor 

 (i.e. a sentinel) and in the names by which this Shrike 

 is known in several countries on the Continent. It origin- 

 ates from the bird's habit of sitting sentinel- wise on an 

 exposed perch, and from its marvellous powers of vision 

 it was commonly made use of in the days of falconry as 

 a sentinel to detect the approach of a wild hawk ; it is 

 in fact still so employed in Holland. 



SERIN [No. 28]. Sometimes called the Serin Finch. From 

 Fr. serin, probably from Lat. siren, on account of its song. 

 It occurs in Willughby as the " Serinus of Gesner." 



SERULA. A provincial name for the RED-BREASTED MER- 

 GANSER. (Montagu.) 



SET-HAMMER. A Teesmouth fowler's name for the BAR- 

 TAILED GOD WIT. 



SEVEN-COLOURED LINNET: The GOLDFINCH. (Shropshire.) 



SEVEN WHISTLER : The WHIMBREL ; from the clear whistling 

 note, supposed to be repeated about seven times. 



SHAD-BIRD : The COMMON SANDPIPER. (Shrewsbury) ; 

 because before the erection of weirs at Worcester the shad 

 used to ascend the river about the middle of April, the 

 time of the arrival of the Common Sandpiper (Jackson, 

 " Shropshire Word-Book," p. 372). 



SHAG [No. 317]. Often called the Green Cormorant. The 

 name " Shag " first appears in Merrett, who says 

 Cormorants are so called in Cornwall. Willughby also 

 terms it " the Shag, called in the North of England the 

 Crane." Pennant calls it " Shag Cormorant." From 

 Icel. skeggthe beard, from skaga=to protect ; so called 

 on account of the recurved crest of feathers with which 

 the head is adorned in spring-plumage. 



SHAGGA: The CORMORANT, also the SHAG. (Cornwall.) 

 See SHAG. 



SHAKE: The REDSHANK. (Connemara.) From the constant 

 nodding of its head while on the ground (Swainson). 



SHAKING PETTYCHAPS. A name for the WOOD-WARBLER. 

 (Hett.) 



SHARPIE: The BLACK-HEADED GULL. (Bridlington, 

 Yorkshire.) 



SHARP-SAW: The GREAT TITMOUSE. (Norfolk.) From its 

 " saw-sharpening " notes. 



SHARP-TAILED DUCK. Montagu gives this as a provincial 

 name for the LONG-TAILED DUCK. 



