SLAB SNORTER. 219 



SMATCH or SMATCHE : The WHEATEAR. Occurs in Turner 

 (1544) and Merrett. Newton says it is an equivalent of 

 Chat. 



SMEE DUCK : The SMEW. (Norfolk.) Also applied in the same 

 county to the WIGEON and the COMMON POCHARD. 



SMEORACH. A Gaelic name for the SONG-THRUSH. Graham 

 thought it to be from smebr, to grease, " probably from the 

 smoothness of its liquid notes." 



SMEU, SMEUTH, or SMOOTH: The WILLOW- WARBLER. 

 (Stirling.) 



SMEW [No. 314]. In Willughby (1678) the name Smew occurs 

 in the text (p. 338), the species being described, however, 

 under the heading of " White Nun," which Newton thinks 

 is the male name, from the hooded appearance of its head, 

 Smew being the female. Pennant, however, gives Smew as 

 the male name, and " Lough Diver " as the female. The 

 name Smew Merganser is also applied to this species. 



SMOKY : The HEDGE-SPARROW. (Northumberland.) " As 

 mild as a Smoky " is a local proverb. 



SMOOL. A name for the HEDGE-SPARROW. (Hett.) 



SMUDAN. A Gaelic name for the RING-DOVE. 



SNABBY : The CHAFFINCH. (Kirkcudbright.) 



SNAITH or SNYTH : The COOT. (Orkneys.) From Icel. 

 Snaud-ur=baTe, in reference to the bare frontal plate. 



SNAKE-BIRD : The WRYNECK. (Southern English counties.) 

 Perhaps from the hissing noise it makes when disturbed 

 while sitting, or else from its habit of twisting its head and 

 neck. 



SNAPPER : The GREEN W T OODPECKER. (Swainson.) 



SNENT. A Berwick name for the DUNLIN and other small 

 shore-birds : a corruption of Stint. 



SNIPE: The COMMON SNIPE. (Merrett and Willughby.) 

 Also the general colloquial name for the species. 



SNIPE-BILLED SANDPIPER: The RED-BREASTED SAND- 

 PIPER. 



SNIPE HAWK : The MARSH-HARRIER. (South of Ireland.) 



SNIPEN : The COMMON SNIPE. (North Wales.) An equiva- 

 lent of " Snipe." 



SNIPPICK or SNIPPACK : The COMMON SNIPE. (Orkney and 

 Shetland.) 



SNORTER : The WHEATEAR. (Dorset.) Swainson thinks it 

 is from its cry. 



