228 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



or stick and is thus used (but rarely) to denote a thrust ; 

 but more generally it means the trunk or stump of a tree, 

 which seems the correct meaning in this case. The deriva- 

 tion of eekle is said to be uncertain. It occurs also as 

 ede and eagual, and is doubtless derived from the Teutonic 

 hekelen, to hack or tear asunder. It is, in fact, synonymic 

 with hackle and heckle, the latter word being more generally 

 heard in elections now, but properly denoting the combing 

 of flax. Stock-eekle therefore is literally stump-hacker. 

 Hickwall, another name for the species, appears to be 

 synonymic. 



STOCK HAWK : The PEREGRINE FALCON. (Shetlands.) 



STOCKIE or STOGGIE : The STOCK-DOVE. (Yorkshire.) 



STOCK OWL : The EAGLE-OWL. (Orkneys.) Swainson says 

 it is " from its habit of pressing against the stem (stock) of 

 a tree with unruffled feathers, so as to assimilate itself to 

 the stump, and elude notice." 



STOCK WHAUP or STOCK WHAAP : The CURLEW. (Provincial.) 

 Occurs in Montagu ; Saxby gives the first form for the 

 Shetlands. 



STONECHAT [No. 176, British Stonechat]. The bird occurs 

 in Turner and Merrett as " Stone-chatter " and in 

 Willughby as " Stone-smich or Stone -chatter," the latter 

 form existing as late as Pennant (1766). The species is 

 rather inappropriately named, as it is found inhabiting 

 furze-covered land and neglected meadows. The name is 

 also applied, far more appropriately, to the WHEATEAR 

 (Northumberland, Yorkshire and Cheshire). 



STONECHECK or STONE-CHECKER : The WHEATEAR. (Pro- 

 vincial.) The name occurs as Stonecheck in Merrett (1667) 

 and in Turner (1544) as " Steinchek." Dunn gives Stone- 

 checker as a local name in Orkney and Shetland, and Bolam 

 gives it as a Northumbrian name. Stone-check, Stone-chack 

 and Stone-chatter are Yorkshire forms. 



STONE-CLINK : The STONECHAT. From its note resembling 

 the striking together of two pebbles. 



STONE-CURLEW [No. 352]. The now accepted name of the 

 species generally styled by eighteenth century writers 

 "Thick-kneed Bustard." Occurs in Merrett's list as 

 " Stone Curliew " and in Willughby as " Stone-Curlew " ; 

 the species being based on the (Edicnemus of Belon. The 

 name arises from its frequenting stony upland localities. 



STONE CURLEW: The BAR-TAILED GODWIT. (Cheshire.) 

 Also applied to the WHIMBREL (Montagu). 



