WHITE WHITE. 251 



WHITE OWL: The BARN-OWL. (Provincial.) Occurs in 

 Sibbald, also Pennant and many later authors. Also called 

 White Hoolet or Howlet. 



WHITE PARTRIDGE. A name for the PTARMIGAN. 

 WHITE-RUMP : The WHEATEAR is so called by Bewick (1797). 

 Still used in Northumberland (Bolam), Cheshire (Coward 

 and Oldham) and Norfolk. 



WHITE-RUMPED STONECHAT : The WHEATEAR. (Macgillivray.) 

 WHITE-RUMPED SWALLOW : The MARTIN. (Macgillivray.) 

 WHITE-SIDE : The GOLDENEYE. (Westmorland.) 

 WHITE-SIDED DUCK or DIVER: The TUFTED DUCK. 



(Armagh.) 



WHITE SPOONBILL : The SPOONBILL. (Montagu.) 

 WHITE-SPOTTED BLUETHROAT [No. 183]. This species gets 



its name from the white central patch on the blue throat. 

 WHITE'S THRUSH [No. 154]. The name, given in honour of 

 Gilbert White, of Selborne, occurs in Eyton's " Rarer British 

 Birds " (1836). 



WHITE STORK [No. 256]. Occurs as "Stork" in Turner 

 (1544), also in Merrett, who notes it as rare, while the 

 name "White Stork" occurs first in Willughby (1678), 

 who calls it the " common or white Stork." Turner says 

 it is " nowhere to be seen, save as a captive, in our island." 

 This was, however, an error, as the bird has long been 

 known as an irregular visitor in spring to East Anglia, and 

 presumably was, if anything, of more frequent occurrence 

 in Turner's day than at the present time. Turner notes 

 the bird's habit of building upon roofs, or even chimney 

 tops at times in Germany, a habit which, as is well known, 

 prevails at the present day, a Stork building upon the house 

 being regarded in most parts as an honour to the house, 

 and no doubt this explains the former legend that Storks 

 bring the new-born babies to the houses. The Magyars 

 also hold the Stork in great reverence, and say that it must 

 not be hurt. Both in Hungary and Germany old cart 

 wheels are sometimes placed on the chimneys for them to 

 build their nests on. It is said that when this is done the 

 grateful bird leaves as rent a feather the first year, an egg 

 the second year, and a young bird the third. This belief 

 was held by Drayton, who cites : 



The careful Stork, since Adam wondered at 

 For thankfulness to those where he doth breed 



In some parts it was believed that a Stork deserting a home- 

 stead was a portent of death. Willughby remarks that 



