SWALLOW—SWINEPIPE. 233 
flight signified fine weather. Thus Gay in his first 
“Pastoral”? writes :— 
When Swallows fleet soar high and sport in air, 
He told us that the welkin would be clear. 
Itis related in “‘ Notes and Queries ” that a Swallow alighting - 
upon one’s shoulder has been regarded as a sign of death. 
Parker, writing in 1632, in his poem “The Nightingale,” 
relates that it is counted ominous for one to die in one’s 
hand, a belief held also of the Robin. 
Swattow. A Shetland name for the STORM PETREL; the 
MARTIN is also sometimes called Swallow. 
Swallow-tailed Kite. An American species which has been said 
to have strayed to our shores. So called from its tail 
being deeply forked, with the outer feathers somewhat 
elongated, like the tail of a swallow. The name is found 
in Yarrell (1843). It is the Swallow-tailed Falcon of 
Catesby and the Swallow-tailed Hawk of Wilson and 
Audubon. 
SwWALLOW-TAILED SHELDRAKE: The LONG-TAILED DUCK. 
(Willughby.) Also occurs as Swallow-tailed Shieldrake. 
Swan. See MUTE SWAN. 
Swart-sack: The GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 
(Orkneys.) 
Swat: The REDSHANK. (Teesmouth.) 
Sweet Briry: The CHIFFCHAFF and also the WILLOW- 
WARBLER. (Nottinghamshire.) 
Sweet Witt1AmM: The GOLDFINCH. From its melodious cry. 
(Swainson.) 
SWIFT [No. 200]. The name Swift appears first in Willughby 
and originated in the swiftness of its flight. In the 
fourth edition of Pennant it is called Swift Swallow. The 
legend that this bird was unable to use its feet is of remote 
antiquity, and no doubt arose from the small size of these 
members, although they are neither weak nor useless. 
Pliny says these birds, because they cannot use their feet, 
are called Apodes and live chiefly on the wing, and Aristotle 
says much the same of the species. In Hampshire it is 
considered unlucky to kill this bird. A farmer, the owner 
of seventeen cows, is said to have shot seventeen Swifts in 
one day, and to have had every one of his cows die within 
seven weeks (‘ Folklore Jnl.,” Dec., 1883). 
Swirt Swattow: The SWIFT. (Pennant.) 
Swineprer. An old English name for the REDWING. 
(Willughby.) Newton thinks it refers to “the soft inward 
