WIL—WOODCOCK. 259 
Witcnuck: The SAND-MARTIN. (Orkneys.) 
WitwoLt WitTwaLL, or WiTwaLE: The GREAT SPOTTED 
WOODPECKER is called Witwoll by Willughby. Turner’s 
** Witwol,” however, is the GOLDEN ORIOLE. Bewick 
(1797) gives ““ Witwall” for the Great Spotted Woodpecker, 
and Witwale (corruptly Whetile and Woodwale) seems 
to be properly the GREEN WOODPECKER. 
Wos Snatcu (—Wall Snatch): The REDSTART. (Longden- 
dale, Cheshire.) 
WOODCHAT SHRIKE [No. 109]. First appears in Ray’s 
“Synopsis Meth. Av.” (1713). Newton thinks it may be an 
erroneous rendering of the German name Wald-Kaize, 
lit. ““ Wood-Cat.”” Occurs in Pennant (1766) and succeeding 
authors as “ Woodchat” simply. Yarrell (Ist ed., 1843) 
calls it Woodchat Shrike. It is the “another sort of 
Butcher bird” of Willughby and Ray (p. 89) and the 
Red-headed Butcher-bird of Albin. 
Woopcuuck: The GREEN WOODPECKER. (Shropshire.) 
WOODCOCK [No. 411]. The name is from A.Sax. Waude-coco, 
Wudu-coc and Wudu-snite. “Woodcock” appears in 
Merrett’s list (1667): he remarks that it migrates out of 
Ireland. Turner (1544) spells it “ Wod-cok.” Willughby, 
who calls it “‘ Woodcock,” says “ these are birds of passage 
coming over into England in Autumn, and departing again 
in the beginning of the Spring; yet they pair before they 
go, flying two together, a male and a female,” and he adds 
that ‘‘ They are said both to come and fly away in a mist.” 
The Woodcock has always been highly esteemed for the 
delicate flavour of its flesh. The leg especially was com- 
mended, in contradistinction to the Partridge’s  tit-bit, 
which with epicureans- was the wing, hence the origin of the 
old couplet— 
If the Partridge had the Woodcock’s thigh, 
>Twould be the best bird that ever did fly. 
Willughby says that in England it is “infamous ”’ for its 
simplicity or folly, so that the term ‘“ Woodcock” is 
proverbially used for a simple, foolish person. 
Woopcock Owu. A provincial name for the SHORT-EARED 
OWL. (England and Ireland.) Because it comes to us 
in October, about the time the Woodcock makes its appear- 
ance, and departs at the same time as the latter in March. 
(Montagu). In use in Nottinghamshire and elsewhere. 
Woopoock Pitot: The GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 
(Yorkshire coast.) 
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