WREN—YAPPINGALE. 263 
described in Swainson’s ‘ Folklore of British Birds,” pp. 36-43 
(see also “ Notes and Queries,” 3rd ser., vol. v, p. 109). 
O’Curry has recorded that the Wren, like the Raven, was 
kept domesticated on account of the auguries derived 
from it, which were employed by the Druids. 
An Irish proverb asserts that, “‘ The fox is the cunningest 
beast in the world barring the Wren.” 
According to Dalyell the Wren is considered an unlucky 
token in Scotland, but the Robin a lucky one. That the 
Wren was formerly considered of medicinal value is shown 
by Willughby, who writes: “It perfectly cures the stone of 
the kidneys or bladder (as Aetius writes) being salted and 
eaten raw, or being burnt in a pot close covered, and the 
ashes of one whole bird taken at once, either by itself, or with 
alittle Phyllon (a kind of mercury) and Pepper, or lastly being 
roasted whole, only the feathers plucked off and cast away.” 
The St. Kilda Wren is a large pale form of the Wren 
which is confined to the island of St. Kilda. It was first 
described by Seebohm in the “ Zoologist,” 1884, p. 333. Mr. 
Hartert has also separated the race inhabiting the Shetland 
Islands from the typical British Wren. 
WritHE-NECK: The WRYNECK. An equivalent name. 
Writing Lark: The YELLOW BUNTING. (Notts., Yorks., 
Northants. ) 
Writine Linne1: The YELLOW BUNTING. (Longdendaie, 
Cheshire.) 
Writine Master: The YELLOW-BUNTING. (Salop.) 
WRYNECK [No. 213]. So called from its peculiar habit of 
writhing its head and neck. The name occurs in Merrett 
and in Willughby. Turner (1544) describes the bird under 
the ancient names of Jynx and Torquilla (now its generic 
and specific names) but gives itno English name, considering 
it to be a form of Woodpecker. 
Wyre: The LAPWING. Occurs in the Northumberland 
Household Book, a.p. 1512. Akin to Swed. Wipa, a name 
for the species. 
YAFFLE, YAFFLER, or YAFFIL: The GREEN WOODPECKER. 
So called in Surrey, Sussex, Yorks, and other counties on 
account of its note, which has been likened to a laugh. 
YAPPINGALE or YAPPINGAL: The GREEN WOODPECKER ; 
lit. Bawling singer, from its cry. Yaup in Staffordshire 
means to bawl, while yap is in fairly general use as indi- 
cating a discordant cry, such as that of a puppy. Gal or 
Gale is probably from A.Sax. gale=a singer. 
