ON THE WELSH NAMES OF BIRDS OF PREY. 175 



man accustomed to catch birds with a Hawk (Hebog, Williams). 

 The words Hebog and Gwalch are probably synonymous. 

 Williams states that Falconry was very general amongst the 

 gentry of Wales before the introduction of shot-guns. 



In Merionethshire, Lord Lilford informs me that the Peregrine 

 at the present day is called Cydyll glas na Craig, but this is no 

 specific name, and simply means " the blue Hawk of the rock;" 

 he adds that the Merlin is there called Cydyll glas Vach, i.e., 

 " The little- blue Hawk." This word Cydyll is the same as the 

 word Ciryll, commonly used for all small Hawks in this neigh- 

 bourhood, and hereafter alluded to. 



Sparrow Hawk is Ciryll, plural Ciryllod, and this name is 

 commonly used in Breconshire, but I am sure it is also applied to 

 the Kestrel. Williams renders Sparrow Hawk, Gwipai, Givipia, 

 and Gwibiar ; and adds, " A kind of Falcon (Walch, i.e., Gwalch), 

 or Hawk (Hebog) of a small kind," evidently meaning by this that 

 it was used for hawking ; most probably he has mistaken the 

 Sparrow Hawk for the Merlin. I know the word Ciryll is 

 generally used by the farmers for any small Hawk. 



All Owls at the present day are spoken of as Dylluan only, 

 plural Dylluanod, sometimes Dallhuan, from Dall, blind, and 

 Huan, sun, i.e., " Sunblind." Williams, however, gives Dylluan, 

 Tylluan; Irish, Ean ; Hebrew, Helil; and he especially mentions 

 five kinds, viz., Dylluan wen, the White Owl ; Dylluan frech, the 

 Speckled or Streaked Owl, probably the Long- and Short-eared 

 Owls ; Dylluan rudd, the Brown or Kuddy-coloured Owl, which 

 he also styles the " corpse bird," probably from its frequenting 

 churchyards ; Dylluan gorniog, the Horned Owl, which, as he 

 afterwards says, is nearly as large as the Eagle — he probably means 

 the Eagle Owl ; and he finally mentions " a small Owl, which is 

 the smallest of the Owls," and which can be no other than the 

 Little Owl. 



Although Crows are not strictly birds of prey, still it is worth 

 remarking that at the present day the word Bran is applied 

 indifferently both to the Book and the Crow, but not to the Kaven, 

 which is still, and always has been, Cigfran, or Meat Crow. 

 Williams, however, adds, Ydfran, a Book, or rather Seed or Corn 

 Crow ; Cogfran, a Jackdaw, or Cuckoo Crow, probably from its 

 smaller size ; Mil/ran, the Carrion Crow, literally Animal {eating J 

 Crow; and Morfran, a Cormorant, or Sea Crow. Somewhat 



