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ON MANX BIRD-NAMES. 

 By P. Ralfe. 



In the following paper an attempt has been made to collect 

 such Manx names of birds as may still with reasonable certainty 

 be applied. In obtaining the correct Gaelic nomenclature of 

 natural objects there is now a growing difficulty, for of the small 

 and ever-decreasing number who speak the primitive tongue, few 

 are able with precision to identify any but the most common, or 

 in some way conspicuous species. In the impoverished Manx 

 now current, many names have doubtless been lost. 



When we turn to the two published dictionaries of the 

 language, we find animal and plant names very numerous in 

 both, but unfortunately their value is impaired by the vagueness 

 and incorrectness of the English equivalents, proving that the 

 compilers had little acquaintance with the English names of the 

 objects signified. 



For some birds common here I have been unable to trace any 

 (Gaelic) Manx name, the English or a corruption of it being 

 used in the Gaelic speech. There are, on the other hand, 

 species whose Gaelic names are still frequently or universally 

 used by Manxmen is speaking English. 



The Gaelic names are naturally often quite or almost identical 

 with those of Irish and Scotch Highland Gaelic. I am not aware 

 that any trace of the Scandinavian influence for centuries domi- 

 nant in Man, and which has left so strong an impression on our 

 place-names, can be found among them. 



The writer's acknowledgments are due to Mr. J. B. Keig, of 

 Ramsey, and his family, to Messrs. W. Quayle and W. Tupper, 

 of Laxey, and others, whose information and verifications have 

 given this article the greater part of whatever value it may possess. 



The following works have also been referred to : — 



Cregeen, ' Manx Dictionary,' Douglas, 1835. 



Kelly's 'Manx Dictionary' (Manx Soc. vol. xiii., original about 1772, 

 with additions), Douglas, 1866. 



