46 



Peacock : Bird Names and Lore. 



Primary Head No. II. 



Sub-Div. I. — Imitation of voice. 



II.- — Sound of wind's. 

 III.— Description of sound. 



Examples of these sub-divisions : — 



Sub-Div. I. — Cuckoo, Nightjar. 



,, II. — Lapwing, Bustlewing. 



III. Whistling Swan. Hooting Owl, 

 Meadow Crake. 



Thus we might go on through all the primary heads sub- 

 dividing, but the examples we have given arc quite enough to 

 show the reader what we mean. Formation often gives the 

 name. Crossbill, Thick-knee, Pintail, are examples that come 

 first to mind. Amongst names denoting actions on the part of 

 birds we have Wagtail, Turn-stone, Tree-Creeper, Woodpecker. 

 The habitats of birds are distinctly shown in Denmark Crow , 

 or Denny, as it is sometimes shortened into, French Partridge, 

 Moor-hen, Grass-chat, Sky-lark, Marsh - Harrier. Motion is 

 depicted b) Wind-hover, Diver (various sorts), Dollpopper (the 

 Dabchick that pops under the water like a Hash of light if 

 anyone intrudes on its haunts). Food of birds is indicated in 

 Flycatcher, Sparrow Hawk, Duck Hawk. The nest of the 

 Long-tailed Tit gives us the local Lincolnshire name Feather 

 Poke (Poke, i.e.. bag, as in the well-known proverb, 4 Don't buy 

 a pig in a poke'), but it is as often called the Bottle Tit as not, 

 from the shape of the nest. Main more instances could be given, 

 but these examples quite explain how birds come by some of 

 the names they are commonly known by. For a few birds we 

 have pet names, Jenny Wren, Jenny Howlet, Jack Heron, 

 Tom Tit. Other local names denote the size, as Great-Snipe, 

 Full-Snipe, Half-Snipe (which mean Solitary Snipe), Common 

 Snipe, Jack Snipe. Local names for birds vary much, some 

 having noticed one peculiarity, some another. In a few places 

 the Common Coot is called Bald Pate, in other parts of the 

 country it is called Blether Head or Bleather Pate, from the 

 resemblance its bald head has to a blown-up bladder. Our local 

 names for plants are given to the different species much in the 

 same way as we have described those of birds; medical qualities 

 playing a great part in their everyday nomenclature. Much 

 folk-lore is mixed up with some of our local names — Goat- 

 sucker for example. The poor Nightjar, or Fern Owl, was in 

 olden times accused of sucking the milk from the cows and 



Naturalist, 



