MANX BIRD-NAMES xlvii 
MANX BIRD-NAMES. 
A FEW words may be added with respect to the Manx names 
of birds, which the author has striven to give as completely 
as is in his power. Although the census of 1901 surprised 
the Anglicised residents of our towns with the information 
that more than four thousand of our population still spoke 
that ancient and graphic tongue, the language, closely 
allied to Scottish Gaelic and Erse, probably received its 
death-blow some forty years ago, when the young people, 
even in the country districts, ceased to learn it. It was rich 
in names for natural objects, as its dictionaries prove, 
though now it is often difficult to apply these names 
exactly. 
The substance of the information on Manx nomencla- 
ture appeared in the Zoologist for 1897 (pp. 71-79). An 
asterisk * prefixed to a name signifies that it has been 
verified as in current use. The initials (M. S. D.) refer to 
the Mana Society's Dictionary, founded on the work of 
John Kelly (about 1772); (Cr.) to that of Archibald 
Cregeen (1835). The translation of the Scriptures into 
Manx, sometimes also referred to in this connection, was 
made 1762-1775, Bishop Phillips had already translated 
(but not published) the Book of Common Prayer about 1610. 
Hildesley’s Bible, above mentioned, was the work of Bishop 
Hildesley, with the aid of a number of Manx-speaking 
clergy of his diocese. It is the classic example of Manx, 
