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The Gaelic Names of Birds. 51
shoe," wliich is one of tlie names by which the corn-cockle, the
cowslip, and tht- wild liyaeinth are known in Gaelic. li'tlu; wryneck
had anytliinj; at all to do with the cuckoo's spittle, 1 should
say it would be to dart its long tongue into it for the sake of the
insect always to be found in it.
Latin
Latin
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Famihf II.— Cert/nache.
Certhio /(imiliaris. Gaelic Snaicfear, Meanylau, Streajiach.
Welsh— }' Gt epianog.
WREN.
Trogtodytes vulgaris. Gaelic
Dreollan. Welsh
DreatJmn, Dreatlum-donn,
Dryiv.
The lively little wren— "An dreathan surdail"—with its
brisk, active, and sweet song, which it pours out even in winter,
was a great favourite with our ancestors, and is very often mentioned
in our poetry and ])roverbs. T)i fact, our best Gaelic bards
s(;emed to think no picture of lural scenery complete unless this
restless little songster figured in it. Macintyre, in his " Coire-
Cheathaich," says
" An dreathan surdail, 's a ribheid chiuil aige,
A' cur nan smuid dheth gu lughor binn."
And the lively wren, with his tuneful reed.
Discourses music so soft and sweet.
And in his " Oran-an-t-t Samhraidh," or " Song of Hummer "
" San dreathan a' gleusadh sheannsairean
Air a' glieig is aird a mhothaicheas e."
And the wren then tunes his chanter
And sings on some high bough.
Alexander Macdonald mentions him in his " Allt-an-t-Suicair ;
also says in his " Song of Summer "
•' Bidh an dreathan gu bailceant ;
Foirmeil, tailcearra, bagant',
Sior-chur failt' air a' mhadainn,
Le rifeid mhaisich, bhuig, bhinn."
And the little wren is ready
The morning light to greet,
So cheerfully and gladly,
AN'itii his re(;d so soft and sweet.
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