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The Gaelic Names of Birds. 67
Family II.— G'ritidce.
L;itiii (jirus cinerea. Gaelic
CRANE.
Corra-mlionaidh. Welsh Ga^t un.
This line bird, though now seldom or never seen in the Highlands,
used to be very common, and to be reckoned equal in value
to a swan. In the rental-roll of the old Abbey of Coupar- Angus,
I tind the crane often mentioned in old tacks to tenants of the
Abbey, who also held the office of fowler. I may give an example
of one by Abbot Donald Campbell, son of the Duke of
Argyll—an ecclesiastic who had a keen relish for the good things
of this life:—Tack to John Sowter, of Mylnhorn, 1541. "Be it
kend till all men be thir present letres, we Donald, be the permission
cf God, Abbot of Cowper For the
gratitudis and thanks done to ws and our said Abbey, be otir
familiar seruitor Johane Sowter . . . and for vtheris gude
caussis moving ws to have sett and formale latt, to our welebel-
ouittis the said Johane Sowter, and to Isabell Pilmour, his spous,
all and hale the tane half of our corn myln and landis of Milnhorn.
•
. the entres thairof to begyn at the fest of Witsunday in
the zeir if God Im Vc and fourty-ane zeris . . . for three
})Oundis gude and vsuall money, at Witsunday and Mertymes,
togetlier with xviii. ca])ones for thair pidtre, and ilk tuay zeris
arris ane fed bair, guide and sufficient (and every two years one
fat boar, good and sufficient) vpoun thre monthis' Avarnying. And
the said Johane sail hunt and vse the craft of fowlarie at all times
at his power, and quhat fowlis at happynnis to be slain be him,
or be any vtheris at he is pairtisman with, they sail present the
saymn to our said place, to cellerar or stewartis thairof for the
tyme, vpoun the pricis efter following, that is to say—Ilk wild
guiss, tuay schillingis ; ilk cran and swan, five schillingis ; pluffar,
dotrale, quhape, duik, reidschank, schotquhaij), and tele, and all
vther sic small fowlis, ilk pece, four penneis petrik, ilk pece viiid.
;
And in cace that the said Johane Sowter failzies in his said craft,
and diligence for using'of the samen, or at he absent the fowlis
tane be him and vtheris as said is, it being notirlie knawing or
sufficientlie preving befor ws, the said Abbot, or that he will
nocht i)urge himself, inHhat cace the said Johane salbe in ane
vulaw of xxxs. (thirty [shillings) for ilk fait beand preving or
vnpurgit as said is."
Family III.— Ardeida;.
COMMON HERON.
La.tm—Ardealci7ierea.'^ Ga,e\ic—Conri-f/hlos, Corra-riabliach, Corrasgriach,
Corra-ehrithich, Corra-ghriobhach, Corra-ghlas (Deut. xiv.
18.) Welsh—Cryr glds.
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