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70 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
Islay House. And as for it not breeding in Scotland, whatever it
did in Pennant's time it certainly breeds there now by the lumdred,
if not by the thousand, fi-oin Sutherland to Mull of Galloway.
Grey, in his " Birds of the West of Scotland," says that it has bred
regularly for the last thirty years at Tai-bat ; also at Beaufort
Castle, and Captain Cash of Dingwall informed him that it nests
in the woods of Brahan Castle and Castle Leod. I have known
it breed at Raigmore. It has also bred in Kindrogan woods in
Strathardle for at least fifty years, and I now find it breeding
veiy commonly in Galloway. The Rev. J. C. Atkinson, Grey, and
many other writers, mention the curious fact that the woodcock
carries its young between its feet from the coverts to the feeding
grounds in the neighbouring bogs ; and Mr Stewart, head-keeper
to H. G. Murray Stewart, Esq. of Broughton and Cally, informs
me that when he was wHli the Earl of Mansfield in Perthshire he,
one evening about dusk, shot what he took to be a hawk carrying
off a bird, but which, when he went to pick it up, turned out to
be a woodcock carrying one of its young from a thick covert to a
bog to feed. Alex. Macdonald says, in his "Failte na Morthir":
" Coillich-choille 's iad ri coilleig
Anns an doire chranntail."
Alluding to its migratory habits, coming at the beginning of
winter, the old Manx proverb says— " Cha jean un ghollan-geaye
Sourey, ny un chellagh-keylley Geurey"—One swallow makes not
summer, nor one woodcock winter.
Latin Scolopax yallinago. Gaelic Crovian-loin, Buta-gochd,
Meannan-adhair, Gabhar-iulhair, Gabhar-oidhche, Eun-ghnrag
Eun-ghabhraig, Leondhrag, lanrag, Eiin-arag, Boc-sac, Bocanloin,
Naosg. Welsh— Y sm ittan, Yfyniar.
What a formidable list of Gaelic names— there is a different
name for the snipe in almost every glen in the Highlands. No
wonder though the old proverb says—The uiread de ainmeannan
air ris an naosg—He has as maiiy names as the snipe. It takes
its Gaelic names of Gabhar-adhair (sky-goat or air goat), iNIeannan
adhair (sky or air kid), from its cry being so very like the bleating
of a goat.
JACK SNIPK.
Latin — Scolopax gidliimda. Gaelic — Crovian-beay, Cahhragbheay.
Welsh Giach.
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