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—
The Gaelic Names of Birds. 77
of this bird, Mr Grey says :—In the Outer Hebrides this,
the smallest of our IJritisli swans, is well recognised. It frequents
the same lakes as the Hooper, and is easily distinguished from
that species, even at a distance. Sometimes a iiock is seen to
remain together in a compact body, and continue for some time
feeding on the shallower parts of the loch, thus affording a good
"family shot" to the watchful sportsman. In the east of Scotland
it has likewise been noticed from Berwickshire to the Shetlands,
where it is known as
s;ime time as the Hooper.
a regular visitant, appearing at the
MUTE SWAN.
Laitin—C!/g7ius olor. Gaelic Eala. Welsh Aiarch.
—
COMMON SHIELDRAKE.
Liitin I'adorna vulpaiinifi: GdcWc—Cradh-yheadh. Welsh
llwyadyr eithin, Hywad fruith.
The shieldrake, one of the most beautifid of all our wild fowl,
is very common all over the Hebrides, so much so in Uist as to
have given it the name of Ubhaist nan cradh-gheadh— Uist of the
shieldrakes. Ian Lom, the bard, says: -
Latin
"Dol gu uidhe chuain fhiaghaich
Mar bu chubhaidh leam iarraidh
Gu Uidhist bheag riabhach nan cradh-gheadh."
Going to the passage of the ocean wild
As seemingly as we could desire
To little brindled Uist of the shieldrakes.
Anas clypeata.
SHOVELLER.
Gaelic — Goh-leathan.
lydanbig.
Welsh— Hwyad
LaXin—Anas strepera. Gaelic
—
GADWALL.
—
—
Lach-ghlas. Welsh— T gors hyivad
Iwyd.
WILD DUCK.
Latin Aruis boschas. Gaelic Lack, Lach-a-chinn-uaine Lach-ghlas,
Lach-ruadh (Uist), Lach-riahlach (mas.), Tunnag fhiadhaich,
Tunnag-riahlmch (fern.) Welsh— Cors Hwyad, Garan Hivyad,
Hrjdnwy.
This being the most common of all the duck tribe, is very
often mentioned in our old bird lore. Alex. Macdonald says in
Allt-an-t-Siucair :
—
"An coire lachach, dracach.