Mealy-mouth and the interchange of the names for the Common Wren and Tomtit are curious, and do not admit of any easily-found explanation.
Tufit for the Peewit or Lapwing deserves comparison with the Danish Tyvit. I believe the words are coincident. The form "teeafit" is merely the result of vernacular pronunciation, analogous to " scheeal" for school, "feeal" for fool, &c. In the same way, I believe, "tabling" or "tarling," in the name for the Titlark, is merely the slurred pronunciation of "Titling."
Cuddy. Why the Hedgesparrow and the donkey should both be rechristened after St. Cuthbert is hard to say ; but so it is. The name " shufflewings" speaks for itself.
Ask or esk is due to what in its Gaelic form is asc; c.f. Anglo- Saxon athexe; German eidechse. "Fleeing-ask," bearing in mind that many still hold the newt — and the dragonfly, too — to be venomous, explains itself. "Fleeing-nedder" or "ether" is simply "flying-adder," and equally explains itself.
Hagworm is the Cleveland form of Danish Hugorm; Swedish Huggorm; Old Norwegian Höggormv; the snake that strikes or wounds.
Clock for beetle is Old Norwegian, and may be compared with Old German Chuleich. — J.C. Atkinson (Danby, Yarm).
Yorkshire, West Riding. — The following are some of the local names used for birds in this part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. — G. T. Porritt (Highroyd House, Huddersfield).
Kestrel. Standhawk.
Missel Thrush. Storm-cock.
Fieldfare. Felfer.
Song Thrush. Throstle.
Hedgesparrow. Dunnock.
Sedge Warbler. Willow Wren.
Garden Warbler and Whitethroat. Small-straw.
Willow Warbler. Peggy and Featherpoke.
These names also apply to the Chiffchaff.
Great Tit. Oxeye and Blackcap.
Blue Tit. Tomtit and Bluecap.
Long-tailed Tit. Bottle Tit.
Meadow Pipit. Titlark.
Yellowhammer. Yoldring.
Chaffinch. Spink.
Greenfinch. Green Linnet.
Common Linnet. Brown, Red, or Grey Linnet.
Lesser Redpoll. Chevy or Red Linnet.
Starling. Shepster.
Rook. Crow.
Magpie. Pianet.
Wren. Jenny Wren.
Martin. Swallow.
Lapwing. Peewit.
Landrail. Corn-crake or Grass-drake.
Moorhen. Waterhen.
