Ornith. A book-name of the Pied Fly-catcher, Muscicapa atricapilla.
A term which originated in some error. Expressly given by Willughby and Ray as the German name of a bird, of which a specimen was sent to the former, and described by him. There is no such name in German; and Willughby’s description corresponds to no known bird. Its application to the Pied Fly-catcher appears to begin in 1741–3 with Edwards, who remarks, however, that Willughby’s description did not agree. From him it has been handed down in books as an English name, and in some localities it is said to be now popularly known.
1676. Willughby, Ornith., 170. Cold-finch, Germanis.
1678. Ray, Willughby’s Ornith., 236. A Bird called Coldfinch by the Germans. This Bird was shot by Mr. Jessop in the Mountains of the Peak in Derbyshire, and sent us by him.
1743. G. Edwards, Nat. Hist. Uncom. Birds, I. 30. The Cock Cold Finch … The Hen Cold Finch. This last Bird is describ’d in Willoughby, p. 236, by the Name of Cold Finch.
1768. Pennant, Zool., II. 273. Pied Fly-catcher [Synonyms] … Cold finch Will. Edw. Cold-finch Br. Zool.
1794. Bolton, Harmonia Ruralis, I. 40. The Coldfinch is a very scarce bird…. They sometimes visit us in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
1885. Swainson, Prov. Names Birds, 48. Pied Fly-catcher, Cold or Cole finch (Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland).
b. Otherwise explained.
1879. Miss Jackson, Shropsh. Word-bk., 94. Coldfinch, the Yellow Ammer.—Whitchurch.
