Also 7 leaver, 7–9 lever. [A back-formation from the name Liverpool.] A name arbitrarily given to the bird figured in the arms of the city of Liverpool.
It was intended for the eagle of St. John the Evangelist, the patron saint of the corporation, but owing to the unskilful delineation there have been many guesses as to the identity of the bird represented. In some ornithological books the name is given to the Glossy Ibis.
1668. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 269. The Armes of this towne vizt the Leaver.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, II. xii. 266/2. He beareth Azure, the Head of a Lever couped proper: of some termed a Shovellers head: this fowl is … in Low Dutch Lepler, or Lepelaer, or Lefler; from the Germane termed Lofler, which we more finely pronounce Lever: Yet Mr. Ray in the translation of the Ornithology terms this Bird, a Spoon Bill.
1873. Picton, Memor. L’pool, I. 18. Mr. Gough Nichols has … shown … that the so-called liver or cormorant was intended to represent the symbolic eagle of St. John the Evangelist.
