Blair Collection > Surnames & place-names of the Isle of Man

284 Manx l^latt-MamtB.
Norwegian vikings. [Hrafna-bjorg, Iceland ;
Ravensburg, Yorkshire.]
Krdka, * a crow ;' possibly in Cregneish, formerly
Crokness (Kraku-nes), * Crow's Ness ' (see Krokr,
p. 278, and Kraki, p. 296). [Crackpool, Lincoln-
shire ; Krakgaard, Denmark ; Krak-nese, Land-
ndma-boc.]
Shag, a word which seems to be connected with
the Icelandic verb skaga, * to stand out,' is used
colloquially for the crested cormorant. At the
beginning of spring there rises on the middle of
the head of the bird so-called a tuft of feathers
one and a half inches high, capable of erection,
hence the name. We have it in The Shag Rock,
* The Cormorant Rock.'
Skarfr (M), * a cormorant ;' possibly in Scarlet,
formerly Scarcloute (Scarfa-kluft), ' Cormorant
Cleft ' (see Skor, p. 274). In Scotland a cormorant
is called a skart, and in the Shetlands a scarf.
[Skarfa-nese, Landiidma-boc]
Fiskr (M), * a fish ;' in Fishgarth, formerly Fysgarth
(Fiski-gar^r), ' Fish Pond ;' possibly in Fistard, a
corruption of Fishgarth. [Fiskigar^^r, Iceland ;
Fisgarth, Trent ; Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.]
Lax, ' a salmon ;' in Laxey, formerly Laxa (lax-d),
'Salmon Water.' [Laxa, Iceland ; Lachsay, Skye;
Laxay, Lewis.]
Skel (gen. skeljar), 'a shell;' possibly in Shellag
{Skeljar-vik), * Shell Creek,' or (Skelja-vik) ' Shells'
Creek.' The sandy cliffs at this place are com-
posed of a curious, comparatively recent, shell
conglomerate. [Shelibost, Harris; Skelbuster,
Orkneys ; Skeljavik, Iceland.]