comharradh

-aidh, -aidhean, sm Mark, impression, token, sign. 2 The sexual mark. 3 Banner. 4** Print. 5** Vestige. 6** Proof. Mar chomharradh air am buaidh, as a sign of their victory; is olc an comharradh e, it is a bad sign; comharradh-cluais, an earmark; deagh chomharradh, a good sign; droch chomharradh, a bad sign.

Names of Earmarks on sheep:

1 Toll — hole made in the centre of ear. — hole.
2 Bàrr — top cut off the ear — tip, crop.
3 Roibeadh — Slit made downwards from the top of ear — Lewis, — slit. Sgoltadh (AH) — Argyll — split.
4 Sùileag — Top cut off in the form of a v with the apex downwards — “eal stob,” fork; swallow-tail. — Lewis. Smeòrach (AH) — Argyll.
5 Geagan — triangular piece taken from top of the ear — cut.
6 Beum — semi-circular piece taken from underside of ear — hind-bit. — Lewis. Beum fo chluais (AH), beum cùlaibh (DM) back-nip.
7 Gearradh cròcan — Slit taken diagonally upwards at the side of the ear.
8 Gearradh — slit made at the side, across the ear.
9 Slisinn, cas, — slice taken from the side of the ear.
10 Amaladh — dovetail shaped piece, taken from the side of the ear.
11 An t-snàthad — slit made in the centre of ear by bending or doubling the ear lengthwise and cutting down, leaving a tongue like that of a net-needle, from which it takes its name.
12 Bacan àrd, (AH) the fore, or upper half of bàrr cut off — fore-quarter — Argyll. —high-notch (DM).
13 Bacan ìosal, (AH) hind, or lower half of bàrr cut off — hind quarter — Argyll. —low-notch (DM).
14 Beum os cionn na cluaise, (AH) Semi- circular piece taken from upper side of ear, like No. 6 on underside — fore-bit. Beum beulaibh, (DM) fore-nip.
15 Cas-chaibe, piece taken from side of ear shaped like a cas-chrom (DU) — Gairloch. In Argyll, this mark is taken from the top of the ear, so that when the mark bàrr is made, cas-chaibe disappears — (DM) spade-shaft.
16 Dà-sgoltadh, (DM) two parallel slits made downwards from top of ear — two splits — Argyll.
17 Dà-bheum, (DM) [like No. 6 duplicated] — two nips.
18 Beum mhéirleich, varies. If a sheep-stealer cuts off a cas-chaibe mark, the ear will then be like one marked bàrr. When lower marks than cas-chaibe have to be removed, a larger part of the ear is cut off, leaving only a stump.
In Lewis, the marks 1 to 9 are the old earmarks, known as “na naoi deargadh.” Nos. 10 & 11 are of modern origin — (MMD) The “near” ear, is “cluas chli” or “cluas a' ghlacaidh;” the “far” ear, “cluas dheas.” By combinations of these marks and the use of either or both ears, a practically endless variety may be obtained. There are some who put age-marks on their sheeps' ears, — one nip for one year old, two nips for two year old and so on up to five year old, when the marking ceases —(DM). We are indebted to MMcD for names above, against which no references are given.
Additional earmarks on sheep are:
1 Beum, (CR) Slit from the edge inwards - West Ross-shire.
2 Leacan-beòil, (CR) called “bacan àrd” (forequarter) in Argyll, West Ross-shire.
3 Sgoradh, (CR) slit from the tip downwards - West Ross-shire.
Notches were also made in the ears of sheep to denote age. When a ewe has 6 notches, 3 in each edge, she is 6 years old (cast ewe or crock) Bacan-beòil = 12 bacan àrd (Ross) bacan-cùil = 13 bacan ìosal (Ross) (12 and 13 refer to the numbers on p 238). (AC) also gives cliopan, cliopadh, cluigean, corran, crocan, duile, meaghlan, meangan and slios. Under criomag, An Deò Grèine (I 97).


Seall an duilleag thùsail / View Original Page