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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SHILFA, n. Also -faw, ¶-flaw, -fie, -f(e)y, shillfa, schilfa, shelfa, -fie, sheelfa, chilfie, and reduced forms shillie, -y, shellie, -y (Fif.), sheelie, -y, sheilie, shully. The chaffinch, Fringilla caelebs (Ags. 1784 Gentleman's Mag. II. 505; Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bwk. 1889 G. Muirhead Birds Bwk. I. 162; Cai. 1907 J. Horne County Cai. 374; Ayr. 1909 Science Gossip (Aug.) 227; Cai., m. and s.Sc. 1970). Also in Nhb. dial. [′ʃɪlfə; Fif. + ′ʃɛle]Sc. 1801 J. Grahame Mary Stewart 113:
Her cheek is like the shilfa's breast.m.Lth. 1808 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 87:
At Prestonfield, near Dudingston, the Chaffinch or Shilfaw as this day heard for the first time this season.Per. 1835 R. Nicoll Poems 173:
The autumn-shilfie sits an' chirps.Sc. 1836 Michael Scott The Cruise of the Midge Vol I 324:
I gradually began to trust mysell away in a wee bit flicht now and then, like a half-fledged shillfa with the puddock-hair on, hopping about its nest, but always ready to drop into it again, ...Ayr. 1879 R. Adamson Lays 159:
The sparrow, the sheelfa, the wagtail, an' yite.Ags. 1880 Arbroath Guide (9 Oct.) 4:
Whaur shillies chantit finely.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xxii.:
The shilfy piped “fink-fink”.Fif. 1916 G. Blaik Rustic Rhymes 168:
Sproug, an' yite, an' shully.s.Sc. 1933 Edb. Ev. News (25 May):
The shilfa's nest is so cleverly assimilated to its surroundings.s.Sc. 1979 Lavinia Derwent A Border Bairn (1986) 19:
...., in the old keep which was my favourite sanctuary, with only the whaups and the shilfies to hear, ... wm.Sc. 1989 Anna Blair The Goose Girl of Eriska 105:
Jed stepped out from behind the elder, threw the last of his crust to the chilfies and came up from the burn.