MEADOW

A tract of low or level land producing grass which is mown for hay; any field on which grass is grown for hay.

Low land covered with coarse grass or rank herbage near rives and in marshy places by the sea; as, the salt meadows near Newark Bay.

Of or pertaining to a meadow; of the nature of a meadow; produced, growing, or living in, a meadow. "Fat meadow ground." Milton.

The American bittern. See Stake-driver. (b) The American coot (Fulica). (c) The clapper rail. -- Meadow lark (Zoöl.), any species of Sturnella, a genus of American birds allied to the starlings. The common species (S. magna) has a yellow breast with a black crescent. -- Meadow mouse (Zoöl.), any mouse of the genus Arvicola, as the common American species A. riparia; -- called also field mouse, and field vole. -- Meadow mussel (Zoöl.), an American ribbed mussel (Modiola plicatula), very abundant in salt marshes. -- Meadow ore (Min.), bog-iron ore , a kind of limonite. -- Meadow parsnip. (Bot.) See under Parsnip. -- Meadow pink. (Bot.) See under Pink. -- Meadow pipit (Zoöl.), a small singing bird of the genus Anthus, as A. pratensis, of Europe. -- Meadow rue (Bot.), a delicate early plant, of the genus Thalictrum, having compound leaves and numerous white flowers. There are many species. -- Meadow saffron. (Bot.) See under Saffron. -- Meadow sage. (Bot.) See under Sage. -- Meadow saxifrage (Bot.), an umbelliferous plant of Europe (Silaus pratensis), somewhat resembling fennel. -- Meadow snipe (Zoöl.), the common or jack snipe.