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The neck; also, the necklike portion of any part, as of the womb. See Illust. of Bird.

by threshing and winnowing, etc. So take the corn and leave the chaff behind. Dryden. Old birds are not caught with caff. Old Proverb.

A bird of Europe (Fringilla coelebs), having a variety of very sweet songs, and highly valued as a cage bird; -- called also copper finch.

A spiral band of thickened albuminous substance which exists in the white of the bird's egg, and serves to maintain the yolk in its position; the treadle.

A kind of bird; the oyster catcher.

without design or expectation. "Things that chance daily." Robynson (More's Utopia). If a bird's nest chance to be before thee. Deut. xxii. 6. I chanced on this letter. Shak.

To utter with a melodious voice; to sing. The cheerful birds . . . do chant sweet music. Spenser.

an African falcon (Melierax canorus or musicus). The male has the habit, remarkable in a bird of prey, of singing to his mate, while she is incubating.

of thickets of thorny shrubs and brambles. Chaparral cock; fem. Chaparral hen (Zoöl.), a bird of the cuckoo family (Geococcyx Californianus), noted for running with great speed. It ranges from California to Mexico and eastward to Texas; -- called also road runner, ground cuckoo, churea, and snake killerit is the state…

A melody; a song. [Obs.] With charm of earliest birds. Milton. Free liberty to chant our charms at will. Spenser.

A bird of the genus Icteria, allied to the warblers, in America. The best known species are the yelow-breasted chat (I. viridis), and the long chat (I. longicauda). In Europe the name is given to several birds of the family Saxicolidæ, as the stonechat, and whinchat. Bush chat. (Zoöl.) See under Bush.…

A bird of the family Ampelidæ -- so called from its monotonous note. The Bohemion chatterer (Ampelis garrulus) inhabits the arctic regions of both continents. In America the cedar bird is a more common species. See Bohemian chatterer, and Cedar bird.

A small American bird (Empidonax minimus); the least flycatcher.

The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.

To chirp, as a young bird.

oyful; lively; animated; willing. To entertain a cheerful disposition. Shak. The cheerful birds of sundry kind Do chant sweet music. Spenser. A cheerful confidence in the mercy of God. Macaulay. This general applause and cheerful shout. Shak.

An order of birds, including the swans, ducks, geese, flamingoes and screamers.

), an American shrub which bears astringent fruit; P. avium and P. Padus, European trees (bird cherry).

To make a short, shrill, cheerful sound; to chirp. See Chirrup. "Cheruping birds." Drayton.

An american bird (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) of the Finch family, so called from its note; -- called also towhee bunting and ground robin.