Search the Dictionary

ves it. [Obs.] Atomic weight. (Chem.) See under Atomic, and cf. Element. -- Dead weight, Feather weight, Heavy weight, Light weight, etc. See under Dead, Feather, etc. -- Weight of observation (Astron. & Physics), a number expressing the most probable relative value of each observation in determining the result of a…

, native of Asia and Africa. In the breeding season the male has very long, drooping tail feathers. Called also vida finch, whidah finch, whydah bird, whydah finch, widow bird, and widow finch.

Having elongated hairs, feathers, or bristles on the cheeks. The whiskered vermin race. Grainger.

-- White nun (Zoöl.), the smew; -- so called from the white crest and the band of black feathers on the back of its head, which give the appearance of a hood. -- White oak. (Bot.) See under Oak. -- White owl. (Zoöl.) (a) The snowy owl. (b) The barn owl. -- White partridge (Zoöl.), the white ptarmigan. -- White pe…

sus of India, and Z. coerulescens of Australia. The eyes are encircled by a ring of white feathers, whence the name. Called also bush creeper, and white-eyed tit.

d wings; an elytron; -- called also wing cover. -- Wing covert (Zoöl.), one of the small feathers covering the bases of the wing quills. See Covert, n., 2. -- Wing gudgeon (Mach.), an iron gudgeon for the end of a wooden axle, having thin, broad projections to prevent it from turning in the wood. See Illust. of Gudge…

rds belonging to the genus Tantalus. The head and neck are naked or scantily covered with feathers. The American wood ibis (Tantalus loculator) is common in Florida. -- Wood lark (Zoöl.), a small European lark (Alauda arborea), which, like, the skylark, utters its notes while on the wing. So called from its habit of p…

Abnormal coloration of feathers in which yellow replaces the normal color, as in certain parrots. It is commonly due to lack of the dark pigment which with yellow forms green.

A peculiar organic red coloring matter found in the feathers of various birds.

A pigment giving the black color to the feathers of many birds.