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The firmament; the sky. [Poetic] Shoots against the dusky pole. Milton.

phocæna, of Europe, and the closely allied American species (P. Americana). The color is dusky or blackish above, paler beneath. They are closely allied to the dolphins, but have a shorter snout. Called also harbor porpoise, herring hag, puffing pig, and snuffer.

h the dead are burned; hence, any pile to be burnt. For nine long nights, through all the dusky air, The pyres thick flaming shot a dismal glare. Pope.

An acute specific disease with a dusky red cutaneous eruption resembling that of measles, but unattended by catarrhal symptoms; -- called also German measles.

a. They are allied to the petrels, but are larger. The Manx shearwater (P. Anglorum), the dusky shearwater (P. obscurus), and the greater shearwater (P. major), are well-known species of the North Atlantic. See Hagdon.

Dull; dusky; somewhat dark; gloomy; as, a somber forest; a somber house.

melodia) noted for the sweetness of its song in early spring. Its breast is covered with dusky brown streaks which form a blotch in the center. -- Song thrush (Zoöl.), a common European thrush (Turdus musicus), noted for its melodius song; -- called also mavis, throsite, and thrasher.

Having a dark brown or black color like soot; fuliginous; dusky; dark. "The grisly legions that troop under the sooty flag of Acheron." Milton. Sooty albatross (Zoöl.), an albatross (Phoebetria fuliginosa) found chiefly in the Pacific Ocean; -- called also nellie. -- Sooty tern (Zoöl.), a tern (Sterna fuliginosa) foun…

ght yellow spots on each side. (b) A geometrid (Angerona crocataria) which is yellow with dusky spots on the wings. Called also currant moth. -- Strawberry pear (Bot.), the red ovoid fruit of a West Indian plant of the genus Cereus (C. triangularia). It has a sweetish flavor, and is slightly acid, pleasant, and coolin…

The quality or state of being swarthy; a dusky or dark complexion; tawniness.

Being of a dark hue or dusky complexion; tawny; swart; as, swarthy faces. "A swarthy Ethiope." Shak. Their swarthy hosts would darken all our plains. Addison.

Dark; gloomy; dusky; tenebrious. -- Ten"e*brous*ness, n. The most dark, tenebrous night. J. Hall (1565). The towering and tenebrous boughts of the cypress. Longfellow.

Imperfectly illuminated; shaded; obscure. O'er the twilight groves and dusky caves. Pope.

An African wading bird (Scopus umbretta) allied to the storks and herons. It is dull dusky brown, and has a large occipital crest. Called also umbrette, umbre, and umber bird. Burnt umber (Paint.), a pigment made by burning raw umber, which is changed by this process from an olive brown to a bright reddish brown. -- C…

onvolutions. But ended foul in many a scaly fold, Voluminous and vast. Milton. Over which dusky draperies are hanging, and voluminous curtains have long since fallen. De Quincey.

rvæ feed upon honeycomb, and construct silken galleries among the fragments. The moth has dusky gray wings streaked with brown near the outer edge. The larva is yellowish white with brownish dots. Called also bee moth. -- Wax myrtle. (Bot.) See Bayberry. -- Wax painting, a kind of painting practiced by the ancients,…