Search the Dictionary

Any large web-footen bird of the subfamily Anserinæ, and belonging to Anser, Branta, Chen, and several allied genera. See Anseres.

A small gorget, as of a humming bird.

A crescent-shaped, colored patch on the neck of a bird or mammal. Gorget hummer (Zoöl.), a humming bird of the genus Trochilus. See Rubythroat.

. See Furze. The common, overgrown with fern, and rough With prickly gorse. Cowper. Gorse bird (Zoöl.), the European linnet; -- called also gorse hatcher. [Prov. Eng.] -- Gorse chat (Zoöl.), the winchat. -- Gorse duck, the corncrake; -- called also grass drake, land drake, and corn drake.

One of several American blackbirds, of the family Icteridæ; as, the rusty grackle (Scolecophagus Carolinus); the boat-tailed grackle (see Boat-tail); the purple grackle (Quiscalus quiscula, or Q. versicolor). See Crow blackbird, under Crow.

To taper, as the tail of certain birds.

Tapered; -- said of a bird's tail when the outer feathers are shortest, and the others successively longer. Graduated tube, bottle, cap, or glass, a vessel, usually of glass, having horizontal marks upon its sides, with figures, to indicate the amount of the contents at the several levels. -- Graduated spring (Railroa…

duation at a college; graduation in color; graduation by evaporation; the graduation of a bird's tail, etc.

An order of birds which formerly included all the waders. By later writers it is usually restricted to the sandpipers, plovers, and allied forms; -- called also Grallatores.

Eating grain; feeding or subsisting on seeds; as, granivorous birds. Gay.

r lobster (Zoöl.) a young lobster. [Local, U. S.] -- Grasshopper warbler (Zoöl.), cricket bird.

One of several swimming birds or divers, of the genus Colymbus (formerly Podiceps), aud allied genera, found in the northern parts of America, Europe, and Asia. They have strong, sharp bills, and lobate toes.

A European finch (Ligurinus chloris); -- called also green bird, green linnet, green grosbeak, green olf, greeny, and peasweep.

l. (Zoöl.) One of numerous species of small American singing birds, of the genus Vireo, as the solitary, or blue-headed (Vireo solitarius); the brotherly-love (V. Philadelphicus); the warbling greenlet (V. gilvus); the yellow-throated greenlet (V. flavifrons) and others. See Vireo.

ds; tending to flock or herd together; not habitually solitary or living alone. Burke. No birds of prey are gregarious. Ray. -- Gre*ga"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Gre-ga'ri-ous-ness, n.

Adapted for walking; anisodactylous; as the feet of certain birds and insects. See Illust. under Aves.

A snare; a gin. [Obs.] Like a bird that hasteth to his grin. Remedy of Love.

or. Totten. -- Ground thrush (Zoöl.), one of numerous species of bright-colored Oriental birds of the family Pittidæ. See Pitta. -- Ground tier. (a) The lowest tier of water casks in a vessel's hold. Totten. (b) The lowest line of articles of any kind stowed in a vessel's hold. (c) The lowest range of boxes in a thea…

) Any of the numerous species of gallinaceous birds of the family Tetraonidæ, and subfamily Tetraoninæ, inhabiting Europe, Asia, and North America. They have plump bodies, strong, well-feathered legs, and usually mottled plumage. The group includes the ptarmigans (Lagopus), having feathered feet.

A nocturnal bird of South America and Trinidad (Steatornis Caripensis, or S. steatornis); -- called also oilbird.