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Any one of numerous species of beautiful humming birds of the genus Eriocnemis having large tufts of downy feathers on the legs.

A chick; a young bird in the downy stage.

hed. Shak. I view a field of blood, And Tiber rolling with a purple blood. Dryden. Purple bird (Zoöl.), the European purple gallinule. See under Gallinule. -- Purple copper ore. (Min.) See Bornite. -- Purple grackle (Zoöl.), the crow blackbird. See under Crow. -- Purple martin. See under Martin. -- Purple sandpiper…

quest or claim; as, to put in for a share of profits. (b) To go into covert; -- said of a bird escaping from a hawk. (c) To offer one's self; to stand as a candidate for. Locke. -- To put off, to go away; to depart; esp., to leave land, as a ship; to move from the shore. -- To put on, to hasten motion; to drive vehem…

the posterior side of the tarsus covered with small irregular scales; -- said of certain birds.

A division of swimming birds which includes the grebes, divers, auks, etc., in which the legs are placed far back.

The plate of bone which forms the posterior end of the vertebral column in most birds; the plowshare bone; the vomer. It is formed by the union of a number of the last caudal vertebræ, and supports the uropigium.

An unfledged bird; hence, something immature or unfinished. Ford.

The American night heron. See under Night.

ase of the lower jaw and the skull in most vertebrates below the mammals. In reptiles and birds it articulates the lower jaw with the skull; in mammals it is represented by the malleus or incus.

Any gallinaceous bird belonging to Coturnix and several allied genera of the Old World, especially the common European quail (C. communis), the rain quail (C. Coromandelica) of India, the stubble quail (C. pectoralis), and the Australian swamp quail (Synoicus australis).

The nankeen bird.

ican opossum (Didelphys quica), native of Guiana and Brazil. It feeds upon insects, small birds, and fruit.

One of the large feathers of a bird's wing, or one of the rectrices of the tail; also, the stock of such a feather.

See Choir. [Obs.] Spenser. A quire of such enticing birds. Shak.

Any one of numerous species of small passerine birds native of tropical America. See Banana quit, under Banana, and Guitguit.

Esp., swift progress; rapid course; a running. The flight of many birds is swifter than the race of any beasts. Bacon.

Any one of several species of humming birds of the genus Steganura, having two of the tail feathers very long and racket- shaped.

Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds of the family Rallidæ, especially those of the genus Rallus, and of closely allied genera. They are prized as game birds.

Warbling of birds in trees. [Obs.] Drummond.