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dabchick |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Gallinule \Gal"li*nule\, n. [L. gallinula chicken, dim. of gallina hen: cf F. gallinule.] (Zo["o]l.) One of several wading birds, having long, webless toes, and a frontal shield, belonging to the family {Rallidae}. They are remarkable for running rapidly over marshes and on floating plants. The purple gallinule of America is {Ionornis Martinica}, that of the Old World is {Porphyrio porphyrio}. The common European gallinule ({Gallinula chloropus}) is also called {moor hen}, {water hen}, {water rail}, {moor coot}, {night bird}, and erroneously {dabchick}. Closely related to it is the Florida gallinule ({Gallinula galeata}). Note: The purple gallinule of Southern Europe and Asia was formerly believed to be able to detect and report adultery, and for that reason, chiefly, it was commonly domesticated by the ancients. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Dabchick \Dab"chick`\, n. [For dabchick. See {Dap}, {Dip}, cf {Dipchick}.] (Zo["o]l.) A small water bird ({Podilymbus podiceps}), allied to the grebes, remarkable for its quickness in diving; -- called also {dapchick}, {dobchick}, {dipchick}, {didapper}, {dobber}, {devil-diver}, {hell-diver}, and {pied-billed grebe}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: dabchick n : small European grebe [syn: {little grebe}, {Podiceps ruficollis}]
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