Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

sheldrakemore about sheldrake

sheldrake

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Merganser  \Mer*gan"ser\,  n.  [Sp.  merg['a]nsar,  fr  mergo  a  diver 
  (L.  mergus,  fr  mergere  to  dip,  dive)  +  ['a]nsar  goose,  L. 
  anser.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  Any  bird  of  the  genus  {Merganser},  and  allied  genera.  They 
  are  allied  to  the  ducks,  but  have  a  sharply  serrated  bill. 
 
  Note:  The  red-breasted  merganser  ({Merganser  serrator}) 
  inhabits  both  hemispheres.  It  is  called  also  {sawbill}, 
  {harle},  and  {sheldrake}.  The  American  merganser  ({M. 
  Americanus}.)  and  the  hooded  merganser  ({Lophodytes 
  cucullatus})  are  well-known  species. 
 
  {White  merganser},  the  smew  or  white  nun. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Sheldrake  \Shel"drake`\,  n.  [Sheld  +  drake.] 
  1.  (Zo["o]l.)  Any  one  of  several  species  of  large  Old  World 
  ducks  of  the  genus  {Tadorna}  and  allied  genera,  especially 
  the  European  and  Asiatic  species.  ({T.  cornuta,  or 
  tadorna}),  which  somewhat  resembles  a  goose  in  form  and 
  habit,  but  breeds  in  burrows. 
 
  Note:  It  has  the  head  and  neck  greenish  black,  the  breast, 
  sides,  and  forward  part  of  the  back  brown,  the 
  shoulders  and  middle  of  belly  black,  the  speculum 
  green,  and  the  bill  and  frontal  bright  red.  Called  also 
  {shelduck},  {shellduck},  {sheldfowl},  {skeelduck}, 
  {bergander},  {burrow  duck},  and  {links  goose}. 
 
  Note:  The  Australian  sheldrake  ({Tadorna  radja})  has  the 
  head,  neck,  breast,  flanks,  and  wing  coverts  white,  the 
  upper  part  of  the  back  and  a  band  on  the  breast  deep 
  chestnut,  and  the  back  and  tail  black.  The  chestnut 
  sheldrake  of  Australia  ({Casarca  tadornoides})  is 
  varied  with  black  and  chestnut,  and  has  a  dark  green 
  head  and  neck.  The  ruddy  sheldrake,  or  Braminy  duck 
  ({C.  rutila}),  and  the  white-winged  sheldrake  ({C. 
  leucoptera}),  are  related  Asiatic  species. 
 
  2.  Any  one  of  the  American  mergansers. 
 
  Note:  The  name  is  also  loosely  applied  to  other  ducks,  as  the 
  canvasback,  and  the  shoveler. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Goosander  \Goos"an`der\,  n.  [OE.  gossander,  a  tautological  word 
  formed  fr  goose  +  gander.  Cf  {Merganser}.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  A  species  of  merganser  ({M.  merganser})  of  Northern  Europe 
  and  America;  --  called  also  {merganser},  {dundiver}, 
  {sawbill},  {sawneb},  {shelduck},  and  {sheldrake}.  See 
  {Merganser}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  sheldrake 
  n  1:  large  crested  fish-eating  diving  duck  having  a  slender 
  hooked  bill  with  serrated  edges  [syn:  {merganser},  {fish 
  duck},  {sawbill}] 
  2:  Old  World  gooselike  duck  slightly  larger  than  a  mallard  with 
  variegated  mostly  black-and-white  plumage  and  a  red  bill




more about sheldrake