night bird

night bird
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}). [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Night bird — Night Night (n[imac]t), n. [OE. night, niht, AS. neaht, niht; akin to D. nacht, OS. & OHG. naht, G. nacht, Icel. n[=o]tt, Sw. natt, Dan. nat, Goth. nahts, Lith. naktis, Russ. noche, W. nos, Ir. nochd, L. nox, noctis, Gr. ny x, nykto s, Skr. nakta …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • night bird — noun a) a type of bird associated with the night Bradley assenting, went with him into an early public house, haunted by unsavoury smells of musty hay and stale straw, where returning carts, farmers men, gaunt dogs, fowls of a beery breed, and… …   Wiktionary

  • night bird — noun any bird associated with night: owl; nightingale; nighthawk; etc • Hypernyms: ↑bird • Hyponyms: ↑night raven * * * noun 1. : a bird associated with night: as …   Useful english dictionary

  • night-bird — /ˈnaɪt bɜd/ (say nuyt berd) noun 1. any bird of nocturnal habits. 2. Colloquial someone who is habitually up or prowling at night; a nighthawk …  

  • night bird — person who runs a full schedule of nighttime activities …   English contemporary dictionary

  • night-bird — …   Useful english dictionary

  • Neoregelia 'Night Bird' — Details Hybrid parentage Neoregelia hybrid coriacea × johannis Cultivar Night Bird Origin …   Wikipedia

  • Night — (n[imac]t), n. [OE. night, niht, AS. neaht, niht; akin to D. nacht, OS. & OHG. naht, G. nacht, Icel. n[=o]tt, Sw. natt, Dan. nat, Goth. nahts, Lith. naktis, Russ. noche, W. nos, Ir. nochd, L. nox, noctis, Gr. ny x, nykto s, Skr. nakta, nakti.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Night after night — Night Night (n[imac]t), n. [OE. night, niht, AS. neaht, niht; akin to D. nacht, OS. & OHG. naht, G. nacht, Icel. n[=o]tt, Sw. natt, Dan. nat, Goth. nahts, Lith. naktis, Russ. noche, W. nos, Ir. nochd, L. nox, noctis, Gr. ny x, nykto s, Skr. nakta …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Night blindness — Night Night (n[imac]t), n. [OE. night, niht, AS. neaht, niht; akin to D. nacht, OS. & OHG. naht, G. nacht, Icel. n[=o]tt, Sw. natt, Dan. nat, Goth. nahts, Lith. naktis, Russ. noche, W. nos, Ir. nochd, L. nox, noctis, Gr. ny x, nykto s, Skr. nakta …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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