Moor coot

Gallinule \Gal"li*nule\, n. [L. gallinula chicken, dim. of
   gallina hen: cf. F. gallinule.] (Zool.)
   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}).
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   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.
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Moor \Moor\, n. [OE. mor, AS. m[=o]r moor, morass; akin to D.
   moer moor, G. moor, and prob. to Goth. marei sea, E. mere.
   See {Mere} a lake.]
   1. An extensive waste covered with patches of heath, and
      having a poor, light soil, but sometimes marshy, and
      abounding in peat; a heath.
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            In her girlish age she kept sheep on the moor.
                                                  --Carew.
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   2. A game preserve consisting of moorland.
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   {Moor buzzard} (Zool.), the marsh harrier. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Moor coal} (Geol.), a friable variety of lignite.

   {Moor cock} (Zool.), the male of the {moor fowl} or red
      grouse of Europe.

   {Moor coot}. (Zool.) See {Gallinule}.

   {Moor game}. (Zool.) Same as {Moor fowl}.

   {Moor grass} (Bot.), a tufted perennial grass ({Sesleria
      caerulea}), found in mountain pastures of Europe.

   {Moor hawk} (Zool.), the marsh harrier.

   {Moor hen}. (Zool.)
      (a) The female of the {moor fowl}.
      (b) A gallinule, esp. the European species. See
          {Gallinule}.
      (c) An Australian rail ({Tribonyx ventralis}).

   {Moor monkey} (Zool.), the black macaque of Borneo ({Macacus
      maurus}).

   {Moor titling} (Zool.), the European stonechat ({Pratinocola
      rubicola}).
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