from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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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