prairie snake

Prairie \Prai"rie\, n. [F., an extensive meadow, OF. praerie,
   LL. prataria, fr. L. pratum a meadow.]
   1. An extensive tract of level or rolling land, destitute of
      trees, covered with coarse grass, and usually
      characterized by a deep, fertile soil. They abound
      throughout the Mississippi valley, between the Alleghanies
      and the Rocky mountains.
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            From the forests and the prairies,
            From the great lakes of the northland. --Longfellow.
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   2. A meadow or tract of grass; especially, a so called
      natural meadow.
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   {Prairie chicken} (Zool.), any American grouse of the genus
      {Tympanuchus}, especially {Tympanuchus Americanus}
      (formerly {Tympanuchus cupido}), which inhabits the
      prairies of the central United States. Applied also to the
      sharp-tailed grouse.

   {Prairie clover} (Bot.), any plant of the leguminous genus
      {Petalostemon}, having small rosy or white flowers in
      dense terminal heads or spikes. Several species occur in
      the prairies of the United States.

   {Prairie dock} (Bot.), a coarse composite plant ({Silphium
      terebinthaceum}) with large rough leaves and yellow
      flowers, found in the Western prairies.

   {Prairie dog} (Zool.), a small American rodent ({Cynomys
      Ludovicianus}) allied to the marmots. It inhabits the
      plains west of the Mississippi. The prairie dogs burrow in
      the ground in large warrens, and have a sharp bark like
      that of a dog. Called also {prairie marmot}.

   {Prairie grouse}. Same as {Prairie chicken}, above.

   {Prairie hare} (Zool.), a large long-eared Western hare
      ({Lepus campestris}). See {Jack rabbit}, under 2d {Jack}.
      

   {Prairie hawk}, {Prairie falcon} (Zool.), a falcon of Western
      North America ({Falco Mexicanus}). The upper parts are
      brown. The tail has transverse bands of white; the under
      parts, longitudinal streaks and spots of brown.

   {Prairie hen}. (Zool.) Same as {Prairie chicken}, above.

   {Prairie itch} (Med.), an affection of the skin attended with
      intense itching, which is observed in the Northern and
      Western United States; -- also called {swamp itch},
      {winter itch}.

   {Prairie marmot}. (Zool.) Same as {Prairie dog}, above.

   {Prairie mole} (Zool.), a large American mole ({Scalops
      argentatus}), native of the Western prairies.

   {Prairie pigeon}, {Prairie plover}, or {Prairie snipe}
      (Zool.), the upland plover. See {Plover}, n., 2.

   {Prairie rattlesnake} (Zool.), the massasauga.

   {Prairie snake} (Zool.), a large harmless American snake
      ({Masticophis flavigularis}). It is pale yellow, tinged
      with brown above.

   {Prairie squirrel} (Zool.), any American ground squirrel of
      the genus {Spermophilus}, inhabiting prairies; -- called
      also {gopher}.

   {Prairie turnip} (Bot.), the edible turnip-shaped farinaceous
      root of a leguminous plant ({Psoralea esculenta}) of the
      Upper Missouri region; also, the plant itself. Called also
      {pomme blanche}, and {pomme de prairie}.

   {Prairie warbler} (Zool.), a bright-colored American warbler
      ({Dendroica discolor}). The back is olive yellow, with a
      group of reddish spots in the middle; the under parts and
      the parts around the eyes are bright yellow; the sides of
      the throat and spots along the sides, black; three outer
      tail feathers partly white.

   {Prairie wolf}. (Zool.) See {Coyote}.
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