raft duck
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Scaup \Scaup\ (sk[add]p), n. [See {Scalp} a bed of oysters or
mussels.]
1. A bed or stratum of shellfish; scalp. [Scot.]
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2. (Zool.) A scaup duck. See below.
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{Scaup duck} (Zool.), any one of several species of northern
ducks of the genus {Aythya}, or {Fuligula}. The adult
males are, in large part, black. The three North American
species are: the greater scaup duck ({Aythya marila}, var.
nearctica), called also {broadbill}, {bluebill},
{blackhead}, {flock duck}, {flocking fowl}, and {raft
duck}; the lesser scaup duck ({Aythya affinis}), called
also {little bluebill}, {river broadbill}, and {shuffler};
the tufted, or ring-necked, scaup duck ({Aythya
collaris}), called also {black jack}, {ringneck},
{ringbill}, {ringbill shuffler}, etc. See Illust. of
{Ring-necked duck}, under {Ring-necked}. The common
European scaup, or mussel, duck ({Aythya marila}), closely
resembles the American variety.
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Raft \Raft\, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr
a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar;
cf. OHG. r[=a]fo, r[=a]vo, a beam, rafter, Icel. r[=a]f roof.
Cf. {Rafter}, n.]
1. A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the
like, fastened together, either for their own collective
conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in
conveying other things; a float.
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2. A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is
formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which
obstructs navigation. [U.S.]
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3. [Perhaps akin to raff a heap.] A large collection of
people or things taken indiscriminately. [Slang, U. S.] "A
whole raft of folks." --W. D. Howells.
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{Raft bridge}.
(a) A bridge whose points of support are rafts.
(b) A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened
together.
{Raft duck}. [The name alludes to its swimming in dense
flocks.] (Zool.)
(a) The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; -- called also
{flock duck}. See {Scaup}.
(b) The redhead.
{Raft port} (Naut.), a large, square port in a vessel's side
for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a
timber or lumber port.
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