{Ruffed grouse} (Zo["o]l.), a North American grouse ({Bonasa
umbellus}) common in the wooded districts of the Northern
United States. The male has a ruff of brown or black
feathers on each side of the neck, and is noted for the
loud drumming sound he makes during the breeding season.
Called also {tippet grouse}, {partridge}, {birch
partridge}, {pheasant}, {drummer}, and {white-flesher}.
{ruffed lemur} (Zo["o]l.), a species of lemur ({lemur
varius}) having a conspicuous ruff on the sides of the
head. Its color is varied with black and white. Called
also {ruffed maucaco}.
{common, or English, {pheasant} ({Phasianus Colchicus}) is
now found over most of temperate Europe, but was
introduced from Asia. The
{ring-necked pheasant} ({P. torquatus}) and the
{green pheasant} ({P. versicolor}) have been introduced into
Oregon. The
{golden pheasant} ({Thaumalea picta}) is one of the most
beautiful species. The
{silver pheasant} ({Euplocamus nychthemerus}) of China, and
several related species from Southern Asia, are very
beautiful.
2. (Zo["o]l.) The ruffed grouse. [Southern U.S.]
Note: Various other birds are locally called pheasants, as
the lyre bird, the leipoa, etc.
{Fireback pheasant}. See {Fireback}.
{Gold}, or {Golden}, {pheasant} (Zo["o]l.), a Chinese
pheasant ({Thaumalea picta}), having rich, varied colors.
The crest is amber-colored, the rump is golden yellow, and
the under parts are scarlet.
{Mountain pheasant} (Zo["o]l.), the ruffed grouse. [Local,
U.S.]
{Pheasant coucal} (Zo["o]l.), a large Australian cuckoo
({Centropus phasianus}). The general color is black, with
chestnut wings and brown tail. Called also {pheasant
cuckoo}. The name is also applied to other allied species.
{Pheasant duck}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The pintail.
(b) The hooded merganser.
{Pheasant parrot} (Zo["o]l.), a large and beautiful
Australian parrakeet ({Platycercus Adelaidensis}). The
male has the back black, the feathers margined with
yellowish blue and scarlet, the quills deep blue, the wing
coverts and cheeks light blue, the crown, sides of the
neck, breast, and middle of the belly scarlet.
{Pheasant's eye}. (Bot.)
(a) A red-flowered herb ({Adonis autumnalis}) of the
Crowfoot family; -- called also {pheasant's-eye
Adonis}.
(b) The garden pink ({Dianthus plumarius}); -- called also
{Pheasant's-eye pink}.
{Pheasant shell} (Zo["o]l.), any marine univalve shell of the
genus {Phasianella}, of which numerous species are found
in tropical seas. The shell is smooth and usually richly
colored, the colors often forming blotches like those of a
pheasant.
{Pheasant wood}. (Bot.) Same as {Partridge wood}
(a), under {Partridge}.
{Sea pheasant} (Zo["o]l.), the pintail.
{Water pheasant}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) The sheldrake.
(b) The hooded merganser.
Note: Native gold contains usually eight to ten per cent of
silver, but often much more. As the amount of silver
increases, the color becomes whiter and the specific
gravity lower. Gold is very widely disseminated, as in
the sands of many rivers, but in very small quantity.
It usually occurs in quartz veins (gold quartz), in
slate and metamorphic rocks, or in sand and alluvial
soil, resulting from the disintegration of such rocks.
It also occurs associated with other metallic
substances, as in auriferous pyrites, and is combined
with tellurium in the minerals petzite, calaverite,
sylvanite, etc. Pure gold is too soft for ordinary use,
and is hardened by alloying with silver and copper, the
latter giving a characteristic reddish tinge. [See
{Carat}.] Gold also finds use in gold foil, in the
pigment purple of Cassius, and in the chloride, which
is used as a toning agent in photography.
For me, the gold of France did not seduce. --Shak.
3. A yellow color, like that of the metal; as, a flower
tipped with gold.
4. Figuratively, something precious or pure; as, hearts of
gold. --Shak.
{Age of gold}. See {Golden age}, under {Golden}.
{Dutch gold}, {Fool's gold}, {Gold dust}, etc. See under
{Dutch}, {Dust}, etc.
{Gold amalgam}, a mineral, found in Columbia and California,
composed of gold and mercury.
{Gold beater}, one whose occupation is to beat gold into gold
leaf.
{Gold beater's skin}, the prepared outside membrane of the
large intestine of the ox, used for separating the leaves
of metal during the process of gold-beating.
{Gold beetle} (Zo["o]l.), any small gold-colored beetle of
the family {Chrysomelid[ae]}; -- called also {golden
beetle}.
{Gold blocking}, printing with gold leaf, as upon a book
cover, by means of an engraved block. --Knight.
{Gold cloth}. See {Cloth of gold}, under {Cloth}.
{Gold Coast}, a part of the coast of Guinea, in West Africa.
{Gold cradle}. (Mining) See {Cradle}, n., 7.
{Gold diggings}, the places, or region, where gold is found
by digging in sand and gravel from which it is separated
by washing.
{Gold end}, a fragment of broken gold or jewelry.
{Gold-end man}.
(a) A buyer of old gold or jewelry.
(b) A goldsmith's apprentice.
(c) An itinerant jeweler. ``I know him not: he looks like
a gold-end man.'' --B. Jonson.
{Gold fever}, a popular mania for gold hunting.
{Gold field}, a region in which are deposits of gold.
{Gold finder}.
(a) One who finds gold.
(b) One who empties privies. [Obs. & Low] --Swift.
{Gold flower}, a composite plant with dry and persistent
yellow radiating involucral scales, the {Helichrysum
St[oe]chas} of Southern Europe. There are many South
African species of the same genus.
{Gold foil}, thin sheets of gold, as used by dentists and
others. See {Gold leaf}.
{Gold} {knobs or knoppes} (Bot.), buttercups.
{Gold lace}, a kind of lace, made of gold thread.
{Gold latten}, a thin plate of gold or gilded metal.
{Gold leaf}, gold beaten into a film of extreme thinness, and
used for gilding, etc. It is much thinner than gold foil.
{Gold lode} (Mining), a gold vein.
{Gold mine}, a place where gold is obtained by mining
operations, as distinguished from diggings, where it is
extracted by washing. Cf. {Gold diggings} (above).
{Gold nugget}, a lump of gold as found in gold mining or
digging; -- called also a {pepito}.
{Gold paint}. See {Gold shell}.
{Gold or Golden}, {pheasant}. (Zo["o]l.) See under
{Pheasant}.
{Gold plate}, a general name for vessels, dishes, cups,
spoons, etc., made of gold.