Hypertext Webster Gateway: "spirling"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Smelt \Smelt\, n. [AS. smelt, smylt; akin to Dan. smelt.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small silvery
salmonoid fishes of the genus {Osmerus} and allied genera,
which ascend rivers to spawn, and sometimes become
landlocked in lakes. They are esteemed as food, and have a
peculiar odor and taste.
Note: The most important species are the European smelt
({Osmerus eperlans}) (called also {eperlan},
{sparling}, and {spirling}), the Eastern American smelt
({O. mordax}), the California smelt ({O. thalichthys}),
and the surf smelt ({Hypomesus olidus}). The name is
loosely applied to various other small fishes, as the
lant, the California tomcod, the spawn eater, the
silverside.
2. Fig.: A gull; a simpleton. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
{Sand smelt} (Zo["o]l.), the silverside.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Spirling \Spirl"ing\, n.
Sparling. [Prov. Eng.]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.