Sheldrake

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Goosander \Goos"an`der\, n. [OE. gossander, a tautological word
     formed fr. goose + gander. Cf. {Merganser}.] (Zool.)
     A species of merganser ({M. merganser}) of Northern Europe
     and America; -- called also {merganser}, {dundiver},
     {sawbill}, {sawneb}, {shelduck}, and {sheldrake}. See
     {Merganser}.


     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sheldrake \Shel"drake`\, n. [Sheld + drake.]
     1. (Zool.) Any one of several species of large Old World
        ducks of the genus {Tadorna} and allied genera, especially
        the European and Asiatic species. ({Tadorna cornuta} syn.
        {Tadorna tadorna}), which somewhat resembles a goose in
        form and habit, but breeds in burrows.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: It has the head and neck greenish black, the breast,
           sides, and forward part of the back brown, the
           shoulders and middle of belly black, the speculum
           green, and the bill and frontal bright red. Called also
           {shelduck}, {shellduck}, {sheldfowl}, {skeelduck},
           {bergander}, {burrow duck}, and {links goose}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The Australian sheldrake ({Tadorna radja}) has the
           head, neck, breast, flanks, and wing coverts white, the
           upper part of the back and a band on the breast deep
           chestnut, and the back and tail black. The chestnut
           sheldrake of Australia ({Casarca tadornoides}) is
           varied with black and chestnut, and has a dark green
           head and neck. The ruddy sheldrake, or Braminy duck
           ({Casarca rutila}), and the white-winged sheldrake
           ({Casarca leucoptera}), are related Asiatic species.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Any one of the American mergansers.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The name is also loosely applied to other ducks, as the
           canvasback, and the shoveler.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Merganser \Mer*gan"ser\, n. [Sp. merg['a]nsar, fr. mergo a diver
     (L. mergus, fr. mergere to dip, dive) + ['a]nsar goose, L.
     anser.] (Zool.)
     Any bird of the genus {Mergus} ({Merganser}), and allied
     genera of the subfamily Merginae. They are allied to the
     ducks, but have a sharply serrated bill, eat fish, and dive
     for food. Also called {fish duck}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     Note: The red-breasted merganser ({Merganser serrator})
           inhabits both hemispheres. It is called also {sawbill},
           {harle}, and {sheldrake}. The American merganser
           ({Merganser Americanus}.) and the hooded merganser
           ({Lophodytes cucullatus}) are well-known species.
  
     {White merganser}, the smew or white nun.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  sheldrake
       n 1: large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender
            hooked bill with serrated edges [syn: {merganser}, {fish
            duck}, {sawbill}]
       2: Old World gooselike duck slightly larger than a mallard with
          variegated mostly black-and-white plumage and a red bill