fowles

n. [ From Bat a stick. ] A mode of catching birds at night, by holding a torch or other light, and beating the bush or perch where they roost. The birds, flying to the light, are caught with nets or otherwise. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) A large variety of the domestic fowl, originally from Cochin China (Anam). [ 1913 Webster ]

[ From the town of Dorking in England. ] (Zool.) One of a breed of large-bodied domestic fowls, having five toes, or the hind toe double. There are several strains, as the white, gray, and silver-gray. They are highly esteemed for the table. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Instead of the pl. Fowls the singular is often used collectively. [ OE. foul, fowel, foghel, fuhel, fugel, AS. fugol; akin to OS. fugal D. & G. vogel, OHG. fogal, Icel. & Dan. fugl, Sw. fogel, fågel, Goth. fugls; of unknown origin, possibly by loss of l, from the root of E. fly, or akin to E. fox, as being a tailed animal. ] 1. Any bird; esp., any large edible bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air. Gen. i. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not. Matt. vi. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like a flight of fowl
Scattered by winds and high tempestuous gusts. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any domesticated bird used as food, as a hen, turkey, duck; in a more restricted sense, the common domestic cock or hen (Gallus domesticus). [ 1913 Webster ]

Barndoor fowl, or
Barnyard fowl, a fowl that frequents the barnyard; the common domestic cock or hen. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Fowled p. pr. & vb. n. Fowling. ] To catch or kill wild fowl, for game or food, as by shooting, or by decoys, nets, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such persons as may lawfully hunt, fish, or fowl. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fowling piece, a light gun with smooth bore, adapted for the use of small shot in killing birds or small quadrupeds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sportsman who pursues wild fowl, or takes or kills for food. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Dr. Samuel Fowler. ] (Min.) A variety of rhodonite, from Franklin Furnace, New Jersey, containing some zinc. [ 1913 Webster ]

An aqueous solution of arsenite of potassium, of such strength that one hundred parts represent one part of arsenious acid, or white arsenic; -- named from Fowler, an English physician who first brought it into use. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Garefowl.

(Zool.) A handsome breed of the common fowl, remarkable for the great courage and pugnacity of the males. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The great auk; also, the razorbill. See Auk. [ Written also gairfowl, and gurfel. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A large Northern European black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix formerly Tetrao tetrix) with a lyre-shaped tail; it is also called heath grouse, black game, black grouse, heath poult, heath fowl, and moor fowl. See heath grouse under heath, above.
Syn. -- European black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.), Same as mallee bird (Leipoa ocellata). See also Leipoa. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Zool.) 1. A reddish-brown grouse (Lagopus Scoticus) of upland moors of Great Britain; the European ptarmigan, or red grouse, also called the moorgame.
Syn. -- red grouse, moorbird, moorgame, Lagopus scoticus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. The European heath grouse. See under Heath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Peacock. ] (Zool.) The peacock or peahen; any species of Pavo. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) Any bird which habitually frequents the sea, as an auk, gannet, gull, tern, or petrel; also, all such birds, collectively. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Scot. schaw, shaw, show + fowl. ] The representation or image of a fowl made by fowlers to shoot at. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The common sheldrake. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A cock. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The American scaup duck. [ Local, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]