white-headed goose

Snow Snow, n. [OE. snow, snaw, AS. sn[=a]w; akin to D. sneeuw, OS. & OHG. sn[=e]o, G. schnee, Icel. sn[ae]r, snj[=o]r, snaj[=a]r, Sw. sn["o], Dan. snee, Goth. snaiws, Lith. sn["e]gas, Russ. snieg', Ir. & Gael. sneachd, W. nyf, L. nix, nivis, Gr. acc. ni`fa, also AS. sn[=i]wan to snow, G. schneien, OHG. sn[=i]wan, Lith. snigti, L. ningit it snows, Gr. ni`fei, Zend snizh to snow; cf. Skr. snih to be wet or sticky. [root]172.] 1. Watery particles congealed into white or transparent crystals or flakes in the air, and falling to the earth, exhibiting a great variety of very beautiful and perfect forms. [1913 Webster]

Note: Snow is often used to form compounds, most of which are of obvious meaning; as, snow-capped, snow-clad, snow-cold, snow-crowned, snow-crust, snow-fed, snow-haired, snowlike, snow-mantled, snow-nodding, snow-wrought, and the like. [1913 Webster]

2. Fig.: Something white like snow, as the white color (argent) in heraldry; something which falls in, or as in, flakes. [1913 Webster]

The field of snow with eagle of black therein. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

{Red snow}. See under {Red}. [1913 Webster]

{Snow bunting}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Snowbird}, 1.

{Snow cock} (Zo["o]l.), the snow pheasant.

{Snow flea} (Zo["o]l.), a small black leaping poduran ({Achorutes nivicola}) often found in winter on the snow in vast numbers.

{Snow flood}, a flood from melted snow.

{Snow flower} (Bot.), the fringe tree.

{Snow fly}, or {Snow insect} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of neuropterous insects of the genus {Boreus}. The male has rudimentary wings; the female is wingless. These insects sometimes appear creeping and leaping on the snow in great numbers.

{Snow gnat} (Zo["o]l.), any wingless dipterous insect of the genus {Chionea} found running on snow in winter.

{Snow goose} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of arctic geese of the genus {Chen}. The common snow goose ({Chen hyperborea}), common in the Western United States in winter, is white, with the tips of the wings black and legs and bill red. Called also {white brant}, {wavey}, and {Texas goose}. The blue, or blue-winged, snow goose ({Chen c[oe]rulescens}) is varied with grayish brown and bluish gray, with the wing quills black and the head and upper part of the neck white. Called also {white head}, {white-headed goose}, and {bald brant}.

{Snow leopard} (Zool.), the ounce.

{Snow line}, lowest limit of perpetual snow. In the Alps this is at an altitude of 9,000 feet, in the Andes, at the equator, 16,000 feet.

{Snow mouse} (Zo["o]l.), a European vole ({Arvicola nivalis}) which inhabits the Alps and other high mountains.

{Snow pheasant} (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large, handsome gallinaceous birds of the genus {Tetraogallus}, native of the lofty mountains of Asia. The Himalayn snow pheasant ({T. Himalayensis}) in the best-known species. Called also {snow cock}, and {snow chukor}.

{Snow partridge}. (Zo["o]l.) See under {Partridge}.

{Snow pigeon} (Zo["o]l.), a pigeon ({Columba leuconota}) native of the Himalaya mountains. Its back, neck, and rump are white, the top of the head and the ear coverts are black.

{Snow plant} (Bot.), a fleshy parasitic herb ({Sarcodes sanguinea}) growing in the coniferous forests of California. It is all of a bright red color, and is fabled to grow from the snow, through which it sometimes shoots up. [1913 Webster]