snowbird 
finch, (fc) The snow bunting, (c) The popular name in the 
United States of all tile species of the genus ./unco; any 
junco. They are small frin 
gilline birds of a certain type 
of form and pattern ot color- 
ation, breeding in alpine re- 
gionsand northerly localities, 
Hocking in winter and then 
becoming familiar, whence 
the name. The common snow- 
bird of the United state- is,/. 
hiemalif, about 8 Inches long, 
dark slate-gray, witli white 
belly, two or three white 
feathers on each side of the 
tail, and the bill white or 
pinkish-white. It inhabits 
o hiimalii). North America at large, 
breeding in the northern 
United States and British America, and In mountains as 
far south as Georgia and Arizona. It has a sweet song 
in the summer, in winter only a chirp. It nests on the 
ground and lays speckled eggs. In many parts of the 
United States it appears with the first cold weather in 
October, and is seen until the following April, in Hocks. 
There are numerous other species or varieties, some reach- 
ing even Central America. See Junco. (d) The fieldfare, 
Turdus pilaris. See cut under fieldfare. |Prov. Eng.] 
snow-blind (suo'blmd), a. Affected with snow- 
blindness. 
snow-blindness (sno'blind'nes), n. Amblyo- 
pia caused by the reflection of light from the 
snow, and consequent exhaustion of the retina. 
snow-blink (snp'bliugk), . The peculiar re- 
flection that arises from fields of ice or snow : 
same as ice-blink. Also called snow-light. 
snow-boot (sno'bot), n. A boot intended to 
protect the feet from dampness and cold when 
walking in snow. Specifically (a) A boot of water- 
proof material w ith warm lining, (b) A thick and high boot 
of leather, specially designed for use in snow, (c) Before 
the introduction of lined rubber boots, a knitted boot 
with double or cork sole, usually worn over another boot 
or a shoe. 
Snow-bound (sno'bound ), . Shut in by a heavy 
fall of snow; unable to get away from one's 
house or place of sojourn on account of the 
obstruction of travel by snow; blocked by 
snow, as a railway-train. 
The snow-bound in their arctic hulk are glad to see even 
a wandering Esquimau. 
C. D. Warner, Backlog Studies, p. 124. 
snow-box (sno'boks), n. Tlieat., a device used 
in producing an imitation of a snow-storm. 
snowbreak (sno'brak), H. A melting of snow; 
a thaw. 
And so, like snowbreak from the mountains, for every 
staircase is a melted brook, it storms, tumultuous, wild- 
shrilling, towards the Hotel de-Ville. 
Carlyle, French Rev., I. vii. 4. 
snow-broth (sno'broth), n. Snow and water 
mixed ; figuratively, very cold liquor. 
A man whose blood- 
Is very snow-broth. Shak., M. for M., 1. 4. 5S. 
"This Is none of your snow broth ^ Peggy, "said the mo- 
ther, " it 's warming." 8. Judd, Margaret, i. 0. 
snow-bunting (sno'bun'ting), . A kind of 
snowbird, Plectroplianes nivalis, a bunting of 
the family Fringilli- 
dx, which inhabits 
arctic and cold tem- 
perate regions of 
both hemispheres, 
and is chiefly white, 
varied with black or 
brown. Also called 
snowbird, snowflake, 
snowfleck, snowfligli t, 
snowfoicl. In full plu- 
mage, rarely seen in the 
United States, the bird is 
pure-white, with the bill, 
feet, middle of back, and 
the wings and tail in part 
jet-black. In the usual 
plumage the white is 
overlaid with rich, warm brown in various places, and the 
black is not pure or continuous. The length Is 7 Inches, 
the extent of wings 12J. This bird is a near relative of the 
longspnrs, as the Lapland, but has the hind claw curved, 
and is sometimes therefore placed in another genus (Plec- 
trophenax). It breeds only in high latitudes, moving south 
in the fall in flocks, often of vast extent. It nests on the 
ground, lines the nest with feathers, and lays from four to 
six variegated eggs. 
snowbush (sno'bush), n. One of several shrubs 
bearing profuse white flowers. Such are Ceanoth\u> 
cordulatus of Californian mountains, Olearia ttellulata of 
Australia and Tasmania, and Phyllanthus nimlw of the 
New Hebrides. 
Snowcap (sno'kap), n. A humming-bird of the 
genus Slicrocliiera. having a snowy cap. There 
are two species. SI. albocoronatfi and M. parviroKtris. the 
former of Veragua, the latter of Nicaragua and Cos'a Rica, 
both of minute size (ij inches long\ The character of the 
white crown is unique among the Trochilidst. 
snow-capped (sno'kapt), a. Capped with snow. 
snow-chukor (sn6'chu"kor), n. [< swoic 1 + 
chukor, a native name: see chourtka.] A kind 
smw-bunting i PUctrofh,, ,* 
/), male, in breeding-plumage. 
of snow-partridge. See clionrlka, 1, and mioir- 
Snow-CC-'ck (sno'kok), H. Same as xnmr-nar- 
tridge. -. 
Snowdonian (sno-do'ni-an), (I. [< Sunn;!,,,, 
def.) + -iii n. \ Relating to Snow-don, a moun- 
tain of Carnarvonshire, Wales. siur-lonian 
series, in gcol , n name given by Scdgwick to a part .if tin- 
Lower Silurian or rambiian in Wales, including what is 
now known as the Arenig seiies and the Itala I 
Snow-drift (sno'dril't), . A .h-in m snow; 
snow driven by the wind; also, a bank of snow 
driven together by the wind. 
snowdrop (sno'drop), H. Alow herb, (inlnntl/iix 
nivalis, a very early wild (lower of Kuropcan 
woods, often cultivated. Then -,,pii,-,i, 
In nn extended sense, to the genus. G. plicatiix the Cri- 
mean snowdrop, is larger, with broader plicate leaves. See 
(MMntmu and purijication-jlower. Atncan snowdrop 
See Jtoyena. 
snowdrop-tree (sno'drop-tre), n. 1. See Lino- 
cicra.it. See Halcsia and rattlebox, 2 (c). 
snow-eater (snp'e"ter), n. A warm, dry west 
wind which rapidly evaporates the snow. These 
winds are similar in character to Chinook winds. 
Science, VII. 242. [Eastern Colorado.] 
Snow-eyes (sno'iz), n. pi. A contrivance used 
by the Eskimos as a preventive of snow- 
blindness. It is made of extremely light wood, with 
a bridge resting on the nose, and a narrow slit for the 
passage of the light. 
snowfall (sno'fal), 11. 1 . The falling of snow : 
used sometimes of a quiet fall in distinction 
from a snow-storm. 
Through the wavering mow-fall, the Saint Theodore 
upon one of the granite pillars of the Piazzetta did not 
show so grim as his wont is. Howells, Venetian Life, Iii. 
2. The amount of snow falling in a given time, 
as during one storm, day, or year. This amount 
Is measured popularly by the depth of the snow at the 
close of each time of falling, and scientifically by melting 
the snow and measuring the depth of the water. 
Stations reporting the largest total snmr-faU, in inches, 
were Blue Knob, 4B; Eagles Mere. 4fl; Grampian Hills, 
38. Jour. Franklin Inst., CXX1X. S. 
snow-fed (sno'fed), a. Originated or augment- 
ed by melted snow: as, a snow-fed stream. 
snow-field (sno'feld), n. A wide expanse of 
snow, especially permanent snow, as iu the 
arctic regions. 
As the Deer approach, a few stones come hurtling down, 
as the snow-field begins to yield. 
D. Q. Elliot, in Wolf's Wild Animals, p. 121. 
snow-finch (sno'finch), n. A fringilline bird 
of Europe, Mantifringilla nivalis; the stone- 
finch or mountain-finch, somewhat resembling 
the snow-bunting, but of a different genus. See 
cut under brambling. 
snowflake (sno'flak), . 1. A small feathery 
mass or flake of falling snow. See snow^, n., 1. 
Flowers bloomed and snow-Jlakei fell, unquestioned In her 
sight Whittier, Bridal of Pennacook, lit 
2. In ornith.,SB.iti6&88noic-buntinfl. Cones. 3. 
A plant of the genus Leueoium, chiefly L. sesti- 
vum (the summer snowflake), andZ.. rermtm (the 
spring snowflake). They are European wild flowers, 
also cultivated, resembling the snowdrop, but larger. Of 
the two species the latter is smaller, and chiefly conti- 
nental. '1 he name was devised to distinguish this plant 
from the snowdrop, and is now commonly accepted. 
4. A particular pattern of weaving certain 
woolen cloths, by which small knots are pro- 
duced upon the face, which, when of light color, 
resemble a sprinkling of snow. Diet, of Nee- 
dlework. 
snow-flange (sno'flanj), . A metal scraper 
fixed to a railroad-car, for the purpose of re- 
moving ice or snow clinging to the inside of 
the head of the rail. 
snow-flea (sno'fle), . Any kind of springtail 
or poduran which is found on the snow. Acho- 
rtuies nivteola is the common snow-flea of the United 
States, often appearing in great numbers on the snow. See 
cut under springtail. 
Our common snmc-flpa is ... sometimes a pest where 
maple sugar Is made, the insects collecting in large quan- 
tities in the sap. Comstock, Introd. Entom. (1888\ p. 01. 
snowfleck (sno'flek), n. The snow-bunting or 
snowflake. See cut under snow-bunting. 
snowflight (sno'flit), . The snowflake or 
snow-bunting, Plectroplianes nil-alls. 
snow-flood (sno'flud), n. A flood from melted 
snow. 
snowflower (sno'flou'er), n. 1. A variant name 
of the snowdrop, Galantlnis. 2. Same as 
fringe-tree. 3. A shrub, Dcutzia nraciUs. See 
'Dnitzia. Miller, Diet. Eng. Names of Plants. 
snow-fly (sno'fli), n. 1. A perlid insect or kind 
of stone-fly which appears on the snow, as Prrla 
niricola of Fitch. The common snow-fly of New York 
is Capnia pyymfta, which is black with gray hairs. 
snow-light 
2. A neiiropt. roui insect of the family Panor- 
jiiil.r and gi-nu ilux. 
which appeal's on the snow in northerly parts 
of the Knit. .1 States. Al-o ,-alled spring tail. 
3. A wingless dipterous insect of the' family 
'I ijnititl,-!' and ^'enus i'/'>, >ccur- 
rin^' under similar circumstances. A]-., 
"W-nnat. 8. A si : . . \\-ll. ,< . 
Apaperon ' ins. . la nivedclpsn"or 'echnct-wiirmer," 
. . . some one or annthi-r f the 'I hyuinnra. In An 
we Iii urea are to this day called 
snou ]:. 1' Wrijl.l, Animal Li.e, p. 4Ui. 
snowfowl (Biio'foul), M. The snow-bunting, 
J'/i'i-ti'n/iIni, 
snow-gage (sno'gaj ), . A receptacle for catch- 
intf falling snow for the purpose of measuring 
its amount. 
snow-gem (sno'jem), . A garden name of Clii- 
oiti>ili>.rn l.urirne. See snotc-ylonj, 
Snowght, a. An old spelling of unoic 1 . 
snow-glory (sno'glo'n), . A plant of the lili- 
OM ^enns i . . Two species from Asia 
Minor, C. lAmlite, sometimes called snow-gem, and C. 
nana, the dwarf snow-glory, are beautiful hardy garden 
flowers with some resemblance to squill. 
snow-gnat (sno'nat), n. 1 . Any one of certain 
gnats of the genus Chironomus found on the 
snow in early spring, as C. niroriundvs. 2. 
Same as snow-fly, 3. 
snow-goggle (sno'gog'l), n. Same as snow-eyes. 
Mr. Mill-dock, of the Point Barrow Station, . . . found 
an Eskimo snow-gogyle beneath more than twenty feet of 
frozen gravel. 
A. B. Wallace, Nineteenth Century, XXII. 672. 
snow-goose (sno'gos), . A goose of the genus 
Chen, of which the white brant, C. hyperborciis, 
is the best-known species, white, with blick- 
tipped wings, the head washed with rusty- 
brown, and the bill pink. Also called Mexican 
goose, red goose, Texas goose. See icarey, and 
cut under Chen. -Blue or blue- winged snow-goose. 
See goose and wavey. 
snow-grouse (sno'grous), . A ptarmigan ; any 
bird of the genus Lagopus, nearly all of which 
turn white in winter. Also snow-partridge. See 
cuts under grouse and ptarmigan. 
Up above the timber line were tnme-grouse [Layopui 
leucurus] and huge hoary-white woodchucks. 
T. Roosevelt, The Century, XXXVI. 210. 
snow-ice (sno'Is), n. Ice formed by the freez- 
ing of slush: such ice is opaque and white, 
owing to the incompleteness of the melting of 
the snow: opposed to black ice. The word is espe- 
cially used of Ice thus formed in places where, without 
the snow, black Ice would have been formed, as on a pond 
or a river. 
snowily (sno'i-li), adv. In a snowy manner; 
with or as snow. 
Afar rose the peaks 
Of Parnassus, snoicily clear. 
*. Arnold, Youth of Nature. 
snowiness (sno'i-nes), n. The state of being 
snowy, in any sense. 
These last may, in extremely bright weather, give an 
effect of taoicinem in the high lights. 
Lea, Photography, p. 210. 
snow-in-harvest(sn6'in-har've8t), n. Amouse- 
ear chickweed, Cerastiuin tomentosnm,&nd some 
other plants with abundant white flowers in 
summer. Britten and Holland, Eng. Plant 
Names. [Prov. Eng.] 
snow-insect (sno'in'sekt), n. A snow-flea, 
snow-fly, or snow-gnat. 
snow-in-summer (sno'in-sum'er), n. A gar- 
den name of Cerastiuin tomeiitosum . See snotc- 
in-liarrest. 
snowish (sno'ish), a. [< ME. snoicissli ; < snow 1 
+ -i6'/ii.] Eesembling snow ; somewhat snowy; 
snow-white. 
He gan to stroke ; and good thrlfte bad fill ofte 
Hire snowttsh [var. OMW-tcMfl Ihiote. 
Chaucer, Troilus, III. 1260. 
Her tnmiish necke with blewish values 
Stood bolt vpiight vpon 
Her portly shoulders. 
11 arner, Albion's England, iv. 54. 
snow-knife (sno'nif), . An implement used 
by Eskimos for scraping snow from fur gar- 
ments, having the general form of a large knife, 
but made of morse-ivory or some similar ma- 
terial. 
snowl (snoul). H. [Origin obscure.] The hooded 
merganser, Lopliodytes ruculltiti'x. See cut un- 
der merganser. G. Trunibull, 1888. [Orisfield, 
Maryland.] 
snow-leopard Ono'lpp'ftrd), n. The ounce, 
Felix tnicin or iritis. See cut under ounce. 
snowless(sn6'les),r. [< snoif 1 + -less.] Desti- 
tute of snow. 
snow-light (sno'lit), n. Same as snoic-blink. 
