whinchat (hwinchat)

[ British bird, whose range includes nearly the whole of Europe, much of Africa, and a little of western Asia. The whinchat is 51 inches long and 91 in extent; the upper Whinchat ( Prat in cola rubetra). variegated with blackish-brown shaft-spots yellowish-brown edgings of the feathers, lightest on the rump; the under parts are uniform rich rufous; a long superciliary stripe, a streak below the eye and blackish auriculars, a patch on the wing, and the concealed bases of the tail-feathers are white or or whitish; the eyes are brown, and the bill and feet black. The whinchat haunts lowland pastures as well as upland wastes, nests on the ground, and lays four to six greenish-blue eggs, with faint reddish-brown spots usually zoned about larger end; it is an expert flycatcher, and also feeds largely on the de structive wire-worm. During May and June the male has a melodious song. The whinchat has an Oriental representative, P. macrorhyncha of India, and several other species are described. The bird is commonly seen in the large gorse-coverts, from which it receives its name of Whin- or Furze-chat. H. Seebohm , Hist. Brit. Birds, I. 312. whincow (hwin'kou), n. A bush of furze. Hal liwell . [Prov. Eng.] whindle (hwin'dl), v. i.; pret. and pp. whindled, ppr. whindling. [Also whinnel; freq. of whine.] To whimper or whine. Phillips, 1706. [Prov. Eng. and U. S.] A whindling dastard. whine; so Hall i well whinnel. B. Jonson, Epicenė, iv. 2. 6901 I whyne , as a chylde do the, or a dogge.... Whyne you no we, do you holde your peace, or I shall make you. Palsgrave , p. 781. 1st witch. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2d witch . Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined. Shak ., Macbeth, iv. 1. 2. 2. To complain in a puerile, feeble, or undig nified way; bemoan one's self weakly. For, had you kneel'd, and whin'd, and shew'd a base And low dejected mind, I had despis'd you.