merginæ

pl. [Lat. merg (us): fem. pl. adj. suff. -inæ.] Ornith.: A sub-family of Anatidae. Prince Bonaparte makes it include Mergus albellus , since sub. divided, and Leach's genus Merganser. According to the Brit . Mus . Cat . (Gray) it comprises the Linnæan genus Merganser, and Mergellus (q. v.). mēr-gu-lūs, subst . [Mod. Lat., dim in. of Lat. IMG:content-1119.png:[blocks in formation] meriandra rather pointed; base large; mandibles serrated, point of upper curved; nostrils lateral; legs short; three toes in front webbed, hind toe with pendent lobe; wings of moderate size, first and second quill feathers nearly equal in length. Wallace (Geog . Dist . Animals , ii. 304) defines the range of the genus in space as: Pale arctic and Nearctic regions, Brazil, and the Auckland Islands. Mergus albellus is the Smew, M. cucullatus the Hooded Merganser, M. serr at or the Red-breasted Merganser, and M. merganser the Goosander. ( Yarrell .) 2684 (5) Meridian distance of a point : The distance from the point to some a umed meridian, generally the one drawn through the extreme east or west point of the survey. (6) Meridian line on a dial: The same as the twelve o'clock hour-line. (7) Meridian of a globe : The brazen circle in which it turns and by which it is supported; also meridian-lines drawn on the globe itself, generally ata distance of 15°. (8) Terrestrial meridian: The terrestrial meridian of any place on the earth's surface is a great circle