Partridge \Par"tridge\ (p[aum]r"tr[i^]j), n. [OE. partriche,
   pertriche, OF. pertris, perdriz, F. perdrix, L. perdix,
   -icis, fr. Gr. pe`rdix.] (Zool.)
   1. Any one of numerous species of small gallinaceous birds of
      the genus Perdix and several related genera of the
      family Perdicid[ae], of the Old World. The partridge is
      noted as a game bird.
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            Full many a fat partrich had he in mew. --Chaucer.
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   Note: The common European, or gray, partridge (Perdix
         cinerea) and the red-legged partridge (Caccabis
         rubra) of Southern Europe and Asia are well-known
         species.
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   2. Any one of several species of quail-like birds belonging
      to Colinus, and allied genera. [U.S.]
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   Note: Among them are the bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) of
         the Eastern States; the plumed, or mountain, partridge
         (Oreortyx pictus) of California; the Massena
         partridge (Cyrtonyx Montezum[ae]); and the California
         partridge (Callipepla Californica).
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   3. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). [New Eng.]
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   Bamboo partridge (Zool.), a spurred partridge of the genus
      Bambusicola. Several species are found in China and the
      East Indies.

   Night partridge (Zool.), the woodcock. [Local, U.S.]

   Painted partridge (Zool.), a francolin of South Africa
      (Francolinus pictus).

   Partridge berry. (Bot.)
      (a) The scarlet berry of a trailing american plant
          (Mitchella repens) of the order Rubiace[ae],
          having roundish evergreen leaves, and white fragrant
          flowers sometimes tinged with purple, growing in pairs
          with the ovaries united, and producing the berries
          which remain over winter; also, the plant itself.
      (b) The fruit of the creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria
          procumbens); also, the plant itself.

   Partridge dove (Zool.) Same as Mountain witch, under
      Mountain.

   Partridge pea (Bot.), a yellow-flowered leguminous herb
      (Cassia Cham[ae]crista), common in sandy fields in the
      Eastern United States.

   Partridge shell (Zool.), a large marine univalve shell
      (Dolium perdix), having colors variegated like those of
      the partridge.

   Partridge wood
      (a) A variegated wood, much esteemed for cabinetwork. It
          is obtained from tropical America, and one source of
          it is said to be the leguminous tree Andira inermis.
          Called also pheasant wood.
      (b) A name sometimes given to the dark-colored and
          striated wood of some kind of palm, which is used for
          walking sticks and umbrella handles.

   Sea partridge (Zool.), an Asiatic sand partridge
      (Ammoperdix Bonhami); -- so called from its note.

   Snow partridge (Zool.), a large spurred partridge (Lerwa
      nivicola) which inhabits the high mountains of Asia;
      called also jermoonal.

   Spruce partridge. See under Spruce.

   Wood partridge, or Hill partridge (Zool.), any small
      Asiatic partridge of the genus Arboricola.
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Spruce \Spruce\ (spr[udd]s), n. [OE. Spruce or Pruse, Prussia,
   Prussian. So named because it was first known as a native of
   Prussia, or because its sprouts were used for making, spruce
   beer. Cf. Spruce beer, below, Spruce, a.]
   1. (Bot.) Any coniferous tree of the genus Picea, as the
      Norway spruce (Picea excelsa), and the white and black
      spruces of America (Picea alba and Picea nigra),
      besides several others in the far Northwest. See Picea.
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   2. The wood or timber of the spruce tree.
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   3. Prussia leather; pruce. [Obs.]
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            Spruce, a sort of leather corruptly so called for
            Prussia leather.                      --E. Phillips.
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   Douglas spruce (Bot.), a valuable timber tree (Pseudotsuga
      Douglasii) of Northwestern America.

   Essence of spruce, a thick, dark-colored, bitterish, and
      acidulous liquid made by evaporating a decoction of the
      young branches of spruce.

   Hemlock spruce (Bot.), a graceful coniferous tree (Tsuga
      Canadensis) of North America. Its timber is valuable, and
      the bark is largely used in tanning leather.

   Spruce beer. [G. sprossenbier; sprosse sprout, shoot (akin
      to E. sprout, n.) + bier beer. The word was changed into
      spruce beer because the beer came from Prussia (OE.
      Spruce), or because it was made from the sprouts of the
      spruce. See Sprout, n., Beer, and cf. Spruce, n.] A
      kind of beer which is tinctured or flavored with spruce,
      either by means of the extract or by decoction.

   Spruce grouse. (Zool.) Same as Spruce partridge, below.
      

   Spruce leather. See Spruce, n., 3.

   Spruce partridge (Zool.), a handsome American grouse
      (Dendragapus Canadensis) found in Canada and the
      Northern United States; -- called also Canada grouse.
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