Gray \Gray\ (gr[=a]), a. [Compar. Grayer; superl. Grayest.]
   [OE. gray, grey, AS. gr[=ae]g, gr[=e]g; akin to D. graauw,
   OHG. gr[=a]o, G. grau, Dan. graa, Sw. gr[*a], Icel. gr[=a]r.]
   [Written also grey.]
   1. any color of neutral hue between white and black; white
      mixed with black, as the color of pepper and salt, or of
      ashes, or of hair whitened by age; sometimes, a dark mixed
      color; as, the soft gray eye of a dove.
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            These gray and dun colors may be also produced by
            mixing whites and blacks.             --Sir I.
                                                  Newton.
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   2. Gray-haired; gray-headed; of a gray color; hoary.
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   3. Old; mature; as, gray experience. -- Ames.
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   4. gloomy; dismal.
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   Gray antimony (Min.), stibnite.

   Gray buck (Zool.), the chickara.

   Gray cobalt (Min.), smaltite.

   Gray copper (Min.), tetrahedrite.

   Gray duck (Zool.), the gadwall; also applied to the female
      mallard.

   Gray falcon (Zool.) the peregrine falcon.

   Gray Friar. See Franciscan, and Friar.

   Gray hen (Zool.), the female of the blackcock or black
      grouse. See Heath grouse.

   Gray mill or Gray millet (Bot.), a name of several plants
      of the genus Lithospermum; gromwell.

   Gray mullet (Zool.) any one of the numerous species of the
      genus Mugil, or family Mugilid[ae], found both in the
      Old World and America; as the European species
      (Mugilid[ae] capito, and Mugilid[ae] auratus), the
      American striped mullet (Mugilid[ae] albula), and the
      white or silver mullet (Mugilid[ae] Braziliensis). See
      Mullet.

   Gray owl (Zool.), the European tawny or brown owl (Syrnium
      aluco). The great gray owl (Ulula cinerea) inhabits
      arctic America.

   Gray parrot (Zool.), an African parrot (Psittacus
      erithacus), very commonly domesticated, and noted for its
      aptness in learning to talk. Also called jako.

   Gray pike. (Zool.) See Sauger.

   Gray snapper (Zool.), a Florida fish; the sea lawyer. See
      Snapper.

   Gray snipe (Zool.), the dowitcher in winter plumage.

   Gray whale (Zool.), a rather large and swift whale of the
      northern Pacific (Eschrichtius robustus, formerly
      Rhachianectes glaucus), having short jaws and no dorsal
      fin. It grows to a length of 50 feet (someimes 60 feet).
      It was formerly taken in large numbers in the bays of
      California, and is now rare; -- called also grayback,
      devilfish, and hardhead. It lives up to 50 or 60 years
      and adults weigh from 20 to 40 tons.
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Gray whale \Gray whale\ (Zool.),
   a rather large and swift baleen whale of the northern Pacific
   (Eschrichtius robustus, formerly Rhachianectes glaucus),
   having short jaws and no dorsal fin; -- called also
   grayback, devilfish, and hardhead. It grows to a length
   of 50 feet (sometimes 60 feet). It was formerly taken in
   large numbers in the bays of California, and is now rare. It
   lives up to 50 or 60 years and adults weigh from 20 to 40
   tons.
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Hardhead \Hard"head`\ (-h[e^]d`), n.
   1. Clash or collision of heads in contest. --Dryden.
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   2. (Zool.)
      (a) The menhaden. See Menhaden. [Local, U. S.]
      (b) Block's gurnard (Trigla gurnardus) of Europe.
      (c) A California salmon; the steelhead.
      (d) The gray whale. See Gray whale, under Gray.
      (e) A coarse American commercial sponge (Spongia dura).
          [1913 Webster] hardheaded

menhaden \men*ha"den\, n. (Zool.)
   An American marine fish (Brevoortia tyrannus) of the
   Herring family (Clupeidae), chiefly valuable for its oil
   and as a component of fertilizers; -- called also
   mossbunker, bony fish, chebog, pogy, hardhead,
   whitefish, etc.
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Ruddy \Rud"dy\, a. [Compar. Ruddier; superl. Ruddiest.] [AS.
   rudig. See Rud, n.]
   1. Of a red color; red, or reddish; as, a ruddy sky; a ruddy
      flame. --Milton.
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            They were more ruddy in body than rubies. --Lam. iv.
                                                  7.
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   2. Of a lively flesh color, or the color of the human skin in
      high health; as, ruddy cheeks or lips. --Dryden.
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   Ruddy duck (Zool.), an American duck (Erismatura rubida)
      having a broad bill and a wedge-shaped tail composed of
      stiff, sharp feathers. The adult male is rich brownish red
      on the back, sides, and neck, black on the top of the
      head, nape, wings, and tail, and white on the cheeks. The
      female and young male are dull brown mixed with blackish
      on the back; grayish below. Called also dunbird,
      dundiver, ruddy diver, stifftail, spinetail,
      hardhead, sleepy duck, fool duck, spoonbill, etc.
      

   Ruddy plover (Zool.) the sanderling.
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Steelhead \Steel"head`\ (-h[e^]d`), n.
   1. (Zool.) A North Pacific salmon (Salmo Gairdneri) found
      from Northern California to Siberia; -- called also
      hardhead, and preestl.
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   2. (Zool.) The ruddy duck.
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