Lim·næ·a prop. n.  Zool. A genus of fresh-water air-breathing mollusks, abundant in ponds and streams; -- called also pond snail. [Written also Lymnæa.]

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 Pal·u·di·na n.; pl. L. Paludinæ E. Paludinas   Zool. Any one of numerous species of freshwater pectinibranchiate mollusks, belonging to Paludina, Melantho, and allied genera.  They have an operculated shell which is usually green, often with brown bands.  See Illust. of Pond snail, under Pond.

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 Phy·sa prop. n.  Zool. A genus of fresh-water Pulmonifera, having reversed spiral shells. See Pond snail, under Pond.

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 Pond n.  A body of water, naturally or artificially confined, and usually of less extent than a lake. “Through pond or pool.”
 Pond hen Zool., the American coot. See Coot (a).
 Pond lily Bot., the water lily. See under Water, and Illust. under Nymphæa.
 Pond snail Zool., any gastropod living in fresh-water ponds or lakes. The most common kinds are air-breathing snails (Pulmonifera) belonging to Limnæa, Physa, Planorbis, and allied genera.  The operculated species are pectinibranchs, belonging to Melantho, Valvata, and various other genera.
 Pond spice Bot., an American shrub (Tetranthera geniculata) of the Laurel family, with small oval leaves, and axillary clusters of little yellow flowers. The whole plant is spicy. It grows in ponds and swamps from Virginia to Florida.
 Pond tortoise, Pond turtle Zool., any freshwater tortoise of the family Emydidæ. Numerous species are found in North America.


 Riv·er n.
 1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook.
    Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is delightful to drink as they flow.   --Macaulay.
 2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers of blood; rivers of oil.
 River chub Zool., the hornyhead and allied species of fresh-water fishes.
 River crab Zool., any species of fresh-water crabs of the genus Thelphusa, as Thelphusa depressa of Southern Europe.
 River dragon, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king of Egypt.
 River driver, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down rivers. --Bartlett.
 River duck Zool., any species of duck belonging to Anas, Spatula, and allied genera, in which the hind toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck.
 River god, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its tutelary divinity.
 River herring Zool., an alewife.
 River hog. Zool. (a) Any species of African wild hogs of the genus Potamochœrus. They frequent wet places along the rivers. (b) The capybara.
 River horse Zool., the hippopotamus.
 River jack Zool., an African puff adder (Clotho nasicornis) having a spine on the nose.
 River limpet Zool., a fresh-water, air-breathing mollusk of the genus Ancylus, having a limpet-shaped shell.
 River pirate Zool., the pike.
 River snail Zool., any species of fresh-water gastropods of Paludina, Melontho, and allied genera. See Pond snail, under Pond.
 River tortoise Zool., any one of numerous fresh-water tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus Trionyx and allied genera. See Trionyx.


 Snail n.
 1. Zool. (a) Any one of numerous species of terrestrial air-breathing gastropods belonging to the genus Helix and many allied genera of the family Helicidae. They are abundant in nearly all parts of the world except the arctic regions, and feed almost entirely on vegetation; a land snail. (b) Any gastropod having a general resemblance to the true snails, including fresh-water and marine species. See Pond snail, under Pond, and Sea snail.
 2. Hence, a drone; a slow-moving person or thing.
 3. Mech. A spiral cam, or a flat piece of metal of spirally curved outline, used for giving motion to, or changing the position of, another part, as the hammer tail of a striking clock.
 4. A tortoise; in ancient warfare, a movable roof or shed to protect besiegers; a testudo. [Obs.]
    They had also all manner of gynes [engines] . . . that needful is [in] taking or sieging of castle or of city, as snails, that was naught else but hollow pavises and targets, under the which men, when they fought, were heled [protected], . . . as the snail is in his house; therefore they cleped them snails.   --Vegetius (Trans.).
 5. Bot. The pod of the sanil clover.
 Ear snail, Edible snail, Pond snail, etc. See under Ear, Edible, etc.
 Snail borer Zool., a boring univalve mollusk; a drill.
 Snail clover Bot., a cloverlike plant (Medicago scuttellata, also, Medicago Helix); -- so named from its pods, which resemble the shells of snails; -- called also snail trefoil, snail medic, and beehive.
 Snail flower Bot., a leguminous plant (Phaseolus Caracalla) having the keel of the carolla spirally coiled like a snail shell.
 Snail shell Zool., the shell of snail.
 Snail trefoil. Bot. See Snail clover, above.

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