Chapter Hereto to Herpetic of H by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (A. cœrulea); the green (A. virescens); the snowy (A. candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called egrets.

Heron's bill (Bot.), a plant of the genus Erodium; — so called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the head and beak of the heron.

Heroner
(Her"on*er) n. A hawk used in hunting the heron. "Heroner and falcon." Chaucer.

Heronry
(Her"on*ry) n. A place where herons breed.

Heronsew
(Her"on*sew) n. A heronshaw. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Heronshaw
(Her"on*shaw) n. [OF. heroncel, dim. of héron. See Heron.] (Zoöl.) A heron. [Written variously hernshaw, harnsey, etc.]

Heroölogist
(He`ro*öl"o*gist) n. [Gr. + discourse.] One who treats of heroes. [R.] T. Warton.

Heroship
(He"ro*ship) n. The character or personality of a hero. "Three years of heroship." Cowper.

Herpes
(Her"pes) n. [L., fr. Gr. "e`rphs, fr. "e`rpein to creep.] (Med.) An eruption of the skin, taking various names, according to its form, or the part affected; especially, an eruption of vesicles in small distinct clusters, accompanied with itching or tingling, including shingles, ringworm, and the like; — so called from its tendency to creep or spread from one part of the skin to another.

Herpetic
(Her*pet"ic) a. [Cf. F. herpétique.] Pertaining to, or resembling, the herpes; partaking of the nature of herpes; as, herpetic eruptions.