grey hen

grey hen (plural grey hens)

1. A female of the black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix.

   Synonym: heath hen

   Coordinate terms: blackcock, heath cock

   Alternative form: greyhen

   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 28:

     I heard a grey hen cackling among the ling[.]

   • 1913, H.F. Witherby, Einar Lönnberg, “The British Black Grouse”, in British Birds Journal, volume 6, page 270:

     That the British Greyhen differs from the typical Scandinavian bird (Lyrurus t. tetrix) has for some years been suspected by Witherby, who has been waiting to obtain sufficient material before coming to a definite conclusion. Recently Lönnberg, on comparing a Scottish killed Greyhen with Swedish birds, also noticed the differences between them.

2. (historical) A large stone bottle for liquor.