Merling

I'm just a merle addict - what could be more amazingly gorgeous than all of that beautiful merling all over his body! ❋ Unknown (2007)

Never had he seen such a gorgeous array of costumes the velvet capes of the lords; with heraldirc blazons on the back; the gowns of the ladies, belted and fringed with black coral beads, or crystallized merling scales, or rectangular tourmalines, with tiaras to match. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

From the reeds camethe croak of nocturnal insects, and water lapped softly against the dock; a merling perhaps had risen to the surface, to listen for interesting sounds. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Glinnes hunched himself up on the stairs, stave ready; the merling dared approach no further. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Jut Hulden had gone out to hunt merling once too often; they had laid a cunning trap for him. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

The merling uttered a dismal croak and jumped forward; Glinnes grasped a stave and thrust it at the creature's groin; it sagged away. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Similarly, a merling discovered on land was shown no mercy. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Glinnes jumped at its head and managed to strike it between the eyes with his fist, which damaged his knuckles and perhaps surprised the merling. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

The merling snatched and once more dragged him toward the water. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Glinnes again kicked out and the merling croaked in annoyance. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Since that time, his nocturnal hunts for merling had become almost an obsession. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Glinnes entirely enjoyed the pleasures of the Fens: feasts, amorous adventures, star-watching and sailing, hussade, nocturnal merling hunts, simple idleness. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Under the Trullion starblaze man and merling confronted each other. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Something bumped the bottom of the boat disappointed merling. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

Ten feet behind her appeared the oily black dome of a merling head, with eye-disks glowing silver. ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

The Indians had secured reinforcements and after dividing in two bands, one band hid in the tall grass in order to pick us off and shoot us as we attempted to hold our cattle, while the other band proceeded to stampede the herd, but fortunately there were enough of us to prevent the herd from stringing out on us, as we gave our first attention to the cattle we got them to merling. ❋ Nat Love (N/A)

She supped upon salt merling [whiting], pease-cods [green peas], and stewed fruit, and was not sorry to get to bed. ❋ Emily Sarah Holt (1864)

No one sits there but myself, and maybe a merling or two during my absence. " ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)

We won't settle for any old slab of merling bait. " ❋ Vance, Jack (1973)