\Heath\, n. [OE. heth waste land, the plant heath, AS.
h??; akin to D. & G. heide, Icel. hei?r waste land, Dan.
hede, Sw. hed, Goth. haipi field, L. bucetum a cow pasture;
cf. W. coed a wood, Skr. ksh?tra field. [root]20.]
1. (Bot.)
   (a) A low shrub ({Erica, or Calluna, vulgaris}), with
       minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink
       flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms,
       thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It
       is also called {heather}, and {ling}.
   (b) Also, any species of the genus {Erica}, of which
       several are European, and many more are South African,
       some of great beauty. See Illust. of {Heather}.

2. A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of
   country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.

         Their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the
         blasted heath.                        --Milton

{Heath cock} (Zo["o]l.), the blackcock. See {Heath grouse}
   (below).

{Heath grass} (Bot.), a kind of perennial grass, of the genus
   {Triodia} ({T. decumbens}), growing on dry heaths.

{Heath grouse}, or {Heath game} (Zo["o]l.), a European grouse
   ({Tetrao tetrix}), which inhabits heats; -- called also
   {black game}, {black grouse}, {heath poult}, {heath fowl},
   {moor fowl}. The male is called, {heath cock}, and
   {blackcock}; the female, {heath hen}, and {gray hen}.

{Heath hen}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Heath grouse} (above).

{Heath pea} (bot.), a species of bitter vetch ({Lathyris
   macrorhizus}), the tubers of which are eaten, and in
   Scotland are used to flavor whisky.

{Heath throstle} (Zo["o]l.), a European thrush which
   frequents heaths; the ring ouzel.