Laughing falcon (Zool.), a South American hawk (Herpetotheres cachinnans); so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh.
Laughing gas (Chem.), nitrous oxide, also called hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; so called from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes produces when inhaled. It has been much used as an anaesthetic agent, though now its use is primarily in dentistry
Laughing goose (Zool.), the European white-fronted goose.
Laughing gull. (Zool.)
(a)
A common European gull (Xema ridibundus); called also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea crow.
(b)
An American gull (Larus atricilla). In summer the head is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer primaries black.
Laughing hyena (Zool.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena.
Laughing jackass (Zool.), the great brown kingfisher (Dacelo gigas), of Australia; called also giant kingfisher, and gogobera.
Laughing owl (Zool.), a peculiar owl (Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of extinction. The name alludes to its notes.
... "There was a live lion stuffed with straw; a zebra that had fifty stripes from the tip of his nose to his tail, nary stripe alike; a laughing hyena of the desert, who could cry like a child when he was hungry, and who devoured the people who came to his assistance, thereby showing the total depravity of human nature; an elephant that could dance; and monkeys who climbed the highest trees and swung in the gentle zephyrs by the ... — A Little Girl of Long Ago • Amanda Millie Douglas
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