The name of a British possession or ‘dominion’ in N. America, used attrib. in the names of various commercial products, animals, and plants, as Canada agaric, goose, stag, etc.; esp. C. balsam, a pale balsam or resin derived from Abies balsamea, and A. canadensis, used in medicine, and as a transparent gum for mounting microscopic objects; C. rice, an aquatic grass (Hydropyrum esculentum), whose seeds feed great flocks of water-fowl, and are also used as food by the natives; C. tea, the leaves of Gaultheria procumbens, used to flavor tea, or as a substitute for it; Mountain Tea; C. turpentine = Canada balsam.
[1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, VI. 205. I had … called it New England, yet so long he [Thomas Hunt] and his Consorts drowned that name with the Eccho of Cannaday.]
1840. Gosse, Canadian Nat. The bark of the fir or balsam is covered with bladders full of a fluid resin … this is the *Canada-balsam of the apothecaries.
1861. Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., III. 284. *Canada Flea-bane … a dull-looking plant, with small heads of dingy flowers.
1772. Forster, Hudson’s Bay Birds, in Phil. Trans., LXII. 414. The *Canada geese are very plentiful at Hudson’s Bay.
1838. Penny Cycl., XI. 308. The Canada Goose generally builds its nest on the ground. Ibid. (1842), XXIII. 120/1. This [Surnia funerea] is the … *Canada Owl of Latham.
1869. J. Burroughs, in Galaxy Mag., Aug., 173. The tree or *Canada-sparrow.
1837. Penny Cycl., VIII. 359/1. The French in America call this beast [Cervus Wapiti] the *Canada Stag.
