malafiges

malafiges, n. pl. ? U.S.

[a. Du. malefijtje, malefietje, dim. of malefijt, of obscure origin: ? connected with F. maléfique malefic a.]

‘A sailors' name for a small sea-bird supposed to appear before a storm: apparently, the stormy petrel or Mother Carey's chicken’ (Cent. Dict.).