Cow-catcher,

Cow-catcher, a kind of barred iron cone or beak shaped arrangement, about 6 feet long, projecting from the front of locomotives, close over the railway track, and attached to the buffer-beam by strong bolts. It is generally used upon American lines where unfenced. Sometimes it is sheathed with iron plates in winter, when it acts as a snow-plough. Despite its name, it catches no cows, but generally throws any animal struck up on the buffer-beam, or clears the line by shoving forward and tossing aside.