(Encyclopedia) Channel Islands or Santa Barbara IslandsChannel Islandssănˈtə bärˈbrə, –bərə [key], chain of eight rugged islands and many islets, extending c.150 mi (240 km) along the S Calif. coast…
(Encyclopedia) grouper, common name for a large carnivorous member of the family Serranidae (sea bass family), abundant in tropical and subtropical seas and highly valued as food fish. There are…
(Encyclopedia) mousebird or colycolykōˈlē [key], common name for small, slender birds, comprising six species in the single genus Colius of the family Coliidae. They resemble mice in their soft,…
(Encyclopedia) nutrianutrian&oomacr;ˈtrēə [key] or coypucoypukoiˈp&oomacr; [key], aquatic rodent, Myocastor coypus, of South America, introduced in the S United States for its fur, which is…
(Encyclopedia) limestone, sedimentary rock wholly or in large part composed of calcium carbonate. It is ordinarily white but may be colored by impurities, iron oxide making it brown, yellow, or red…
(Encyclopedia) Millais, Sir John EverettMillais, Sir John Everettmĭlāˈ [key], 1829–96, English painter. A prodigy, he began studying at the Royal Academy at the age of 11. In 1848, together with…
(Encyclopedia) walking stick or stick insect, names applied to extremely longbodied, slow-moving, herbivorous insects, forming a single family in the order Phasmatodea. Walking sticks have green,…
(Encyclopedia) thalliumthalliumthălˈēəm [key], metallic chemical element; symbol Tl; at. no. 81; interval in which at. wt. ranges 204.382–204.385; m.p. 303.5℃; b.p. about 1,457℃; sp. gr. 11.85 at 20…
(Encyclopedia) titmouse, common name for members of the Paridae, a family of passerine birds, which includes the tits, titmice, and chickadees. They are small, active birds with short, pointed bills…
(Encyclopedia) puffer or pufferfish, common name for some tropical marine fish of the family Tetraodontidae. The puffers and their allies, including the boxfish, the porcupinefish, the triggerfish,…
