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babbler

(Encyclopedia)babbler, common name for some members of the large, diversified family Timaliidae, passerine birds found primarily in wooded areas of Asia, Africa, and Australia. Babblers have soft, fluffy plumage an...

Rockford

(Encyclopedia)Rockford, industrial city (1990 pop. 139,426), seat of Winnebago co., N Ill., on the Rock River near the Wis. line; inc. 1839 with the merger of two settlements on opposite sides of the river. It is t...

turquoise

(Encyclopedia)turquoise, hydrous phosphate of aluminum and copper, Al2(OH)3PO4·H2O+Cu, used as a gem. It occurs rarely in crystal form, but is usually cryptocrystalline. Turquoise is opaque and has a waxy luster; ...

Watson, Doc

(Encyclopedia)Watson, Doc (Arthel Lane Watson), 1923–2012, American country-music singer and musician, b. Stony Fork, N.C. Blind from infancy, he learned to play the harmonica, banjo, and guitar in his youth. His...

wren

(Encyclopedia)wren, small, plump perching songbird of the family Troglodytidae. There are about 60 wren species, and all except one are restricted to the New World. The plumage is usually brown or reddish above and...

Abbottabad

(Encyclopedia)Abbottabad ăbˈətäbäd [key], city (2020 pop. 1,332,912), NE Pakistan. It is a popular health resort c.4,000 ft (1,220 m) above sea level in the Himalaya region. It is...

Blume, Peter

(Encyclopedia)Blume, Peter blo͞om [key], 1906–92, American painter, b. Russia. Blume immigrated to the United States in 1911. In his early work, such as The Parade (1930; Mus. of Modern Art, New York City), he s...

Bettendorf

(Encyclopedia)Bettendorf bĕtˈəndocirc;rfˌ [key], city (2020 pop. 39,102), Scott co., E Iowa, on the Mississippi ...

soapstone

(Encyclopedia)soapstone or steatite stēˈətīt [key], metamorphic rock of which the characteristic and usually chief mineral is talc, but which also contains varying parts of chlorite, mica, tremolite, quartz, ma...

stonecrop

(Encyclopedia)stonecrop, common name for members of the Crassulaceae (also called orpine, or hen-and-chickens, family), a family of succulent, fleshy herbs and shrubs mostly inhabiting arid regions in many parts of...