(Encyclopedia) podzolpodzolpŏdˈsŏl [key] or podzolic soil, member of a group of soils that are gray in color, have an ashy appearance, and extend immediately south of the tundra regions of the…
(Encyclopedia) yerba buenayerba buenayĕrˈbə bwāˈnə [key], trailing evergreen perennial (Micromeria chamissonis) of the family Labiatae (mint family). It is native to W North America and especially…
(Encyclopedia) redstart, common name for an Old World thrush of the genus Phoenicurus, family Turdidae. A small, slender-legged songbird, it is found in woodlands, parks, and heaths. The European…
(Encyclopedia) rhearhearēˈə [key], common name for a South American bird of the family Rheidae, which is related to the ostrich. Weighing from 44 to 55 lb (20–25 kg) and standing up to 60 in. (152 cm…
(Encyclopedia) serpentineserpentinesûrˈpəntēn, –tīn [key], hydrous silicate of magnesium. It occurs in crystalline form only as a pseudomorph having the form of some other mineral and is generally…
(Encyclopedia) cystitiscystitissĭstīˈtĭs [key], common acute or chronic inflammation of the urinary bladder. The disease occurs primarily in young women and frequently results from bacterial invasion…
(Encyclopedia) era, period of historic time. In geology, it is the name applied to large divisions of geological process, e.g., Paleozoic era (see geology). In chronology an era is a period reckoned…
(Encyclopedia) EssenesEssenesĕsˈēnz [key], members of a small Jewish religious order, originating in the 2d cent. b.c. The chief sources of information about the Essenes are Pliny the Elder, Philo's…
(Encyclopedia) rabiesrabiesrāˈbēz, răˈ– [key] or hydrophobiarabieshīˌdrəfōˈbēə [key], acute viral infection of the central nervous system in dogs, bats, foxes, raccoons, skunks, and other animals,…
(Encyclopedia) owl, common name for nocturnal birds of prey found on all continents. Owls superficially resemble short-necked hawks, except that their eyes are directed forward and are surrounded by…
