(Encyclopedia) racer, name for several related swift, slender snakes, especially those of the genus Coluber. All of the racers are nonpoisonous, nonconstricting, day-active snakes. The black racer, C…
(Encyclopedia) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice charged with investigating all violations of federal laws except those assigned to some other federal…
(Encyclopedia) parrot, common name for members of the order Psittaciformes, comprising nearly 400 species of colorful birds, pantropical in distribution, including the parakeets. Parrots have large…
(Encyclopedia) sperm whale, largest of the toothed whales, Physeter catodon, found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It is also called cachalot. Male sperm whales may grow to more than 70 ft (21 m…
(Encyclopedia) Chanel, Coco (Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel)Chanel, Cocoshənĕlˈ [key], 1883–1971, French fashion designer b. Saumur. She established a millinery shop in Deauville in 1909, founded her first…
(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…
