(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) protactiniumprotactiniumprōˌtăktĭnˈēəm [key], radioactive chemical element; symbol Pa; at. no. 91; mass number of most stable isotope 231; m.p. greater than 1,600℃; b.p. 4,026℃; sp. gr…
(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…
(Encyclopedia) oryxoryxôrˈĭks [key], name for several small, horselike antelopes, genus Oryx, found in deserts and arid scrublands of Africa and Arabia. They feed on grasses and scrub and can go…
(Encyclopedia) vole, name for a large number of mouselike rodents, related to the lemmings. Most range in length from 31&fslsh;2 to 7 in. (9–18 cm) and have rounded bodies with gray or brown…
From Dusk to Dawn: The Sisters of HeliusClassical MythologyFriends, Fairies, and Fairy Tale MonstersFrom Dusk to Dawn: The Sisters of HeliusThe Good-Time God: PanThe Fairy Tale World: Giants, Ogres,…
(Encyclopedia) lemurlemurlēˈmər [key], name for prosimians, or lower primates, of two related families, found only on Madagascar and adjacent islands. Lemurs have monkeylike bodies and limbs, and…
(Encyclopedia) goatsucker, common name for nocturnal or crepuscular birds of the order Caprimulgiformes, which includes the frogmouth, the oilbird, potoos, and nightjars. Goatsuckers are medium in…
(Encyclopedia) Dampier, WilliamDampier, Williamdămˈpēr [key], 1651–1715, English explorer, buccaneer, hydrographer, and naturalist. He fought (1673) in the Dutch War, managed a plantation in Jamaica…
