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hagfish

(Encyclopedia)hagfish, primitive, jawless marine fish of the family Myxinidae, of worldwide distribution in cold and temperate waters. Its rudimentary skeleton, of cartilage rather than bone, has a braincase, but n...

Clapton, Eric Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Clapton, Eric Patrick, 1945–, British guitarist, singer, and songwriter, b. Ripley, Surrey, England. A seminal figure in rock music, he is noted especially for his virtuoso guitar playing, whose sty...

Lomax, John Avery

(Encyclopedia)Lomax, John Avery lōˈmăks [key], 1867–1948, American folklorist, b. Goodman, Miss. Lomax's first book, Cowboy Songs (1910), contained for the first time in print such songs as “The Old Chisholm...

King, B. B.

(Encyclopedia)King, B. B., 1925–2015, African-American blues singer and guitarist, b. near Indianola, Miss., as Riley B. King. He grew up poor in the Mississippi Delta region, began playing the guitar at 12, was ...

catfish

(Encyclopedia)catfish, common name applied to members of the fish families constituting the order Siluriformes, found in fresh and coastal waters. Catfish are named for the barbels (“whiskers”) around their mou...

Murphysboro

(Encyclopedia)Murphysboro mûrˈfēzbûrˌə [key], city (1990 pop. 9,176), seat of Jackson co., S Ill., on the Big Muddy River; inc. 1867. It is a trade and distribution center for a fertile farm area. Shoes, feed...

Monroe, Bill

(Encyclopedia)Monroe, Bill (William Smith Monroe), 1911–96, country singer, musician, and songwriter, often called the “father of bluegrass,” b. Rosine, Ky. A m...

mangrove

(Encyclopedia)mangrove, large tropical evergreen tree, genus Rhizophora, that grows on muddy tidal flats and along protected ocean shorelines. Mangroves are most abundant in tropical Asia, Africa, and the islands o...

Brookline

(Encyclopedia)Brookline bro͝okˈlīn [key], town (2020 pop. 63,191), Norfolk co., E Mass., a suburb adjacent to ...

flamingo

(Encyclopedia)flamingo, common name for a large pink or red wading bird, similar to the related heron, stork, and spoonbill but with a longer neck, webbed feet, and a unique down-bent bill. Flamingos are tropical b...