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Bancroft, Hubert Howe

(Encyclopedia)Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832–1918, American publisher and historian, b. Granville, Ohio. Bancroft began his career as a bookseller in San Francisco in 1852. Soon he had his own firm, the largest book...

Orléanais

(Encyclopedia)Orléanais ôrlāänāˈ [key], region and former province, N central France, on both sides of the Loire River. Orléans, the historic capital, Chartres, and Blois are the chief cities. The region inc...

sheep

(Encyclopedia)sheep, common name for many species of wild and domesticated ruminant mammals of the genus Ovis of the Bovidae, or cattle, family. The male is called a ram (if castrated it is a wether), the female is...

crowberry

(Encyclopedia)crowberry, evergreen alpine and arctic shrub of the genus Empetrum (or, sometimes, other related species), bearing black, red, or purple berrylike fruits. Some are cultivated in rock gardens. Crowberr...

oolite

(Encyclopedia)oolite ōˈəlīt, ōˈō– [key], rock composed of small concretions, usually of calcium carbonate, containing a nucleus and clearly defined concentric shells. In the British Isles oolitic limestone...

Rhode Island Red chicken

(Encyclopedia)Rhode Island Red chicken, American breed of poultry, no longer raised commercially, but still maintained for use in breeding programs. See Red Rock chicken. ...

mountain

(Encyclopedia)mountain, high land mass projecting conspicuously above its surroundings and usually of limited width at its summit. Although isolated mountains are not unusual, mountains commonly form ranges, compri...

Charles, Ray

(Encyclopedia)Charles, Ray (Ray Charles Robinson), 1930–2004, African-American musician and composer, b. Albany, Ga. Blinded at age seven, he was raised in Florida and at 16 began singing in a local hillbilly gro...

Gwalior

(Encyclopedia)Gwalior gwäˈlēôr [key], city and former princely state, central India. Part of Madhya Pra...

Paul, Les

(Encyclopedia)Paul, Les, 1915–2009, American guitarist and inventor, b. Waukesha, Wis., as Lester William Polsfuss (later Polfuss). He began playing country music a...