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West Yorkshire

(Encyclopedia)West Yorkshire, former metropolitan county, N central England. Created in the 1974 local government reorganization, the county largely embraced the Leeds conurbation and comprised five metropolitan di...

Camorra

(Encyclopedia)Camorra kəmôrˈə [key], Italian secret criminal association in Naples. Of controversial origin, it first came to light in 1830. Its activities spread by intimidation, blackmail, and bribery until N...

flycatcher

(Encyclopedia)flycatcher, common name for various members of the Old World family Muscicapidae, insectivorous songbirds including the kingbirds, phoebes, and pewees. Flycatchers vary in color from drab to brilliant...

knight

(Encyclopedia)knight, in ancient and medieval history, a noble who did military service as a mounted warrior. As the feudal system disintegrated, knight service was with growing frequency commuted into cash pay...

Newton, Alfred

(Encyclopedia)Newton, Alfred, 1829–1907, English zoologist, b. Geneva. He studied (1854–65) ornithology in Lapland, Iceland, the West Indies, and North America and in 1866 became the first professor of zoology ...

Shee, Sir Martin Archer

(Encyclopedia)Shee, Sir Martin Archer, 1769–1850, British portrait painter and writer, b. Dublin; pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds. He attained popularity in court and theatrical circles and executed many royal commi...

Graham, George

(Encyclopedia)Graham, George, 1674?–1751, English instrument maker. A clockmaker by trade, Graham designed clocks and watches that earned him membership in the Royal Society and were still manufactured into the p...

Black Watch

(Encyclopedia)Black Watch or Royal Highland Regiment, Scottish infantry regiment. The first companies were raised in 1725 to watch the rebellious Scottish highlands and keep the peace, and the regiment was formed 1...

Hittite art and architecture

(Encyclopedia)Hittite art and architecture, works of art and structures created by the ancient Hittites The principal architectural remnant of the Hittite civilization is at Boğazköy, where temple structures ...

Linlithgow, Victor Alexander John Hope, 2d marquess of

(Encyclopedia)Linlithgow, Victor Alexander John Hope, 2d marquess of lĭnlĭthˈgō [key], 1887–1952, British statesman, viceroy of India. Linlithgow was civil lord of the admiralty (1922–24) and held numerous ...