Agagrus (Capra aegagrus) is a wild species of ibex, found in troops on the Caucasus, and many Asiatic mountains, believed to be the original source of at least one variety of the domestic goat. Research Aegragus
The almond (Prunus dulcis, formerly Amygdalus communis) is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to the Caucasus region, of the family Rosaceae with a smooth reddish coloured bark, spreading branches and alternate, stalked, rectangular to lanceolate, glossy and finely serrate leaves. The almond grows usually to the height of six meters, and is akin to the peach and nectarine. The flowers are sessile, white or pink in colour and appear in early spring before the leaves. The fruit is an elliptical, light-green coloured, velvety drupe which contains one oval seed in a hard- pitted shell. The almond was introduced to southern Europe in ancient times, and started being grown in Britain in the 16th century for its blossom, since the fruit doe not ripen in Britain. Research Almond
The Kabardin is a Russian breed of mountain horse developed during the 16th century in the mountainous region of the Northern Caucasus. The Kabardin stands between 15 and 15.2 hands high and is bay or black in colour. The Kabardin is renowned for its ability to find its way home, and is a sure-footed and often used without shoes, but is unable to gallop. Research Kabardin
The tiger (Panthera tigris or Felis tigris) is a large Asian wild cat. It is maneless, of tawny-yellow colour with blackish transverse stripes and a white belly. The tiger is one of the largest members of the cat family, the males exceed the females in size and measure about 180 centimetres in length from the nose to the root of the tail - which is about 90 cm in length, and stand about one metre at the shoulder. The hair is short in the Indian species, but longer and wooly in the Siberian or Manchurian variety.
Tigers were formerly dounf throughout most parts of Central and Southern Asia, from the Caucasus to the island of Sakhalien. They were found in most parts of India, but not in Sri Lanka. The fabourite habitat of a tiger is jungle and forest where it blends in with the tall standing yellow grass and is difficult to see. Tigers generally hunt at night, feeding upon cattle, deer and other mammals. Tigers generally avoid man, but having discovered that man is an easier prey than say a deer, a tiger can become a serious threat to local inhabitants.
Tigers live generally hunt alone, pairing up during the breeding season to produce and jointly rear a litter of between two and five cubs, which stay with the mother until they are mature at the age of three.
There were eight sub-species of tiger, however three became extinct during the 20th century and the Amur Tiger became severely endangered. Like some other species of cat, tigers communicate with a complex vocal language, though currently it hasn't been decoded. Tigers not only communicate with each other, but will also happily 'talk' to anyone prepared to lie down next to them. A group of tigers is known as an ambush. Research Tiger More pictures of Tiger
Wintergreen (Pyrolas) is a genus of herbs of the family Pyrolaceae. They have a slender shortly creeping stock. The leaves are orbicular or ovate and nearly radical. The plants bear white or greenish drooping flowers, either solitary or several in a short raceme, on leaflets. Common
Wintergreen (Pyrolas minor) is found in woods and moist shady places in Europe, Northern Asia and the extreme north of America, becoming a mountain plant in Southern Europe and the Caucasus. Research Wintergreen
Winter Cherry (Physalis alkekengi) also known as the Cape Gooseberry and Chinese Lantern, is a perennialherbaceous plant of the family Solanacea, a native to China and the Caucasus, with a creeping root, wedge-shaped oval leaves borne on long stalks, and an orange-coloured berry borne in the enlarged calyx which assumes the same hue after the white petals have been shed. Research Winter Cherry
The Abkasians are a race of Russian people originally found in the western and southern area of the CaucasusMountains. At one time they were Christians, but around 1900 adopted Islam and many of them have migrated into Turkish territory. Research Abkasian
Alexander II was King of Scotland from 1214 to 1249. Alexander II was born in 1198 and died in 1248. He succeeded his father William the Lion in 1214. He was a wise and energetic prince, and Scotland prospered greatly under him, though disturbed by the Norsemen, by the restlessness of some of the Celtic chiefs, and by the attempts of Henry III of England to make Alexander II do homage to him. Alexander II married Henry's sister, Joan, in 1221, who lived until 1238. In 1244 war with England almost broke out, but was fortunately averted. Alexander II died in 1248 at Kerrera, an island opposite Oban, when on an expedition in which he hoped to wrest the Hebrides from Norway. He was succeeded by his son, Alexander III
Alexander II (Czar Liberator) was Czar of Russia. He was born in 1818 and died in 1881. He was the eldest son of Czar Nicholas, whom he succeeded in 1855, before the end of the Crimean War. After peace was concluded the new emperor set about effecting reforms in the empire, the greatest of all being the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, a measure which gave freedom, on certain conditions, to 22,000,000 human beings who were previously in a state little removed from that of slavery. Under him, too, representative assemblies in the provinces were introduced, and he also did much to improve education, and to reorganize the judicial system. During his reign the Russian dominions in Central Asia were extended, a piece of territory south of the Caucasus, formerly belonging to Turkey, was acquired, and a part of Bessarabia, belonging since the Crimean War to Turkey in Europe, but previously to Russia, was restored to the latter power. The latter additions resulted from the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. He was assassinated in 1881 by the explosion from dynamite thrown at his carriage in St Petersburg by Nihilists. Research Alexander II
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Aegagrus
