The bichon frise is a breed of small dog probably originating in France or Spain - although popular convention suggests it originated on the island of Tenerife - and characterised by its pure white, softly curling coat. The breed was introduced to the USA in 1956. Compactly built, it carries its tail curved over its back and stands 23 to 28 centimetres at the shoulder. Research Bichon Frise
Cinnamon is a species of laurel (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), which is chiefly found in Sri Lanka, but grows also in Malabar and other parts of the East Indies. The tree attains the height of about nine meters, has oval leaves, pale-yellow flowers, and acorn-shaped fruit. The Ceylonese bark their trees in April and November, the barkcurling up into rolls or quills in the process of drying; the smaller quills being introduced into the larger ones. These are then assorted according to quality by tasters, and made up into bundles. An oil of cinnamon is prepared in Sri Lanka, but the oil of cassia is generally substituted for it; indeed, the cassiabark is often substituted for cinnamon, to which it has some resemblance, although in its qualities it is much weaker. The leaves, the fruit, and the root of the cinnamon plant all yield oil of considerable value; that from the fruit, being highly fragrant and of thick consistence, was formerly made into candles for the sole use of the King of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Research Cinnamon
The goat is a horned ruminantquadruped of the genus Capra. The horns are hollow, erect, turned backward, annular on the surface, and scabrous. The male is generally bearded under the chin. Goats are nearly of the size of sheep, but stronger, less timid, and more agile. They frequent rocks and mountains, and subsist on scanty coarse food. Their milk is sweet, nourishing, and medicinal, and their flesh furnishes food. Goats are of almost interminable variety, and it is not certainly known from which the domesitic goat is descended, though opinion favours the Capra cegagrus, or wild goat of Western Asia. Goats are generally subdivided into ibexes and goats proper. They are found in all parts of the world, and many varieties are valued for their hair or wool. The skin is prepared for a variety of purposes, and yields the leather known under the name of morocco. The Cashmere goat, as its name indicates, is a native of Cashmere; it is smaller than the common domestic goat, and has long, silky, fine hair. The Angora goat is also furnished with soft silky hair of a silver-white colour, hanging down in curling locks about 20 centimeters long. Its horns are in a spiral form, and extend laterally. The Rocky Mountain goat is the Haplocerus montanus, or big-horn. In Massachusetts, USA, it is illegal for a goat to wear trousers. Research Goat
The Jacob is a British breed of sheep. Slight of build, with the narrow, lean carcass typical of some of the ancient British breeds, they are immediately noticeable due to their black and white fleeces and prominent horns. Both males and females are horned, sporting two, four and occasionally six horns. Most striking to many people are four-horned rams with two vertical centre horns as much as two feet long, and two side horns curling down along the side of the head. Two-horned rams develop the more familiar classic double curl. Horns on the ewe are always shorter and more delicate than the rams' horns.
The Jacob fleece, which is properly described as white with black spots, is prized by hand spinners and weavers. The white and the black wool, which may fade at the tips to dark brown, may be blended to various shades of greys. The wool is of medium grade, and interestingly, the black wool, which grows out of black skin, frequently is shorter than the white wool, which grows from white skin. Ideally, the animal should be 40% black and 60% white, with certain characteristic patterns. The legs should be predominantly white, with black hooves and black knees and hocks desirable. The desired Jacob face is frequently referred to as 'badger faced' , with black cheeks and muzzle, but a white blaze down the front of the face. The nose should be black as well as the horns and ears.
Curling or the Roaring Game is a Scottish national game akin to bowls played with large smooth stones having somewhat the shape of a flattened hemisphere, weighing from 80 to 45 lbs. each, with an iron or wooden handle at the top, from one mark to another on the ice. Curling is said to have been introduced from the Low Countries in the 16th century.
The space within which the stones move is called the rink, and the hole or mark at each end the tee. The length of the rink from tee to tee varies from 30 to 50 yards. The players are arranged in two parties, each headed by a skip or director. The number of players upon a rink is eight or sixteen - eight when the players use two stones each, and sixteen when they use one stone each. There may be one or more rinks according to the number of curlers. The object of the player is to lay his stone as near to the mark as possible, to guard that of his partner which has been well laid before, or to strike off that of his antagonist. When the stones on both sides have been all played the stone nearest the tee counts one, and if the second, third, fourth, etc, belong to the same side, each counts one more, the number played for being generally twenty-one. If a player's stone does not cross a line, called the hog-score, at some distance in front of the tee his shot goes for nothing and the stone is removed from the rink. The set matches are termed bonspiels. Since the 19th century the game has been played in England, Canada, the USA and elsewhere. Research Curling
Abbreviations
Research Bichon Frise
