The Nightingale (also known as the attic bird and the bulbul) is any song bird of the Passerinegenus Daulias of the Thrush family. The Common Nightingale (Daulias luscinia) is about 17 centimetres long with plumage of a rich chestnut-brown above with a rufous tinge to the tail and greyish-white below deepening in hue on the breast,. The Common Nightingale arrives in England around the middle of April frequenting groves, small shady copses, woods, quiet gardens and thick hedgerows. They feed on worms, insects and insect-larvae. The nest is made in a hollow in the ground or in a low fork in a thick bush. About five olive-green coloured eggs are laid. Research Nightingale
Sylviadae is the warbler family of birds. They have a slender bill, tapering to a point, both of the mandibles having in most cases the vertical outline slightly arched, and the lateral outline slightly incurved. The upper mandible is notched near the tip. They are small and delicately formed birds, most of which are migratory, living in summergroves and woods and feeding principally on small insects which they collect among herbage, on the bark of trees, or on the ground. Research Sylviadae
The Celts were, according to some sources, ancient tribes of people which came to Britain from central Europe in the late Bronze age and again in the Iron Age. The name is also applied to the Ancient Britons, peoples living in Britain around the time of the bronze age until the invasion by the Romans. The Celts left no written accounts of their life, written accounts were made by the Romans, who in all probability were less than gracious.
Through archaeology we are able to understand a little of Celtic life, we know that they wove cloth, and yet corpses found are all dressed identically in a cloth made of brown felt, like a blanket, comprising a skirt and a cloak like top covering, in the case of women sometimes a crop top arrangement. These clothes found on dead Celts are often very tatty, full of holes, even though the deceased was obviously wealthy and of status, established from the artefacts found buried with the body.
We think that the Celts lived in round houses constructed of wattle and daub, and thatched with straw - these houses did not have a hole in the roof to emit the smoke from the interior fire, contrary to popular belief. If they had, the roof would fall outwards, and rain fall in and extinguish the fire. Rather, the smoke from the interior fire assisted in seasoning the wood and killing insects. They were farmers, growing wheat, barley and keeping sheep, pigs and goats. They were very eco-friendly, sustaining their environment for over a thousand years, and understanding herbalism which was used for medicine, and the production of coloured dyes.
At an early date the Celts divided into two great branches, speaking dialects widely differing from each other, but doubtless belonging to the same stock. One of these branches is the Gad-helic or Gaelic, represented by the Highlanders of Scotland, the Celtic Irish, and the Manx; the other is the Cymric, represented by the Welsh, the inhabitants of Cornwall, and those of Brittany. The Cornishdialect is now extinct.
The sun seems to have been the principal object of worship among the Celts, and groves of oak and the remarkable circles of stone commonly called 'Druidical Circles', their temples of worship. All the old Celts seem to have possessed a kind of literary order called Bards. The ancient Irish wrote in a rude alphabet called the Ogham; later they employed the Roman alphabet, or the Anglo-Saxon form of it. The chief literature existing consists of the hymns, martyrologies, annals, and laws of Ireland, written from the 9th to the 16th centuries. The Scottish Gaelic literature extant includes a collection of manuscripts in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, some of v/hich date from the 12th century; the Book of the Dean of Lismore, 16th century; a number of songs from the 17th century to the present day; and the so-called poems of Ossian. The Welsh literary remains date from the 9th century, and consist of glossaries, grammars, annals, genealogies, histories, poems, prose tales, etc. Research Celts
Ricky Groves is an English actor. He was born in 1968 at London. He is best known for playing the role of 'Garry Hobbs' in the soapopera 'Eastenders'. Research Ricky Groves
Heroes was a name applied by the Greeks to mythical personages who formed an intermediate link between men and gods. They were demigods, whose mortal nature only was destroyed by death, while the immortal ascended to the gods. The heroic age of Greece is considered to have terminated with the return of the Heraclidae into the Peloponnesus in 1100 BC. There were six great heroic races, descended respectively from Prometheus and Deucalion, Inachus, Agenor, Danaus, Pelops or Tantalus, and Cecrops. Individual families, as, for instance, the AEacidioe, Atridoe, Heraclidoe, belong to one or another of these races. Great sacrifices were not offered to the heroes, as they were to the Olympian deities; but groves were consecrated to them, and libations poured out on their sepulchres. Research Heroes
The Battle of Chapultepec was a famous battle of the Mexican War fought between September the 12th and 14th 1847. Scott commanding 7200 Americans, Santa Anna 25,000 Mexicans. Pillow and Quitman were ordered to attack the castle, supported by Worth, Twiggs checking reinforcements from the city. An entrance into the castlegroves and the castle itself was quickly effected and the fighting raged along the streets of the city. The castleflag was shot away and General Bravo, four other generals, 100 officers and 800 men surrendered. Worth had meanwhile established his headquarters within the city gates. On September the 14th Worth captured the citadel and hoisted over the palace the Stars and Stripes. Santa Anna sent to Scott demanding guarantees of life and property. Scott refused to be bound by terms other than those imposed by honour and usage. Scott was obliged to sweep the streets with canister and grape because of attacks from the houses. Research Battle of Chapultepec
California is a state in the west USA on the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered in 1533 and named California after a fictional island in a story by a contemporary Spanish author, or perhaps it was so named from the Spanish Caliente Fornalla, meaning hot furnace and alluring to the climate. California was admitted into the USA in 1850.
The coast extends the full length of the state, measuring about 700 miles, following the indentations. On the southern part of the coast are a few islands. The state may be divided into three distinct portions - the central being much the most densely populated. This central portion is embraced between the parallels 35 degrees and 40 degrees, and has on its eastern side the Sierra Nevada, and on its western the Coast Ranges. Between these two mountain chains lies the Great Central Valley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin, renowned for its beauty and fertility.
The principal river is the Sacramento, which flows south for upwards of 300 miles, receiving numerous affluents from the Sierra Nevada, and falls into the Bay of Suisun. The San Joaquin rises in the SierraNevada, flows north for about 250 miles, and joins the Sacramento about 15 miles above Suisun Bay. It receives the waters of lakeTule or Tulares, and has numerous tributaries. The Bay of San Francisco, forming the most capacious harbour on the Pacific coast, is about 60 miles in length, 14 broad, and with a coast-line of 275 miles. It is connected with the ocean by a strait about two miles wide, and from five to seven long, called the Golden Gate. The city of San Francisco stands on the north-west shore of the southern arm.
The peaks of the SierraNevada - MountShasta, Lassen's Butte, Spanish Peak, Pyramid Peak, Mounts Dana, Lyell, Brewer, Tyndall, Whitney, and others - reach from 10,000 to nearly 15,000 feet above the sea (MountWhitney is 14,886). The volcanic character of the state is manifested by the mountain formations; and earthquakes are frequent.
California is celebrated for its many wonderful natural objects and remarkable scenery. Noteworthy are the Yosemite Valley and the 'big tree groves,' containing groups of giantredwood trees - Sequoia gigantea - some of which reach the height of nearly 400 feet.
The mineral resources of California are of great importance. Gold is found in abundance, being first discovered in 1848, and subsequently brought a great rush of settlers to this part of the world. Among other minerals found in the state are silver, mercury, copper, coal, lead, tin, antimony, cobalt, etc.
California, being intersected by the isothermal line of 60 degrees, has the same mean annual temperature as the north of Spain and the centre of Italy, and may, generally speaking, be esteemed genial and mild. The year may be divided into a dry and a wet season. On the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada the climate is said to be that of constant spring. Wheat, barley, oats, maize and other cereals, the root-crops and vegetables of temperate climates are very largely grown. Fruits are most varied, including olives, grapes, apples, pears, plums, figs, oranges, peaches, pomegranates, plantains, bananas, and cocoa-nuts; the indigo-plant also, and the sugar-cane and tobacco, yield abundant returns. The cultivation of the vine rapidly extended from the 19th century, and the production of wine and brandy and raisins increased rapidly, and by the late 20th century Californian wines were world famous.
Florida is the most south-east state of the USA having the Gulf of Mexico on the south and west, and the Atlantic on the east. It consists partly of a peninsula stretching for about 400 miles, partly of a long, narrow strip of land running along the Gulf of Mexico to a distance of 350 miles from the Atlantic coast-line. The peninsulaia about 90 miles in width, and contains about four-fifths of the total area, which is 59,268 sq. miles. The surface is in general level, rising little above the sea, especially in the southern parts, where it is almost one continued swamp or marsh. The northern portion is more broken and elevated, but the whole coast is flat. The principal river is the St John's, flowing northwards through peninsular Florida to the Atlantic. Its tributary, the Ocklawaha, has its course so flat that for a long distance it spreads out into the forest for half a mile or more on either side, so that nothing is seen but trees and water. The Appalachicola, Suwanee, etc, flow into the Gulf of Mexico. There are many lakes throughout the peninsula the largest being Okeechobee with an area of 650 sq. miles.
Numerous islands are scattered along the south and west coasts, the most remarkable of which is a group, or rather a long chain, called the Florida Keys at the southern extremity of Florida. The most important of these is Key West, containing the city and naval station of same name. The state produces tropical plants and fruits in great perfection, especially oranges, lemons, limes, shaddock, etc. The planting of orangegroves was extensively conducted in the 19th century and oranges are now a speciality of Florida.
The climate in Florida is in general excellent, and the state has long been frequented as a winter health resort for invalids, many large and elegant hotels being built for the accommodation of visitors during the 19th century. Florida, long in a backward condition, made great advances in prosperity during the 19th century.
The area was named by the Spaniard Ponce de Leon who sailed from France in 1712 in search of the fountain of youth. He spotted land on Easter Day and on account of the richness and quantity of flowers he saw named the land Florida. The land was explored by Narvaez in 1528, and by De Soto in 1539. In 1564 a settlement was made near Florida by French Huguenots under Laudonniere, but in the following year Melendez sailed from Spain to exterminate the heretics; and having founded St Augustine, in 1565, massacred the entire French Colony.
The Spaniards held Florida until 1763, when they exchanged it with England for Cuba. In 1783 England gave Florida back to Spain in exchange for the Bahama Islands. In 1795 the territory west of the Perdido was ceded to France, and passed into the possession of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.
During the War of 1812 the government of Florida was weak, and the State became a refuge for fugitive slaves and Indians. The Governor of Georgia sent a force against them, which increased the disorder. In 1818 General Jackson invaded Florida attacked the Seminoles and captured Pensacola, which was restored to Spain. Ceded by a treaty of 1819, which was not finally ratified by Spain until 1821, in 1822 Florida became a territory of the United States, and in 1845 it was admitted as a State.
From 1835 until 1844 the Seminole War resulted in their genocide and the removal of survivors to the Indian Territory - at the end of the 20th century the Florida Indians still considered themselves to be at war with the USA, having never signed a peace treaty.
In 1869 Alabama offered $1,000,000 for West Florida, and a popular vote in that part of the State voted in favour of the annexation to Alabama, but it was not accomplished.
Abbreviations
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