The Cramp Twins is an English animated television show based upon the graphic comic novels by Brian Wood written in 1995 and 1997 and published by Bloomsbury Publishing about two ten-year old, very different twin boys - Lucien, a nature loving, inoffensive and helpful geek and Wayne, a vicious, junk-loving bully, Cramp, who live with their easy going, hen-pecked salesman father and their housework loving, clean-aholic mother. Research Cramp Twins
Darby and Joan were an English loving, old-fashioned and virtuous couple who lived during the early 18th century, John Darby dying in 1730. They were immortalised in a ballad by Henry Woodfall. Research Darby and Joan
The Burmese is a breed of domestic cat originating in the 1930s. The breed is medium-sized with a muscular frame, heavier than it looks. The legs are long and slender, the hind legs being slightly longer than the front legs, with oval paws. The head tapers to a medium-blunt wedge from high cheek-bones. The Burmese is renowned for its athletic prowess, and love of company, disliking being left alone, but loving playing with other cats, dogs and children, though they tend to be jealous. Research Burmese Cat
Buxbaumia is a genus of humus-loving mosses, interesting because of their extremely simple structure. Apart from the well-developed green protonema, they have no vegetative organs. The male plant consists of a single concave leaf, devoid of chlorophyll, enclosing an antheridium. The female consists of a tuft of leaves, likewise colourless, surrounding an archegonium. Research Buxbaumia
The December Moth (Poecilocampa populi) is a moth of the family Lasiocampidae with a wing span of between 30 and 45 mm found throughout Europe except the extreme south and in western Asia. A cold-loving moth, it is one of the last moths to appear in the year, flying from October to November after the first autumn frosts. Research December Moth
The Labrador retriever is a breed of dog originating in Newfoundland and brought to Britain by fishermen in the early 19th century. It is about 56 centimetres high, with a tapering tail and a short dense water-resistant coat, usually black or yellow-brown. They are affectionate playful dogs popular as pets with families with children for their gentle, trustworthy, affectionate and fun-loving nature. Research Labrador Retriever
Pinguicula is a genus of bog-loving herbaceous plants belonging to the family Lentibulariaceae. They usually bear a rosette of greasy-feeling radical leaves, and flowers borne singularly on erect flower-stalks. Research Pinguicula
The Shar-Pei is an ancient Chinese breed of dog dating back over 2000 years and once kept as fighting dogs. The Shar-Pei stands 40 centimetres tall, and like the Chow-Chow also has a blue tongue. They are an exuberant and loving breed. Research Shar-Pei
The Timothy Tortrix (Aphelia paleana) is a moth of the family Tortricidae with a wing span of between 18 and 22 mm found in Europe flying from June to July in lowland damp meadows and also at high elevations in mountains. The caterpillar develops in spring among the spun-up leaves and young shoots of various moisture-loving plants. Research Timothy Tortrix
Claude Lorraine (real name Claude Gelee) was a French landscape painter. He was born in 1600 at Charmagne, Lorraine and died in 1682. When twelve years old he went to live with his brother, an engraver in wood at Friburg, went from him to study under Godfrey Waats at Naples, and was afterwards employed at Rome by the painter Agostino Tassi, to grind his colours and do the household drudgery.
On leaving Tassi he travelled in Italy, France, and Germany, but settled in Rome in 1627, where his works were greatly sought for, and where he lived much at his ease until 1682, when he died of the gout.
The principal galleries of Italy, France, England, Spain, and Germany are adorned with his paintings; that on which he himself set the greatest value being the painting of a small wood belonging to the Villa Madama (Rome). He excelled in luminous atmospheric effects, of which he made loving and elaborate studies. His figure work, however, was inferior, and the figures in many of his paintings were supplied by Lauri and Francesco Allegrini. He made small copies of all his pictures in six books known as Libri diVerity (Books of Truth), which form a work of great value (usually called the Liber Veritatis), and much esteemed by students. Research Claude Lorraine
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Cramp Twins
