A collective noun (or collective name) is a name which denotes or represents a number of individual items. For example, a number of sheep together is known as a 'flock'. The word 'flock' is the collective noun for a number of sheep. Some items have multiple collective nouns, for example a collection of goats can be known as a 'herd', a 'tribe' or a 'trip'.
Ambush is the collective noun for a group of tigers.
Army is the collective noun for a group of frogs, ants,
Array is the collective noun for a group of hedgehogs.
Badelynge is the collective noun for a group of ducks on the ground.
Bale is the collective noun for a group of turtles.
Barren is the collective noun for a group of mules.
Basket is the collective noun for a group of plums.
Battery is the collective noun for a group of barracuda.
Bazaar is the collective noun for a group of guillemots.
Bed is the collective noun for a group of clams.
Bench is the collective noun for a group of bishops, magistrates.
Bevy is the collective noun for a group of quail, roes, swans, pheasants, ladies.
Brace is the collective noun for a group of bucks.
Brood is the collective noun for a group of chickens.
Building is the collective noun for a group of rooks.
Bunch is the collective noun for a group of grapes, flowers.
Bundle is the collective noun for a group of asparagus.
Business is the collective noun for a group of ferrets.
Caravan is the collective noun for a group of camels.
Cast is the collective noun for a group of hawks, falcons.
Cete is the collective noun for a group of badgers.
Charm is the collective noun for a group of goldfinches.
Chatter is the collective noun for a group of budgerigars.
Chattering is the collective noun for a group of choughs.
Chine is the collective noun for a group of polecats.
Clamour is the collective noun for a group of rooks.
Clous is the collective noun for a group of gnats.
Clowder is the collective noun for a group of cats.
Clump is the collective noun for a group of trees.
Cluster is the collective noun for a group of grapes, spiders.
Clutch is the collective noun for a group of eggs.
Clutter is the collective noun for a group of spiders.
Colony is the collective noun for a group of gulls, frogs, penguins, ants, beavers.
Company is the collective noun for a group of widgeon, parrots.
Congregation is the collective noun for a group of plovers.
Convocation is the collective noun for a group of eagles.
Covert is the collective noun for a group of coots.
Covey is the collective noun for a group of partridges, grouse.
Crash is the collective noun for a group of rhinoceros.
An epic is a poetical narrative of heroic achievements. It is largely dramatic in character, but embraces a greater area and admits many incidents, each of which might serve as a dramatic plot.
Some authorities widen the definition of an epic so as to include not only long narrative poems of romantic or supernatural adventure, but also those of a historical, legendary, mock-heroic, or humorous character. An epic is distinguished from a drama in so far as the author frequently speaks in his own person as narrator; and from lyrical poetry by making the predominant feature the narration of action rather than the expression of emotion.
Among the more famous epics of the world's literature may be noted: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey; Virgil's AEneid; the German Nibelungenlied; the Anglo-Saxon poem of Beowulf; the French Song of Roland; Dante's Divina Commedia; Tasso's Gierusalemme Liberata; Ariosto's OrlandoFurioso; Milton's Paradise Lost; Spenser's Fairy Queen; Camoens' Lusiads (Portuguese); and Firdusi's Shah Nameh (Persian). Hesiod's Theogony; the poetic Edda; the Finnish Kalewala; the Indian Mahabharata may be described as collections of epic legends. The historical epic has an excellent representative in Barbour's Bruce; and specimens of the mock-heroic and humorous epic are found in The Battle of the Frogs and Mice; Reynard the Fox; Butler's Hudibras; and Pope's Rape of the Lock. Research Epic
A staddle is a support or prop, usually a low flat-topped stone structure resembling a mushroom, used for supporting hay or corn stacks or a barn for storing grain - known as a staddle-barn - about two feet above ground level so that mice and rats can not climb in. Research Staddle
The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a small falcon of the order Falconiformes, family Falconidae, with white cheeks and two black vertical cheek stripes. The male has a rusty back and tail, grey wings. The female is brownish. It forages for mice, lizards and insects by hovering above the ground, then diving for its prey. It occurs in many habitats, including borders of wetlands. Research American Kestrel
Arvicola is a genus of rodent animals of the suborder Muridse or Mice. Arvicola amphibia is the water-vole (or water-rat), and Arvicola agrestis is the field-vole or short-tailed field-mouse. Research Arvicola
Bittern is a general name for grallatorial birds of the genus Botaurus of the subfamily Botaurinae. They are wading birds related to the heron, but with shorter necks, stouter bodies and variegated brown colouration. They live in marshes and reedy swamps where they are solitary and nocturnal, feeding on frogs, small fish, mice, crayfish and other animals.
There are two British species, the common bittern (Botaurus stellaris), and the little bittern (Boyaurus minutus), a native of the south, and only a summer visitor to Britain. Both, however, are rare due to the reclamation of the marshy grounds that form their favourite haunt. The common bittern is about 71 cm in length, with a wing span of about 110 cm. The bitterns have long and loose feather on the breast and a short tail and a bill about 10 cm long. Bitterns are remarkable for their curious booming or bellowing cry, from which come the provincial names of miredrum and butter-hump, etc. The eggs which are greenish-brown in colour are laid in a batch of four or five in number. The little bittern is not more than 38 cm in length. Research Bittern
Burying beetle is the name of a genus of insects (Nicrophorus) belonging to the order Coleoptera, or beetles, and the tribe of the Silphidae, or carrion beetles. They have a very keen scent, which guides them to the dead bodies of rats, mice, etc, which form their food. Several beetles will unite to cover such animals, burying them sometimes more than six inches in the earth. They deposit their eggs on the carrion, and in less than a fortnight the larvae issue. The species are common everywhere. Research Burying-Beetle
The buzzard is a group of twenty types of birds of prey belonging to the sub-family Buteoninae, distinguished by their rather slow and heavy flight, the short rounded head, and strongly curved beak.
The common buzzard (Buteo vulgaris} is distributed over the whole of Europe as well as the north of Africa and America. Its food is very miscellaneous, and consists of moles, mice, frogs, toads, worms, insects, etc. It is sluggish in its habits. Its length is from 50 to 55 cm.
The rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus), so called from having its leg's feathered to the toes, is also a native of Britain. Its habits resemble those of the common buzzard. The red-tailed hawk of the United States is a buzzard (Buteo boredits). It is also called the hen-hawk, from its raids on the poultry-yard. The genus Pernis, to which the honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus) belongs, has the beak rather weaker than Buteo, but does not differ much from that genus. The honey-buzzard is so called because feeding specially on bees and wasps. Research Buzzard
The Central Plains Milk Snake (Lampropeltis triangulum gentilis) is an attractive species of Milk snake patterned with about thirty black and reddish-orange bands on a pale brown background coloured dorsum. The Central Plains Milk Snake is a popular choice for captivity, having a mild temperament and adapting easily to eating mice. Research Central Plains Milk Snake
The Chihuahua Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana knoblochi) is a rare subspecies of the Utah Mountain Kingsnake, found in northern Mexico where it grows to an average length of about 91 cm, sometimes reaching 102 cm in length and feeds on lizards and small rodents, such as mice. Research Chihuahua Mountain Kingsnake
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Collective Noun
