Anatinae is the duck, Wigeon, Teal and Sheldrake sub-family of birds of the family Anatidae. The members of the sub-family are distinguished by a bill of equal width throughout, or broader at the top than at the base, of about the same length as the head; short legs placed behind the middle of the body; the hind toe being without a pendent membrane; and a somewhat round tarsi. Research Anatinae
The armadillo (genus Dasypus), is an edentate mammal peculiar to South America, consisting of various species, belonging to a family intermediate between the sloths and ant-eaters. They are covered with a hard bony shell, divided into belts, composed of small separate plates like a coat of mail, flexible everywhere except on the forehead, shoulders, and haunches, where it is not movable. The belts are connected by a membrane, which enables the animal to roll itself up like a hedgehog. These animals burrow in the earth, where they lie during the daytime, seldom going abroad except at night. They are of different sizes; the largest, Dasypus gigas, being about one metre in length without the tail, and the smallest only 25 cm. They subsist chiefly on fruits and roots, sometimes on insects and flesh. They are inoffensive, and their flesh is esteemed good food. There is a genus of isopodous Crustacea called Armadillo, consisting of animals allied to the wood-lice, capable of rolling themselves into a ball. Research Armadillo
Bacteria are a diverse group of ubiquitous micro organisms all of which consist of only a single cell that lacks a distinct nuclear membrane and has a cell wall of a unique composition.
Bacteria are usually classified by means of Gram's stain, whether or not they require oxygen, and on the basis of shape. A bacterial cell may be spherical, rod-like, spiral, comma-shaped, corkscrew-shaped, or filamentous, resembling a fungal cell. The majority of bacteria range in size from 0.5 to 5 mm. Many are motile, bearing flagella, possess an outer slimy capsule, and produce resistant spores. In general bacteria reproduce only asexually, by simple division of cells, but a few groups undergo a form of sexual reproduction. Bacteria are largely responsible for decay and decomposition of organic matter, producing a cycling of such chemicals as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur. A few bacteria obtain their food by means of photosynthesis, some are saprophytes, and others are parasites, causing disease. The symptoms of bacterial infections are produced by toxins. Research Bacteria
The Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) is a medium sized bat with a wing- span about 24 cm. The ear is about as broad as long with a conspicuous notch on the outer edge. The inner edges of the two ears join each other above the eyes and the outer edges end between the eye and the mouth so that, in effect, the eye lies within the ear. The tragus is half the length of the ear, wide at its base, narrow and pointed at the tip, with two notches towards the base of the hind edge. The first upper premolar is minute, and the first lower premolar is only half as big as the second. The fur is long and extends well on to both surfaces of the wing and interfemoral membrane. The colour is very dark, almost black, with a grizzled effect caused by the light tips of the hairs; the colour of the under surface is slightly lighter.
The distribution of this species includes all Europe from southern Scandinavia, and a large part of temperate Asia. Although this species is often found solitary it is sometimes gregarious to the extent of forming small colonies of half-a-dozen or so. In summer it creeps into crevices in buildings or trees but it appears to hibernate only in caves. The flight is slow and happing, usually not far from the ground, and starts early in the evening, not later than sunset. Research Barbastelle
Barnacle is the popular name of a family (Lepadidae) of marine crustaceous animals, order Cirripedia. They are enveloped by a mantle and shell, composed of five principal valves and several smaller pieces, joined together by a membrane attached to their circumference; and they are furnished with a long, flexible, fleshy stalk or peduncle, provided with muscles, by which they attach themselves to ships' bottoms, submerged timber, etc. They feed on small marine animals, brought within their reach by the water and secured by their tentacula. Some of the larger species are edible. According to an old fable these animals produced barnacle geese. Research Barnacle
Bear is the popular name for an omnivorous mammal animal of the family Ursidae. They are related to the dog family, but have massive bodies and very short tails. The ears are short and rounded, and the feet have five toes with powerful, non-retractile claws which enable the animals to climb. The fur is coarse and shaggy. The teeth are forty-two in number, as in the dog, but there is no carnassial or sectorial tooth, and the molars have a more tubercular character than in carnivores. The eyes have a nictitating membrane, the nose is prominent and mobile, and the tail very short. Bears generally lie dormant in their den during the winter months.There are six genera of bears: Ursus (the black bears, brown bears and grizzly bears), Tremarctos, Selenarctos (Asiatic black bear), Thalarctos (Polar Bear or White Bear), Helarctos (Malay Bear) and Melursus (Sloth Bear).
The brown or black bear of Europe is the Ursus arctos. It is a native of almost all the northern parts of Europe and Asia, and was at one time common in the British islands. It feeds on fruits, roots, honey, ants, and, in case of need, on mammals. It sometimes reaches the length of 213 cm, the largest specimens being found furthest to the north. It lives solitarily.
The American black bear is the Ursus americanus, with black shining hair, and rarely above 152 cm in length. It is a great climber, is less dangerous than the brown bear, and is hunted for its fur and flesh.
The grizzly bear (Ursus ferox or Ursus horribilis) is an inhabitant of the Rocky Mountains; it is a ferocious animal, sometimes 275 cm in length, and has a bulky and unwieldy form, but is nevertheless capable of great rapidity of motion. The extinct cave-bear (Ursus spelceus) seems to have been closely akin to the grizzly. The Siberian bear (Ursus colldris) is perhaps a variety of the brown bear.
The bib (Morrhua lusca or Trisopterus luscus), is a fish of the cod family, found in the British seas, about 30 cm long, the body very deep and having a distensible membrane able to cover its head. It is esteemed as excellent eating and is called also pout, pouting or whiting pout. Research Bib
In biology, blastoderm is the germinal skin or membrane forming the superficial layer of the impregnated ovum, and from which the rudiment of the new being is formed. Research Blastoderm
The blind mole (Talpa caeca) is a smaller mole, with a longer, slender nose, and whitish hair on the lips, legs, tail and particularly the forelegs found in the Iberian peninsula, northern Italy, the Adriatic coast and Greece. The eyes are permanently closed by a thin membrane which cannot be opened without damage. The upper incisor teeth form a V-shape with the largest, central (first) incisors being more than twice the size of the smallest, peripheral (third) ones. The blind mole is confined to mountainous areas, in contrast to the Roman and Common Moles which are both found in various habitats from the Appenine Mountains and Alps through to coastal areas. In contrast to the Roman Mole (which does not overlap with the Common Mole), the Blind Mole is generally thought to overlap in distribution the Common Mole. Like the common mole, the blind mole eats primarily earthworms, plus beetles and fly larvae, slugs, centipedes and millipedes. Research Blind Mole
Chlorophyll is the green colouring matter of plant leaves and absorbs the light necessary for photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll absorbs mainly red, violet, and blue light and reflects green light. The great abundance of chlorophyll in leaves and its occasional presence in other plant tissues, such as stems, causes these plant parts to appear green. In some leaves, chlorophyll is masked by other pigments.
Chlorophyll is a large molecule composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen. At the centre of the molecule is a single atom of magnesium surrounded by a nitrogen-containing group of atoms called a porphyrin ring. The structure somewhat resembles that of the active constituent of haemoglobin in the blood. A long chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms proceeds from this central core and attaches the chlorophyll molecule to the inner membrane of the chloroplast, the cell organelle in which photosynthesis takes place. As a molecule of chlorophyll absorbs a photon of light, its electrons become excited and move to higher energy levels. This initiates a complex series of chemical reactions in the chloroplast that enables the energy to be stored in chemical bonds. Research Chlorophyll
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Anatinae
