Anthropolite is a petrifaction of the human body or skeleton, or of parts of the body, by the incrusting action of calcareouswaters, and hence hardly to be considered fossil or sub-fossil. Research Anthropolite
A cromlech is an ancient erection consisting of two or more stones standing like pillars, with a large flat or slightly inclined stone placed on top appearing somewhat like a table so as to form a rectangular chamber, beneath the floor of which is sometimes found a cist inclosing a skeleton and relics. Sometimes the cromlech was encircled by a ring of standing-stones, as in the case of the Standing-stones of Stennis, in Orkney; and sometimes it was itself buried beneath a large mound of earth. Research Cromlech
The Dance of Death is a grotesque allegorical representation in which the figure of Death, generally in the form of a skeleton, is represented interrupting people of every condition and in all situations, and carrying them away; so called from the mocking activity usually displayed by the figure of Death as he leads away his victims. It was frequently drawn by artists of the middle ages for cemeteries and cloisters. These representations were common in Germany, and also in France, where they received the name of Danse Macabre, the derivation of which has been much disputed. The series attributed to Hans Holbein, the younger, was first published at Lyons in 41 plates, increased in a subsequent edition by 12 additional plates. A remarkable Dance of Death was painted, in fresco, on the walls of the churchyard in the suburb of St John at Basel, which was injured, in early times, by being washed over, and is now entirely destroyed. This piece has been ascribed to Holbein; but it has long since been proved that it existed sixty years before his birth. Research Dance of Death
A loofah or luffa is the fibrous skeleton of the cylindrical fruit of the dishcloth gourd (Luffa cylindrica). It is used as a bathsponge. Research Loofah
Albertosaurus was a dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period, remains of which were first found in 1905 in the USA. A carnivore. Albertosaurus walked on its hind legs and had small, relatively poorly formed forward legs. In 1923a skeleton of a juvenile Albertosaurus was discovered and at the time identified as a distinct species and given the name Gorgosaurus, however it was later found that the animal grew heavier and stronger as it aged, and the skeleton was that of an Albertosaurus. Research Albertosaurus
Ant is the popular name for hymenopterous (or membranous-winged) insects of various genera of the super-family Formicoidea. Ants are found in most temperate and tropical regions. They are small but powerful insects, and have long been noted for their remarkable intelligence and interesting habits. They live in communities regulated by definite laws, each member of the society bearing a well-defined and separate part in the work of the colony. Each community consists of males; of females much larger than the males; and of barren females, otherwise called neuters, workers, or nurses. The neuters are wingless, and the males and females only acquire wings for their Nuptial flight, after which the males perish, and the few females which escape the pursuit of their numerous enemies divest themselves of their wings, and either return to established nests, or become the foundresses of new colonies. The neuters perform all the labours of the ant-hill or abode of the community; they excavate the galleries, procure food, and feed the larvae or young ants, which are destitute of organs of motion. In fine weather they carefully convey them to the surface for the benefit of the sun's heat, and as attentively carry them to a place of safety either when bad weather is threatened or the ant-hill is disturbed. In like manner they watch over the safety of the nymphs or pupae about to acquire their perfect growth. Some communities possess a special type of neuters, known as 'soldiers,' from the duties that specially fall upon them, and from their powerful biting jaws.
There is a very considerable variety in the materials, size, and form of ant-hills, or nests, according to the peculiar nature or instinct of the species. Most of the British ants form nests in woods, fields, or gardens, their abodes being generally in the form of small mounds rising above the surface of the ground and containing numerous galleries and apartments. Some excavate nests in old tree-trunks. One little yellow ant (Myrmica domestica) is common in houses in Britain in some localities. Some ants live on animal food, very quickly picking quite clean the skeleton of any dead animal they may light on. Others live on saccharine matter, being very fond of the sweet substance, called honey-dew, which exudes from the bodies of Aphides, or plant-lice. These they sometimes keep in their nests, and sometimes tend on the plants where they feed; sometimes they even superintend their breeding. By stroking the aphides with their antennae they cause them to emit the sweet fluid, which the ants then greedily sip up. Various other insects are looked after by ants in a similar manner, or are found in their nests. It has been observed that some species, like the European Red Ant (Formica sanguinea), resort to violence to obtain working ants of other species for their own use, plundering the nests of suitable kinds of their larvae and pupae,which they carry off to their own nests to be carefully reared and kept as slaves. Amazon Ants (Polyergus rufescens) often keep between three and five times as many slaves as their own inhabitants in a nest.
In temperate countries male and female ants survive, at most, until autumn, or to the commencement of cool weather, though a very large proportion of them cease to exist long previous to that time. The neuters pass the winter in a state of torpor, and of course require no food. The only time when they require food is during the season of activity, when they have a vast number of young to feed. Some ants of southern Europefeed on grain, and store it up in their nests for use when required. Some species have stings as weapons, others only their powerful mandibles, or an acrid and pungent fluid (formic acid) which they can emit. The name ant is also given to the neuropterous insects otherwise called Termites.
In the 1990's a new species of ant, in appearance the same as any common garden ant, was discovered in Budapest and in 2009 the same species was found in Britain, which has a suicidal attraction to electrical fields - an attraction which overides even the desire to eat. Like American fire-ants, these ants are drawn in vast quantities to electrical switches where they die and can cause failure of the electrical system due to the numbers of ants involved, typically hundreds of thousands. In Texas, fire-ants are a major cause of traffic light failures, being drawn to the switch boxes where they die and short out the circuits. Research Ant
Apatosaurus - also known as Brontosaurus - was a huge, plant-eating dinosaur, of the suborder Sauropoda, that lived in the Late Jurassic period, more than 140 million years ago. The name Brontosaur comes from the Greek bronte, 'thunder' and sauros, 'lizard', and implies that the animal shook the ground when it walked. It was about 21 metres long and weighed up to 30 metric tons. Its body was relatively short and thick, the neck long and slender, the tail large and strong, and the four limbs massive and of nearly equal length. The first brontosaurus skeleton was discovered in 1879 in Colorado by the American palaeontologist Othniel Charles Marsh. It lacked a skull, so Marsh gave it a blunt, small skull found nearby. Scientists confirmed in 1979 that the skull was that of another sauropod, Camarasaurus. The Apatosaurus true skull was found to have a longer snout and longer, finer teeth. Research Apatosaurus
Articulata is the third great section of the animal kingdom according to the arrangement of Cuvier, including all the invertebrates with the external skeleton forming a series of rings articulated together and enveloping the body, distinct respiratory organs, and an internal ganglionated nervous system along the middle line of the body. They are divided into five classes, viz. Crustacea, Arachnida, Insecta, Myriapoda, and Annelida. The first four classes are now commonly placed together under the name of Arthropoda, and the whole are sometimes called Arthrozoa. Research Articulata
Beetle is a general term for insects of the order Coleoptera. There are known to be over 370,000 species of beetle, outnumbering all the known species of vascular plants, and six species of beetle for every one vertebrate, with an estimated five million more species yet to be discovered.
Beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis, with a distinct pupal stage intervening between life as a larva and a sexually mature adult. As with other insects of this type, the larvae stage represents the principal feeding stage. Most adult beetles have a robust, hard external skeleton (carapace) which acts like body-armour and a pair of horny wing-cases (elytra), which usually completely cover the hind part of the body including the abdomen.
The Belarus Red (also known as the Krasnaya belorusskaya, Krasnobelorusskaya, Byelorussian Red, Red White-Russian, White-Russian Red) is a breed of cow characterized by a medium long head, not wide, with a long face. The poll is pronounced. The horns are of medium size. The neck is thin and of moderate length. The withers are not sharp, occasionally divided. The chest is of medium depth, wide enough. The back is level, slightly narrow. The loin is long and level, of medium width. The mid-part of the body is well developed. The abdomen is capacious, not drooping. The rump is level, slightly raised. The hindquarters are of medium length and width, with protruding hips. The legs are comparatively thin, bony, not long, correctly set. Sometimes legs are splayed or bowed. The udder is medium in volume, glandular, cup-shaped or roundish. The teats are cylindrical, of medium size. The skin is thin, elastic, mobile. The skeleton is light and strong. The musculature is moderately developed. The conformation is harmonious and compact; the constitution delicate. The colour is red or rust-red of various shades. many animals are noted for their longevity. Research Belarus Red
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Anthropolite
