Animals And Plants (A-B)

Animals And Plants (A-B)


Aardvark

The aardvark is a south African ant eating animal.

Aardwolf

The aardwolf is a carnivorous mammal.

Aaron's Rod

Aaron's Rod is the only British species of Golden-rod. It is found in woods and thickets.

Aasvogel

The aasvogel are south African vultures.

Abalone

The abalone is an edible snail like marine animal.

Abelmoschus

Abelmoschus is a genus of tropical plants of the mallow family. It yields edible fruits, called okro (okra, ochro) which is used in soups.

Abroma

The Abroma is a genus of small trees which are native to India.

Abutilon

The Abutilon are a genus of plants of the order Malvaceae, also known as The Indian Mallows and American Jute.

Acacia

Acacia is a genus of plants of the order Leguminosae sub order Mimoseae consisting of trees or shrubs with compound pinnate leaves. They grow in Africa, Arabia, Australia and the East Indies.

Acalepha

Acalepha was a name once used to describe the Medusae (jelly-fishes).

Acanthaceae

The Acanthaceae are a natural order of dicotyledonous herbaceous plants or shrubs with opposite leaves and mono-petalous corolla. There are around 1400 species, mostly tropical.

Acanthads

see "Acanthaceae"

Acanthus

The acanthus is a herbaceous plant of south Europe, Asia and Africa. It has large hairy, shiny leaves.

Acaridae

Acaridae is the mite family of insects

Acarina

Acarina is the mite and tick order of the arachnida. They have a rounded body with no demarcation between the prosoma and the opisthosoma.

Accentor

An accentor is a type of bird of the prunelliadae family.

Acephala

The Acephala are the headless Mollusca with a bivalve shell.

Acer

Acer is a genus of plants of the order Aceraceae to which belongs the Maple.

Achene

In botany, an achene is a small, dry carpel containing a single seed, the pericarp of which is closely applied but seperable and which does not open when ripe.

Achillaea

The Achillaea are a milfoil genus of plants.

Achimenes

The Achimenes are a genus of tropical American plants with scaly underground tubers. They are of the order Gesneraceae.

Acipenser

The acipenser is a genus of cartilaginous ganoid fishes to which the sturgeon belongs.

Aconite

Aconite (Monkshood) is a genus of hardy herbaceous plants of the order Ranunculaceae. The are remarkable for their poisonous and medicinal properties. Aconite is found in temperate regions of Europe in woods and on shaded stream banks.

Acorn

The acorn is the fruit of the oak tree.

Acorus

Acorus is a genus of plants which includes the sweet-flag.

Acotyledon

see "Acotyledons"

Acotyledons

Acotyledons are plants not furnished with cotyledons or seed-lobes, such as ferns, mosses and sea-weeds.

Acrita

Acrita is another name for the animals called Protozoa.

Acrogen

Acrogen is a term used to describe ferns, mosses and lichens which grow by extension upwards.

Actinia

Actinia is a member of the order zoantharia.

Actinopterygii

Actinopterygii is a division of bony fishes. The paired fins have broad bases and lack fleshy lobes. External nares are double, internal nares are absent. Scales are of the ganoid type.

Actinozoa

Actinozoa are a class of animals belonging to the sub-kingdom Coelenterata. They have rayed tentacles around the mouth.

Adda

The adda is a species of lizard also called the skink.

Addax

The addax is a species of antelope found in North African deserts. It has wide-sweeping twisted horns about 4 feet long.

Adder

An adder is a venomous snake of the viper family found in England.

Adder's-tongue

Adder's-tongue is a species of British fern whose spores are produced on a spike which resembles a snake's tongue.

Adder's-wort

Adder's-wort is a plant supposed to be able to cure snake bites.

Adder-pike

The Adder-pike is a small species of the weever fish. Also called the Lesser Weever or Sting-fish.

Adenanthera

Adenanthera is a genus of trees and shrubs native to the East Indies and Ceylon of the order Leguminosae.

Adiantum

Adiantum is a genus of ferns.

Adjutant-bird

The adjutant-bird is a large wading bird of the stork family. It is native to the warmer parts of India where it is called Hurgila or Argala.

Admiral

Admiral is any of several species of butterfly in the same family (Nymphalidae) as the tortoiseshells. The red admiral Vanessa atalanta, wingspan 6 cm, is found worldwide in the northern hemisphere. It migrates south each year from northern areas to subtropical zones.

Adonis

Adonis (pheasant's eye) is a genus of ranunculaceous plants. They are found throughout Europe, Asia and America and are highly poisonous.

Aegagrus

The aegagrus are a wild species of ibex found in the Caucasus and other Asiatic mountains.

Aegilops

Aegilops is a genus of grasses closely allied to wheat.

Aepyornis

Aepyornis was a genus of gigantic birds once found in Madagascar. It had three toes and laid eggs 14 inches in length.

Aesculus

Aesculus is a genus of plants which includes the horse-chestnut.

Afghan hound

The Afghan hound is a breed of fast hunting dog resembling the saluki in build, though slightly smaller. It was first introduced to the West by British army officers serving on India's North-West Frontier along the Afghanistan border in the late 19th century. The Afghan hound hunts by sight. It is about 70 cm tall and has a long, silky coat that may be black, grey, or a wide range of beige or tawny colours.

Agama

Agama are several lizards allied to the iguana.

Agaric

The agaric is a family of fungus including the cultivated mushroom.

Agave

Agave is a genus of plants of the order Amaryllidaceae which includes the daffodil and narcissus. They are popularly known as American aloes.

Ageratum

Ageratum is a genus of composite plants found in the warmer parts of America.

Agnatha

The agnatha are a branch of the sub-phylum craniata group of animals. They are the lampreys and hagfishes. These are the most primitive of the craniates. The mouth is round and not bounded by jaws. The brain is primitive.

Agnus Castus

Agnus Castus is a shrub of the order Verbenaceae native to Mediterranean countries. It has white flowers and acrid aromatic fruits. It was thought to have the property of preserving chastity, hence the name Castus from the Latin chaste.

Agouara

The agouara is a crab-eating racoon of South America.

Agouta

The agouta is an insectivorous mammal peculiar to Haiti. It is of the tanrec family and somewhat larger than a rat.

Agouti

The agouti is a small rodent of the genus Dasyprocta, family Dasyproctidae. It is found in the forests of Central and South America. The agouti is herbivorous, swift-running, and about the size of a rabbit.

Agrimony

Agrimony is a genus of plants of the order Rosaceae consisting of slender perennial herbs found in temperate regions. The leaves of common agrimony are used as a yellow dye.

Agrostis

Agrostis is a genus of pasture grasses.

Aigrette

Aigrette is a term used to describe the feathery crown attached to the seeds of various plants such as the thistle and dandelion.

Air-plants

Air-plants (Epiphytes) are plants that live upon other plants or trees apparently without receiving any nutriment other than by the air. They are abundant in Java and tropical America.

Airedale terrier

The Airedale terrier breed of large terrier, about 60 cm tall, with a wiry red-brown coat and black saddle patch. It originated about 1850 in England, as a cross between the otterhound and Irish and Welsh terriers.

Ajolote

The ajolote is a Mexican reptile of the genus Bipes. It and several other tropical burrowing species are placed in the Amphisbaenia, a group separate from lizards and snakes among the Squamata. Unlike the others, however, which have no legs, it has a pair of short but well-developed front legs. In line with its burrowing habits, the skull is very solid, the eyes small, and external ears absent. The scales are arranged in rings, giving the body a worm-like appearance.

Ajowan

Ajowan is an umbelliferous plant which is cultivated in India, Persia and Egypt for the seeds which are used in cooking and medicine.

Ajuga

The ajuga are a genus of plants belonging to the labiate family.

Alactaga

The alactaga is a rodent mammal closely allied to the jerboa but larger. It is found across central Asia.

Albacore

The albacore is a species of fish.

Albatross

The albatross is a long winged oceanic bird.

Albino

An albino is an animal with no skin pigment and pink eyes.

Alburnum

The alburnum is the recently formed wood in trees.

Alco

The alco is a small variety of dog, with a small head and large pendulous ears found wild in Mexico and Peru.

Alcyonaria

Alcyonaria is an order of anthozoa. They have eight pinnate tentacles and eight mesenteries.

Alcyonium

Alcyonium is a member of the order of alcyonaria.

Alder

The alder is a genus of plants of the order Betulaceae, consisting of trees and shrubs found in the temperate and colder regions of the world.

Alfa

Alfa is a name for esparto grass obtained from Algeria.

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is a prolific forage plant similar to lucerne widely grown in the USA.

Algarobilla

Algarobilla are the seed-pods of trees of the Prosopis genus, valued for their tannin.

Alimentary canal

The alimentary canal is a tube beginning at the mouth and passing through the body to the anus. It is primarily used for the reception of food.

Alkanet

Alkanet is a perennial Boraginaceae found in warmer parts of Europe. It has a black taproot and funnel-shaped flowers which commence red and then turn blue.

Allamanda

Allamanda is a genus of American tropical plants of the order Apocynaceae, with large yellow or violet flowers.

Alligator

An alligator is a crocodilian reptile. It differs from the true crocodile by having a shorter and flatter head, much less webbed feet, and cavities in the upper jaw into which the long canine teeth of the lower jaw fit.

Alligator-apple

The alligator-apple is a narcotic fruit similar to the custard-apple. It is found in marshy areas of Jamaica.

Alligator-pear

Alligator-pear is an old name for the Avocado-pear (Avocado).

Allium

Allium is a genus of plants of the order Liliaceae which are distinguished by a peculiar pungent smell and taste characterised as alliaceous. These include the onion, garlic, leek and shalot.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus was the biggest and fiercest carnivorous dinosaur of the jurassic period. It was 15m tall and weighed about 3 tons.

Aloe

Aloe is a genus of plants of the order Liliaceae. They are natives of Africa and other hot regions. The leaves are fleshy, thick and spinous at the edges. The flowers have a tubular corolla.

Alopecurus

Alopecurus is a genus of grasses.

Alpaca

The alpaca is a close relative of the llama and a native of South America. It is smaller than the llama and has a fleece of around 24 inches long from which cloth is woven.

Alpine Crow

The Alpine Crow or Alpine Chough is a European bird closely akin to the chough of England.

Alpine Warbler

The alpine warbler is a European bird of the same family as the hedge-sparrow.

Alsatian

Alsatian is another name for the German shepherd dog.

Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria are a genus of South American plants of the order Amaryllideae.

Alveoli

The alveoli are air-sacs within the lung at the end of bronchioles.

Alyssum

Alyssum is a genus of cruciferous plants including the madwort.

Amadavat

The amadavat is a small Indian singing bird allied to the finches.

Amadou

Amadou is the name of several fungi of the genus Polyporus, they have a leathery appearance and grow on trees.

Amanita

Amanita is a genus of fungi including fly-agaric.

Amaranthaceae

The Amaranthaceae (amaranths) are an order of apetalous plants mainly found in tropical countries. They are remarkable for the white or reddish scales of which their flowers are composed.

Amaranths

see "Amaranthaceae"

Amaryllidaceae

Amaryllidaceae is an order of monocotyledonous plants which are generally bulbous with a highly coloured flower, six stamens and an inferior three-celled ovary. They are native to Europe and most other warm parts of the world.

Ambatch

Ambatch is a thorny leguminous shrub with yellow flowers growing in the shallows of the Upper Nile and other rivers of tropical Africa. It grows to around 15 to 20 feet tall. The wood is very light and spongy and is used to make rafts.

Amblyopsis

Amblyopsis is a genus of blind fishes comprised of a single species found in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky.

Amelanchier

Amelanchier is a genus of small trees native to Europe and North America.

Amentaceae

Amentaceae is the family of trees and plants where the flowers are arranged in the form of catkins.

Amentum

Amentum is a botanical term for the catkin.

Ametabola

Ametabola are a division of insects which are wingless and do not undergo any metamorphosis, but which hatch from the egg nearly in the same form they keep throughout their life. This includes the lice and spring-tails.

Ammonite

An ammonite is one type of extinct sea creature, often found as a fossil.

Amoeba

An amoeba is a primitive one cell animal.

Amoebina

The amoebina is an order of rhizopoda. The order is comprised of the amoeba and its relatives. Reproduction is usually by binary fission.

Amoeboid

see "amoebina"

Amomum

Amomum are a genus of plants of the order Zingiberaceae which includes ginger. They are native to warm climates and are remarkable for the pungency and aromatic properties of their seeds.

Amphibia

Amphibia is a class of craniates which during their evolution have only partialy adapted to life on land. They breed in water.

Amphibian

see "amphibia"

Amphibians

see "amphibia"

Amphineura

The amphineura is a class of phylum mollusca. The body is bilaterally symmetrical. The mouth and anus are at opposite ends of the body. The foot is flattened and the mantle bears calcareous plates.

Amphipoda

Amphipoda is an order of malacostraca where the carapace is absent and the body is laterally compressed. The abdomen is elongated.

Anaconda

The anaconda is a South American snake, a member of the python and boa family, the Boidae. One of the largest snakes, growing to 9m more, it is found in and near water, where it lies in wait for the birds and animals on which it feeds. The anaconda is not venomous, but kills its prey by coiling round it and squeezing until the creature suffocates. The anaconda is a climber as well as a swimmer, and may be found in trees along river banks.

Anagallis

see "Pimpernel"

Anapsida

The anapsida are a subclass of reptiles in which there are no temporal vacuities.

Anatomy

Anatomy is the study of animal's structure.

Anchovy

The anchovy is a small fish (Engraulis encrasicholus) of the herring family. It is fished extensively, being abundant in the Mediterranean, and is also found on the Atlantic coast of Europe and in the Black Sea. It grows to 20 cm. Pungently flavoured, it is processed into fish pastes and essences, and used as a garnish, rather than eaten fresh.

Ancylostoma

Ancylostoma is a phylum nematoda.

Anemone

The anemone is any plant of the genus Anemone, of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. The function of petals is performed by its sepals. The white or lavender-tinged wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia) grows in open woods, flowering in spring.

Angelfish

Angelfish is any of a number of unrelated fishes. The freshwater angelfish, genus Pterophyllum, of South America, is a tall, side-to-side flattened fish with a striped body, up to 26 cm long, but usually smaller in captivity. The angelfish or monkfish of the genus Squatina is a bottom-living shark up to 1.8m long with a body flattened from top to bottom. The marine angelfishes, Pomacanthus and others, are long narrow-bodied fish with spiny fins, often brilliantly coloured, up to 60cm long, living around coral reefs in the tropics.

Angler

Angler is any of an order of fishes Lophiiformes, with flattened body and broad head and jaws. Many species have small, plant-like tufts on their skin. These act as camouflage for the fish as it waits, either floating among seaweed or lying on the sea bottom, twitching the enlarged tip of the threadlike first ray of its dorsal fin to entice prey. There are over 200 species of angler fish, living in both deep and shallow water in temperate and tropical seas. The males of some species have become so small that they live as parasites on the females.

Animal

An animal is a living creature endowed with voluntary movement.

Animals

see "animal"

Annelid

Annelid is any segmented worm of the phylum Annelida. Annelids include earthworms, leeches, and marine worms such as lugworms. They have a distinct head and soft body, which is divided into a number of similar segments shut off from one another internally by membranous partitions, but there are no jointed appendages.

Annelids

see "phylum annelida"

Ant

An ant is a small hymenopterous insect. Ants have a complex social structure, and instincts.

Anteater

The anteater is a mammal of the family Myrmecophagidae, order Edentata, native to Mexico, Central America, and tropical South America. An anteater lives almost entirely on ants and termites. It has toothless jaws, an extensile tongue, and claws for breaking into the nests of its prey. Species include the giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla, about 1.8m long including the tail, the tamandua or collared anteater Tamandua tetradactyla, about 90cm long, and the silky anteater Cyclopes didactyla, about 35cm long. The name is also incorrectly applied to the aardvark, the echidna, and the pangolin.

Antedon

The antedon is a type of crinoidea.

Antelope

An antelope is any of several cloven hoofed ruminates.

Antelopes

see "antelope"

Anthozoa

The anthozoa is the class of marine animals known as sea anemones, sea fans, sea pens and stony corals. They are solitary or colonial animals in which only hydroid individuals are represented.

Anthropoidea

The anthropoidea are an order of eutheria. They have the most highly developed Brain of the mammals. The digits bear nails.

Ants

see "ant"

Anura

Anura is a subclass of amphibia. They are the frogs and toads. These are amphibians which lose their tail at the metamorphosis. In the adult the gill slits close. The hind limbs are very powerful and have webs between the digits.

Anus

The anus is the opening at the end of the alimentary canal.

Apatosaurus

Apatosaurus was a herbivore dinosaur from the jurassic period. It was 20m long and weighed 30 tonnes. It digested food with the aid of stones in the stomach.

Ape

see "apes"

Apes

Apes are a group of primates closely related to humans.

Aphetohyoidea

Aphetohyoidea is a subclass of fish. They have a bony endoskeleton and primitive jaws.

Apoda

The apoda are a subclass of amphibia. They are limbless, burrowing animals with a sub-terminal anus and small practically useless eyes covered by opaque skin.

Apple

An apple is the edible fruit of the trees of genus malus, rosaceae family.

Apricot

The apricot is a fruit tree native to Asia. It was first brought to England in 1652.

Apterygota

Apterygota is a subclass of insecta.

Arachnida

Arachnida is a class of arthropods. They are the spiders, scorpions, king-crabs and mites. The body is divided into an anterior prosoma and a posterior mesosoma. There are four pairs of walking legs on the mesosoma.

Araneida

Araneida is the spider order of arachnida. Spinnerets are present in the abdomen for spinning the web.

Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx was the first bird. It appeared on earth during the jurassic period. It was about 35cm long and unlike modern birds had teeth.

Archiannelida

The archiannelida are a class of phylum annelida.

Arenicola

The arenicola are polychaeta.

Argala

see "Adjutant-bird"

Argali

The argali is a wild sheep found in Siberia.

Argus-flounder

The argus-flounder is a species of flounder found in American seas.

Armadillo

The armadillo is a mammal native to South and Central America.

Arrow worm

see "phylum chaetognatha"

Arthropod

see "phylum arthropoda"

Arthropods

see "arthropod"

Artiodactyla

Artiodactyla is an order of eutheria. They are even toed ungulates: cattle and sheep.; pigs, deer and camels. They are specialised to deal with large quantities of vegetable food. The cheek teeth are adapted for grinding. The stomach is complex.

Ascaris

Ascaris is a phylum nematoda.

Asexual

Asexual is a term applied to reproduction by a single parent.

Ash

The ash is a type of tree yielding strong elastic timber.

Asp

The asp is a type of poisonous snake.

Aspen

The aspen is a tree native to Europe, north Africa and north Asia.

Ass

The ass is an animal related to the horse and zebra.

Asterias

Asterias is an asteroidea.

Asteroidea

Asteroidea is a subclass of stelleroidea. These are the starfishes. Tube feet are in a groove along the under surface of each of the "arms". The feet can be retracted.

Aubergine

see "Egg-plant"

Auricle

An auricle is a heart chamber which receives blood.

Aves

The aves are the bird class of craniates. They are similar to the reptiles, but have become adapted to flying. The fore limbs are modified to form wings.

Avocado

The avocado-pear (avocado) is an evergreen tree of the order Lauraceae. It has a fruit similar to a pear, weighing around 1 to 2 pounds. It is a native tree of tropical America and the West Indies.

Babiroussa

The babiroussa is a ferocious wild pig found in Sulawesi.

Baboon

The baboon is a medium sized monkey of the genus papio. They are characterized by a dog like snout, cheek prominences, and coloured bare patches on the buttocks. Baboons are found in Africa and Arabia.

Baboons

see "baboon"

Bacteria

Bacteria are micro organisms.

Badger

The badger is a carnivorous mammal found in England.

Balantidium

Balantidium is a member of the order of heterotricha.

Balm

Balm is a plant native to Europe and western Asia.

Balsam

Balsam is a genus of herbs.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a genus of grasses found in warm climates.

Banana

The banana is a perennial herb. Cultivated in tropical and sub tropical climates.

Bandicoot

The bandicoot is a small marsupial peculiar to australasia.

Bantam

Bantams are miniature fowls.

Banyan

The banyan is a large fig tree native to India.

Barbel

The barbel is a type of fresh water fish related to the carp.

Bark

Bark is the external coating of tree trunks.

Barley

Barley is the name of several cereal plants of the genus Hordeum, order Gramineae, which yield a grain used in food and for making malt. Barley has been known by man since ancient times and was used by the Egyptians to brew beer.

Barnacle

Barnacles are crustaceans often attaching themselves to ships.

Barramunda

see "Ceratodus"

Basil

Basil is an aromatic herb.

Bass

The bass is a fish of the perch family.

Basset hound

The basset hound is a long bodied, short crooked legged dog.

Bat

A bat is a nocturnal creature of the order cheiroptera.

Bay tree

The bay tree is a small evergreen tree. Its leaves are used in cooking.

Beagle

The beagle is a small dog of the fox hound type.

Bean

A bean is the seed of a plant of the order leguminosae.

Bear

A bear is an omnivorous mammal animal of the order ursus.

Beaver

The beaver is a large amphibian rodent.

Bebeeru

see "Greenheart"

Bee

The bee is a four winged stinging insect of the order hymenoptera.

Beech

The beech is a forest amentaceae.

Beef

Beef is the meat derived from the carcass of bulls and cows.

Beetle

The beetle is an insect of the order coleoptera.

Begonia

Begonias are succulent herbs native to tropical climates.

Behaviour

Behaviour is an organism's mode of life.

Belladonna

Belladonna is a poisonous plant from which atropine is derived.

Beluga

The beluga is a large dolphin.

Bergamot

The bergamot is a tree of the genus citrus. The rind of its fruit provides a fragrant orange scented essence used in perfume.

Bhang

Bhang is the Indian name for cannabis indica.

Biennial

Biennial refers to plants that live for two years/seasons.

Bighorn

The bighorn (Ovis cervina) is a large sheep with massive horns. It is found in the Rocky Mountains from Alaska to Mexico. Also called the Rocky Mountain Sheep.

Bilberry

The bilberry is a small shrub of the order ericaceae.

Bilharzia

Bilharzia is a parasitic worm of the fluke group.

Bindweed

Bindweed is a perennial herb of the order convolvulaceae.

Biology

Biology is the science of life and living things.

Birch

The birch is a slender tree.

Birchirs

The birchirs are members of the palaeonisciformes order.

Bird

see "aves"

Bird of prey

A bird of prey is a bird with a hooked beak and sharp claws which hunts other animals.

Birds

see "bird"

Bishopweed

Bishopweed is a perennial herb used to treat gout.

Bison

The bison is a division of the ox family.

Bittern

The bittern is a British marsh bird related to the heron.

Black snake

The black snake (coluber constrictor) is a common non-venomous snake found in the USA. It is about 5 feet long and is so agile it was nicknamed the Racer. It feeds on small animals and birds and was used for catching rats.

Black-bass

see "Growler"

Blackbird

The blackbird (Turdus merula) is a British bird of the thrush family. The male has black plumage and a yellow bill. The female is dark brown with a dark bill.

Blackbuck

The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is an antelope found in central and north west India. It has spirally twisted horns and stands about 3 feet tall.

Blackcap

The blackcap is an English song bird of the warbler family.

Bladder-nut

The bladder-nut is a name of shrubs or small trees of the genus Staphylea, order Sapindaceae. They are native to Europe, Asia and North America.

Bladder-wrack

Bladder-wrack is a sea-weed so called because of the floating vesicles in its fronds. It is common on English beachs.

Bladderwort

The bladderwort is a genus of herbs of the order lentibulariaceae.

Blattidae

The blattidae are a family of insects of the order Orthoptera. They are voracious, some species eating everything which gets in their way. The cockroach (Blatta orientalis) is a member of this family.

Bleak

The bleak is a small river fish, 6 or 7 inches long. It is a member of the Carp family and resembles the dace. It is found in England and Europe. It is generally silver but with a green back and is very edible.

Blenheim

The Blenheim is a variety of spaniel bearing a close resemblance to the King Charles breed, but is somewhat smaller.

Blenny

The Blenny is a genus of acanthopterygious fishes (Blennius) distinguished by a short rounded head and a long compressed smooth body. Owing to their small gill openings they can exist for for some time without water. They are found in sea water. Some species are found off the coast of Britain.

Blesbok

The blesbok (Alcelaphus albifrons) is (was?) an antelope found in South Africa. It has a white marked face, a general chocolate colouring and a "saddle" of a bluish colour. It was heavily hunted during the 19th century.

Blind fish

The Blind fish are several species of fishes of the family Amblyopsidae inhabiting the American cave-streams.

Blindworm

The blindworm is a legless lizard of the anguidae family.

Bloodhound

The bloodhound is an ancient breed of dog black and tan in colour and with pendulous ears. It has great powers of scent and is often used for tracking.

Blue bottle

The blue bottle (Musca vomitoria) is a large blue species of the the blow-fly.

Blue-fish

The blue-fish (Temnodon) is a sea fish common off the Altantic coast of the USA. It is similar to the mackerel, but grows to 3 feet long. Also called the skip-jack, horse-mackerel and green-fish.

Blue-throat

The blue-throat (Sylvia succica) is a bird with a tawny breast marked with a sky-blue crescent. It is found in northern Europe and Asia. It is eaten in France.

Blue-wing

The blue-wing is a genus of American ducks so called because of the colour of the wing coverts.

Bluethroat

The bluethroat is a small bird.

Bo tree

The bo tree is an Indian fig tree held sacred to buddha.

Boa

The boa is a genus of serpents of the family Boidae. They are distinguished by having jaws which can dilate to enable them to swallow prey thicker than themselves. They also have a hook on each side of the vent.

Boar

Boar is a male, not castrated pig (swine).

Boat-fly

The boat-fly (Notonecta glauca) is an aquatic hemipterous insect which swims on its back.

Boatbill

The boatbill is a heron type bird found in brazil.

Bogue

The bogue is an acanthopterygian fish found in the Mediterranean. It has large eyes and a brilliant colouring.

Boidae

The boidae are a family of large non-venomous serpants with two mobile hooks and the rudiments of hind-legs near the anus.

Boletus

Boletus is a genus of fungi, order Hymenomycetes, family Polyporei. They have a broad hemispherical cap the lower surface formed of open tupes, cylindrical in form, and adhering to one another. The tubes can be separated from the cap and contain little cylindrical capsules which are the organs of reproduction.

Bombay duck

The bombay duck is a small fish of the Indian and China seas.

Bontebok

The bontebok is a pied antelope of South Africa allied to the blesbok.

Borage

Borage is a biennial herb of the order boraginaceae.

Botany

Botany is the science of plant life.

Botany-Bay Oak

see "Casuarina"

Box

Box is a hardy shrub of the order euphorbiaceae.

Box elder

Box elder is the ash-leaved maple tree which is found in the USA. It was once used as a source of sugar.

Box thorn

Box thorn is a climbing solanaceae.

Boxer

The boxer is a medium-sized dog of continental origin. It has a smooth coat.

Brachiosaurus

Brachiosaurus was one of the largest animals ever to live. It was a dinosaur from the jurassic period. It was 25m long and weighed 50 tonnes. It was a herbivore.

Bracken

Bracken is a fern growing on heathland.

Bradyodonti

The bradyodonti is an order of chondrichthyes. They are the chimaeras. A palato-quadrate bar is fused to the cranium. Teeth are few and crushing.

Bramble

The bramble is a prickly shrub of the order rosaceae.

Branchiopoda

Branchiopoda is a subclass of crustacean in which the trunk appendages are broad, lobed and fringed with hairs.

Bread-fruit

Bread-fruit is a tree of the order Artocarpaceae. The tree grows to a height of about 100 feet. The leaves are leathery, about 1 foot long and 3 or 4 inches wide. The fruit of the tree when roasted tastes somewhat like bread, hence the name! The sap of the tree is similar in appearance to cows milk, and is considered nutritious, hence the alternative name of cow-tree.

Bream

The bream is a fresh water fish allied to the carp.

Brill

The brill is a type of fish like the turbot.

Briza

Briza is a genus of grass. It is popularly called quaking grass on account of the spikelets being in a constant state of tremulous motion.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a late variety of the cauliflower, hardier and with more colour in the flower and leaves. The flower-stalks are eaten.

Bromeliaceae

Bromeliaceae is the pineapple family of endogenous plants. The name comes from the genus Bromelia to which the pineapple was once incorrectly refered.

Bronchiole

A bronchiole is a branch of a bronchus within the lung.

Bronchioles

see "bronchiole"

Bronchus

The bronchus is a pipe connecting the trachea to the lung.

Bronze-wing

The Bronze-wing is various species of Australian pigeons distinguished by the bronze colour of their plumage.

Broom

Broom is a shrub of the order leguminosae.

Broom-grass

Broom-grass (Broom-corn) is a plant of the order of grasses, with a jointed stem. It grows to a height of between 8 and 10 feet. It was cultivated in North America and used to make carpet-brooms.

Bryozoa

Bryozoa is another name for phylum polyzoa.

Buansuah

The buansuah is a wild dog of Northen India.

Bubaline Antelope

The bubaline antelope is an ox-like antelope found in the deserts of north Africa. It is yellow-brown in colour and has horns which start forward and outward, and then trun backwards.

Bubalus

The bubalus is the genus of animals which includes the buffalo.

Bubo

Bubo is a genus of owls, including the great-horned owl.

Buccal cavity

The buccal cavity is the region into which the mouth opens. The tongue is found on the floor of the buccal cavity.

Bucerotidoe

see "Hornbills"

Buck

Buck is the name of the male fallow-deer, reindeer, chamois, goat, hare and rabbit.

Buck-bean

The buck-bean (bog-bean, Marsh-Trefoil) is a plant of the order Gentianaceae. It is common in boggy soils and is found in England, Europe and North America. It is a bitter tasting plant and was once used as a tonic.

Buck-hound

The buck-hound is a type of dog similar to the stag-hound but smaller, originally bred for hunting bucks.

Buckthorn

The buckthorn is a shrub of the order rhamnaceae.

Bucku

Bucku are several plants of the genus Barosma order Rutacea. They were used as medicine for urino-genital disorders around the turn of the century.

Buffalo

The buffalo is a large animal of the ox family.

Bugula

Bugula is an ectoprocta.

Bulb

A bulb is a modified leaf-bud formed on a plant on or beneath the surface of the ground, emitting roots from its base and a stem from its centre.

Bull

A bull is a male animal of the bovidea family.

Bull-frog

The bull-frog is a large species of frog found in North America. They are between 8 and 10 inches long, and get their name from their croak which resembles the lowing of cattle

Bullace

The bullace (prunus insititia) is a wild plum.

Bulldog

The bulldog is an ancient breed of British dog. It was bred for bull baiting and as such it can grip a bull's throat without obstructing its nostrils. It has a distinctive short, thick, kinked tail.

Bullfinch

The bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) is a species of finch of the family Fringillidae.

Bulrush

The bulrush is a perennial sedge of the order cyperaceae.

Bunting

The bunting is a bird of the sub-family Emberizinae, allied to the finches.

Burdock

Burdock is a biennial herb of the order compositae.

Burnet

Burnet is a perennial rosaceous herb.

Bush antelope

The bush antelope is a small African antelope.

Buttercup

The buttercup is a perennial herb of the order ranunculaceae.

Butterfish

see "Gunnel"

Butterfly

Butterfly is a division of the order of lepidoptera. The other is moth.

Butterwort

The butterwort is a perennial herb of the order lentibulariaceae.

Buzzard

The buzzard is a group of 20 types of birds of prey.