Aardwolf
Aaron's Rod
Aasvogel
Abalone
Abelmoschus
Abroma
Abutilon
Acacia
Acalepha
Acanthaceae
Acanthads
Acanthus
Acaridae
Acarina
Accentor
Acephala
Acer
Achene
Achillaea
Achimenes
Acipenser
Aconite
Acorn
Acorus
Acotyledon
Acotyledons
Acrita
Acrogen
Actinia
Actinopterygii
Actinozoa
Adda
Addax
Adder
Adder's-tongue
Adder's-wort
Adder-pike
Adenanthera
Adiantum
Adjutant-bird
Admiral
Adonis
Aegagrus
Aegilops
Aepyornis
Aesculus
Afghan hound
Agama
Agaric
Agave
Ageratum
Agnatha
Agnus Castus
Agouara
Agouta
Agouti
Agrimony
Agrostis
Aigrette
Air-plants
Airedale terrier
Ajolote
Ajowan
Ajuga
Alactaga
Albacore
Albatross
Albino
Alburnum
Alcelaphus albifrons
Alco
Alcyonaria
Alcyonium
Alder
Alfa
Alfalfa
Algarobilla
Alimentary canal
Alisma
Alkanet
Allamanda
Alligator
Alligator-apple
Alligator-pear
Allium
Allosaurus
Aloe
Alopecurus
Alpaca
Alpine Crow
Alpine Warbler
Alsatian
Alstroemeria
Alveoli
Alyssum
Amadavat
Amadou
Amanita
Amaranthaceae
Amaranths
Amaryllidaceae
Ambatch
Amblyopsis
Amelanchier
Amentaceae
Amentum
American Orioles
Ametabola
Ammonite
Amoeba
Amoebina
Amoeboid
Amomum
Amphibia
Amphibian
Amphibians
Amphineura
Amphipoda
Anaconda
Anagallis
Anapsida
Anarhichadidae
Anatomy
Anchovy
The aardwolf is a carnivorous mammal.
Aaron's Rod is the only British species of Golden-rod. It is found in woods and thickets.
The aasvogel are south African vultures.
The abalone is an edible snail like marine animal.
Abelmoschus is a genus of tropical plants of the mallow family. It yields edible fruits, called okro (okra, ochro) which is used in soups.
The Abroma is a genus of small trees which are native to India.
The Abutilon are a genus of plants of the order Malvaceae, also known as The Indian Mallows and American Jute.
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 was a name once used to describe the Medusae (jelly-fishes).
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.
see "Acanthaceae"
The acanthus is a herbaceous plant of south Europe, Asia and Africa. It has large hairy, shiny leaves.
Acaridae is the mite family of insects
Acarina is the mite and tick order of the arachnida. They have a rounded body with no demarcation between the prosoma and the opisthosoma.
An accentor is a type of bird of the prunelliadae family.
The Acephala are the headless Mollusca with a bivalve shell.
Acer is a genus of plants of the order Aceraceae to which belongs the Maple.
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.
The Achillaea are a milfoil genus of plants.
The Achimenes are a genus of tropical American plants with scaly underground tubers. They are of the order Gesneraceae.
The acipenser is a genus of cartilaginous ganoid fishes to which the sturgeon belongs.
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.
The acorn is the fruit of the oak tree.
Acorus is a genus of plants which includes the calamus.
see "Acotyledons"
Acotyledons are plants not furnished with cotyledons or seed-lobes, such as ferns, mosses and sea-weeds.
Acrita is another name for the animals called Protozoa.
Acrogen is a term used to describe ferns, mosses and lichens which grow by extension upwards.
Actinia is a member of the order zoantharia.
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 are a class of animals belonging to the sub-kingdom Coelenterata. They have rayed tentacles around the mouth.
The adda is a species of lizard also called the skink.
The addax is a species of antelope found in North African deserts. It has wide-sweeping twisted horns about 4 feet long.
An adder is a venomous snake of the viper family found in England.
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 is a plant supposed to be able to cure snake bites.
The Adder-pike is a small species of the weever fish. Also called the Lesser Weever or Sting-fish.
Adenanthera is a genus of trees and shrubs native to the East Indies and Ceylon of the order Leguminosae.
Adiantum is a genus of ferns.
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 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 (pheasant's eye) is a genus of ranunculaceous plants. They are found throughout Europe, Asia and America and are highly poisonous.
The aegagrus are a wild species of ibex found in the Caucasus and other Asiatic mountains.
Aegilops is a genus of grasses closely allied to wheat.
Aepyornis was a genus of gigantic birds once found in Madagascar. It had three toes and laid eggs 14 inches in length.
Aesculus is a genus of plants which includes the horse-chestnut.
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 are several lizards allied to the iguana.
The agaric is a family of fungus including the cultivated mushroom.
Agave is a genus of plants of the order Amaryllidaceae which includes the daffodil and narcissus. They are popularly known as American aloes.
Ageratum is a genus of composite plants found in the warmer parts of America.
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 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.
The agouara is a crab-eating racoon of South America.
The agouta is an insectivorous mammal peculiar to Haiti. It is of the tanrec family and somewhat larger than a rat.
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 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 is a genus of pasture grasses.
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 (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.
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.
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 is an umbelliferous plant which is cultivated in India, Persia and Egypt for the seeds which are used in cooking and medicine.
The ajuga are a genus of plants belonging to the labiate family.
The alactaga is a rodent mammal closely allied to the jerboa but larger. It is found across central Asia.
The albacore is a species of fish.
The albatross is a long winged oceanic bird.
An albino is an animal with no skin pigment and pink eyes.
The alburnum is the recently formed wood in trees.
see "Blesbok"
The alco is a small variety of dog, with a small head and large pendulous ears found wild in Mexico and Peru.
Alcyonaria is an order of anthozoa. They have eight pinnate tentacles and eight mesenteries.
Alcyonium is a member of the order of alcyonaria.
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 is a name for esparto grass obtained from Algeria.
Alfalfa is a prolific forage plant similar to lucerne widely grown in the USA.
Algarobilla are the seed-pods of trees of the Prosopis genus, valued for their tannin.
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.
see "Water-Plantain"
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 is a genus of American tropical plants of the order Apocynaceae, with large yellow or violet flowers.
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.
The alligator-apple is a narcotic fruit similar to the custard-apple. It is found in marshy areas of Jamaica.
Alligator-pear is an old name for the Avocado-pear (Avocado).
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 was the biggest and fiercest carnivorous dinosaur of the jurassic period. It was 15m tall and weighed about 3 tons.
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 is a genus of grasses.
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.
The Alpine Crow or Alpine Chough is a European bird closely akin to the chough of England.
The alpine warbler is a European bird of the same family as the hedge-sparrow.
Alsatian is another name for the German shepherd dog.
Alstroemeria are a genus of South American plants of the order Amaryllideae.
The alveoli are air-sacs within the lung at the end of bronchioles.
Alyssum is a genus of cruciferous plants including the madwort.
The amadavat is a small Indian singing bird allied to the finches.
Amadou is the name of several fungi of the genus Polyporus, they have a leathery appearance and grow on trees.
Amanita is a genus of fungi including fly-agaric.
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.
see "Amaranthaceae"
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 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 is a genus of blind fishes comprised of a single species found in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky.
Amelanchier is a genus of small trees native to Europe and North America.
Amentaceae is the family of trees and plants where the flowers are arranged in the form of catkins.
Amentum is a botanical term for the catkin.
see "cassicus"
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.
An ammonite is one type of extinct sea creature, often found as a fossil.
An amoeba is a primitive one cell animal.
The amoebina is an order of rhizopoda. The order is comprised of the amoeba and its relatives. Reproduction is usually by binary fission.
see "amoebina"
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 is a class of craniates which during their evolution have only partialy adapted to life on land. They breed in water.
see "amphibia"
see "amphibia"
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 is an order of malacostraca where the carapace is absent and the body is laterally compressed. The abdomen is elongated.
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.
see "Pimpernel"
The anapsida are a subclass of reptiles in which there are no temporal vacuities.
see "Cat-fish"
Anatomy is the study of animal's structure.
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.