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 calamus.

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.

Alcelaphus albifrons
see "
Blesbok"

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.

Alisma
see "
Water-Plantain"

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.

American Orioles
see "
cassicus"

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.

Anarhichadidae
see "
Cat-fish"

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.

Anemone coronaria
see "
Poppy anemone"

Anemone quinquefolia
see "
Anemone"

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.

Angorra
The Turkish
angora is a breed of long-haired cat renowned for its ability to remain immobile for long periods and for its love of water and bathing. The coat is very fine, silky, and wavy. The ears are large, wide at the base, and pointed, the tail is long, tapering, and usually carried curled, the eyes are large and almond-shaped.
The angora is very responsive to its owner's wishes and enjoys retrieval games.

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.

Antiaris toxicaria
see "
Upas"

Antilope cervicapra
see "
Blackbuck"

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.

Armeria
Armeria (Thrift) is a
genus of plants of the order Plumbaginaceae.

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.

Asiatic wild dog
see "
Dhole"

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.

Bargander
see "
Sheldrake"

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.

Bay-winged Bunting
see "
Vesper Sparrow"

Beach Plum
The
beach plum (shore plum, Prunus maritima) is a tall shrub bearing tart, purple to yellow plums, 5 cm in diameter which are used in jams. It grows to 3 m tall and bears showy white flowers, about 2.5 cm wide and grows in sandy soil along the north-eastern coast of North America.

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.

Bearded Collie
The bearded
collie (highland collie, mountain collie, hairy mou'ed collie) is a hardy breed of herding dog known for its unique "fading" puppies, which may be born dark and lighten significantly with age.
They have a long to medium-length shaggy, yet wispy coat which follows the natural line of the body and may be black, blue, brown, or fawn in colour with or without white markings.
The ears are long, shaggy, and hang down the side of the head, seeming to blend in with the rest of the body.
The tail is long, furry, and carried low and the eyes are large and dark, with a bright, inquiring expression.
The adult dog stands 51 to 56 cm tall at the shoulder and weighs about 25kg.

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.

Bengal
The Bengal is a
breed of short-haired domestic cat which was developed in the USA in 1970 by breeding an Asian leopard with a domesticated tabby cat. The fur is leopard-patterned, thick, soft and consists of random rosettes of light spots within darker outer circles on a rufus-coloured background.
The ears are small and slightly pointed, the tail is long and tapering, the eyes are very large and round and golden. The hind legs are shorter than the forelegs, a trait that makes the cat look like it is stalking when it walks and it has the gentle temperament of its tabby ancestor.

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 (
Vaccinium myrtillus) is a small shrub of the order Vacciniaceae. It is found on copses and on heaths where it grows to about 60 cm tall and bears oval leaves with serrated edges and solitary, drooping, globular, flesh-coloured flowers and dark-blue berries.

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 Gram
see "
Urd"

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.

Blatta orientalis
see "
Cockroach"

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.

Blennius
see "
Blenny"

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 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.

Blood-root
Blood-root (
Sanguinaria canadensis) is a plant of the Sanguinaria genus. It was used by North American Indians to provide red paint.

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.

Bog-bean
see "
Buck-bean"

Bog-moss
see "
Sphagnum"

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.

Border Leicester
The Border Leicester is a
breed of British long-wooled sheep. It has a long head which is wide between the eyes, a large black muzzle, small ears and no horns. Its wool is long and soft.

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.

Breadcrumb sponge
The Breadcrumb
sponge is a British coastal sponge which forms an encrusting mass.

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

Briar
Briar (Erica arborea) is a
plant of the Ericaceae family. Briar pipes are made from its roots.

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-corn
see "
Broom-grass"

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.

Butcher-bird
The Butcher-bird (Lanius) is a
genus of Shrike which often breeds in Britain.

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.