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wren

(Encyclopedia)wren, small, plump perching songbird of the family Troglodytidae. There are about 60 wren species, and all except one are restricted to the New World. The plumage is usually brown or reddish above and...

Briard

(Encyclopedia)Briard brēärdˈ [key], breed of muscular, wiry working dog whose origins may be traced back to 12th-century France. It stands from 22 to 27 in. (55.9–68.6 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs betwe...

thrush , in zoology

(Encyclopedia)thrush, bird, common name for members of the Turdidae, a large family of birds found in most parts of the world and noted for their beautiful song. The majority are modestly colored, with spotted unde...

wildcat

(Encyclopedia)wildcat, common name of Old World cats (Felis silvestris) of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The wildcat resembles a large domestic tabby cat with a heavy tail; its fur is brownish to gray, with a pattern o...

turquoise

(Encyclopedia)turquoise, hydrous phosphate of aluminum and copper, Al2(OH)3PO4·H2O+Cu, used as a gem. It occurs rarely in crystal form, but is usually cryptocrystalline. Turquoise is opaque and has a waxy luster; ...

Skye terrier

(Encyclopedia)Skye terrier, breed of sturdy, short-legged terrier developed in the northwestern islands of Scotland more than four centuries ago. It takes its name from the principal island in the group. The Skye t...

Kawakubo, Rei

(Encyclopedia)Kawakubo, Rei, 1942–, Japanese fashion designer, b. Tokyo. After working for a textile manufacturer, she became (1967) a freelance stylist, founded (1969) the fashion label Comme des Garçons, and o...

glass snake

(Encyclopedia)glass snake, common name for the snakelike legless lizards of the genus Ophisaurus found in the S and central United States and in Eurasia. The shiny, scaled body is gray or greenish brown, sometimes ...

Joseph, Father

(Encyclopedia)Joseph, Father (François Leclerc du Tremblay), 1577–1638, French Capuchin monk, a confidant and agent of Cardinal Richelieu, generally known as the Éminence Grise [gray eminence]. Combining the el...

Irish wolfhound

(Encyclopedia)Irish wolfhound, breed of very large hound whose origins may be traced back many centuries in Ireland. The tallest of dogs, it stands about 34 in. (86.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 140 l...
 

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