(Encyclopedia) opalopalōˈpəl [key], a mineral consisting of poorly crystalline to amorphous silica, SiO2·nH2O; the water content is quite variable but usually ranges from 3% to 10%. Common opal is…
(Encyclopedia) cyanobacteriacyanobacteriasīˌənōbăktĭrˈēə, sī-ănˌō– [key] or blue-green algae, photosynthetic bacteria that contain chlorophyll. For many years they were classified in the plant…
(Encyclopedia) ShreveportShreveportshrēvˈpôrt [key], city (1990 pop. 198,525), seat of Caddo parish, NW La., on the Red River near the Tex. and Ark. lines; inc. 1839. The third largest city in the…
(Encyclopedia) porgyporgypôrˈgē [key], common name for members of the Sparidae, a family of small-mouthed fishes with strong teeth adapted for crushing their food of shellfish and crustaceans.…
(Encyclopedia) Port SudanPort Sudans&oomacr;dănˈ [key], city (1993 pop. 308,195), NE Sudan, on the Red Sea. The country's major seaport, it handles the bulk of Sudan's foreign trade. The city is…
(Encyclopedia) Fort AbercrombieFort Abercrombieăbˈərkrŏmˌbē, –krŭmˌbē [key], U.S. army post on the west bank of the Red River, at Abercrombie, N.Dak.; est. 1858. Built to protect settlers in the Red…
(Encyclopedia) ruby, precious stone, the transparent red variety of corundum, found chiefly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and classified among the most valuable of gems. The Myanmarese stones…
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(Encyclopedia) crossbill, bird of the genus Loxia, in the finch family. Its bill, crossed at the tips, is specialized for pulling apart pine cones and picking out the seeds. Crossbills are found in…
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