(Encyclopedia) perch, common name for some members of the family Percidae, symmetrical freshwater fishes of N Europe, Asia, and North America. The perches belong to the large order Perciformes (spiny…
(Encyclopedia) thistle, popular name for many spiny and usually weedy plants, but especially applied to members of the family Asteraceae (aster family) that have spiny leaves and often showy heads of…
(Encyclopedia) tempering, process involving slow and moderate heating to increase the hardness and toughness of metals that have undergone previous heat treatment. Metals are usually hardened (see…
(Encyclopedia) Guido d'ArezzoGuido d'Arezzogwēˈdō därĕtˈtsō [key] or Guido AretinusGuido d'Arezzoârətīˈnəs [key], c.990–1050, Italian Benedictine monk, known for his contributions to musical notation…
(Encyclopedia) QingdaoQingdaochĭngˈdouˈ [key] or TsingtaoTsingtaotsĭngˈtouˈ, chĭngˈdouˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 1,584,100), SE Shandong prov., E China, on the Yellow Sea. With an excellent ice-…
(Encyclopedia) bee fly, name for the small- to medium-sized flies of the family Bombyliidae, many of which resemble bees in appearance and behavior. This mimicry provides bee flies with some measure…
