# Animals And Plants (B)

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 (Meles taxus) or brock is an omnivorous mammal of the family Mustelidae found in England and Europe. It is a nocturnal animal about 900 cm in length with shirt stout limbs, a pointed nose and of a blackish-grey colour with white markings over its head.

Baladi
see "Awassi"

Balantidium
Balantidium is a member of the order of heterotricha.

Balkhi
The Balkhi is a fat tailed mutton type of breed of sheep. It is found in the NWF Province of Pakistan and tribal areas and in adjoining areas of Afghanistan. They are a large size with body colour varying from black, tan, gray or their admixture, often extending to the head and legs as well. The ears are moderately long, the body is muscular and compact, and a tucked up fat tail.

Ballan Wrasse
The Ballan wrasse (Labrus maculatus) is a British edible fish of the wrasses family occuring in rock pools.

Balm
Balm is a plant native to Europe and western Asia.

Balsam
Balsam is a genus of herbs.

Baltic Cod
see "Dorse"

Baluchi
The Baluchi (Baluchi dumda, Mengali, Taraki, Shinwari, Araghi, Farahani, Kermani, Khorasani, Khurasani, Naeini, Neini, Yazdi) is a breed of sheep that originated in the area which is now southwest Pakistan, eastern Iran and southern Afghanistan. They are a fat-tailed meat breed with a carpet grade wool. They are white with black marks on the head and legs. Rams can be either horned or polled and ewes are polled.

Baluchi dumda
see "Baluchi"

Balwen Welsh Mountain
The Balwen Welsh Mountain is a breed of Welsh mountain sheep. The Balwen has a base colour of black/brown or dark grey, with a white blaze on the face, four white feet and a half white tail. The name Balwen is derived from the Welsh phrase Bal meaning white blaze. It is thought farmers over the years used the Balwen as landmarks on the hills as a means of recognizing ones flock. By whatever means, the Balwen has been preserved by the continued belief of committed enthusiasts that the Welsh Mountain is a 'sheep for all seasons'. For many years the Balwen was confined to an area of central Wales on the borders of the old counties of Cardigan, Brecon and Carmarthen. The catchment area of the river Tywi, north of Rhandirmwyn (now the Llyn Brianne Dam) was the breeding grounds for the Balwen sheep, and the ancestry of all Balwens can be traced back to the Tywi valley. The Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep is a small very hardy breed. They are easy to manage having very few health problems associated with many of the larger breeds. They have excellent feet requiring little attention and can get by with only the minimum of feeding at peak times of the year. The Balwen is an excellent mother, having very few lambing problems with plenty of milk capable of rearing twin lambs under the right circumstances.

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.

Barbado
The Barbado is a breed of sheep originated in Texas. The breed originated from Barbados Blackbelly sheep which were crossed with Rambouillet and mouflon. One of the uses of the Barbado is as a trophy animal on game ranches due to its large curled horns. It is typically tan, tan with a pale or black belly or pied. The coat varies from short hair to coarse wool with a large amount of kemp fibers. Males show the horns for which the breed was selected and the females are polled. The Barbado should not be confused with the Barbados Blackbelly although the two are related. Barbados Blackbelly exhibit the distinctive colour pattern of the breed, tan with black belly and face, which is often times absent in the Barbado. In addition, both sexes of the Barbados Blackbelly are polled while the males of the Barbado are horned.

Barbados Blackbelly
The Barbados Blackbelly is a breed of sheep African in origin and developed on the island of Barbados. The Barbados Blackbelly has a variety of colour phases varying from basic black and tan colour through black, yellow, and variegated pinto patterns. The black colour covers the under parts completely in the basal pattern and extends up the neck with black extending down the inside of the legs, on the plank and back of the thighs. The inside hair of the ears is black with a small dash at the rear of the eye. The chin and poll are black. The black underparts and black lines medial to the eye contrasting with the normal tan to reddish coat in most other areas, gives an exotic contrasting appearance. Yellow ewes (pale to reddish yellow) have a white abdomen. The yellow colour phase may have been originally derived from a different breed of hair sheep. There has also been noted a reddish, and also a white, hair sheep in northeast Brazil and light brown colours characteristic of hair sheep from Tobago. Further north there is a light to pale brown sheep in the Bahamas, the long island sheep in Cuba called the Pelibuey. All of these sheep are thought to be at least partially related to the Barbados Blackbelly. The mature rams have a neckpiece of long hair, up to six inches, which extends down the neck to the brisket. The cape reaches full development in the fall of the year. In some rams this is a full cape which extends over the sides and top of the neck and shoulders as a showy blanket. Rams and ewes on the island of Barbados are polled or with short scurs.

Barbados Pride
Barbados Pride (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is a tropical, leguminous evergreen shrub with brilliantly coloured flowers.

Barbary Ape
The Barbary Ape (Macaca sylvanus) is a monkey (and not an ape) native to north Africa, and kept artificially on Gibraltar.

Barbel
The barbel is a type of fresh water fish related to the carp.

Barberry
The common barberry (Berberis vulgaris) also known as Berbery and Pipperidge Bush is a bush growing to about 3 meters tall. The stems are woody, upright and branched, smooth, slightly grooves, brittle with a white pith and covered wish an ash-coloured bark. The leaves are alternate, 3 cm long, shortly petioled and present various graduations from leaves into spines into which they transform in the succeeding year. The flowers are small, pale yellow and arranged in pendulous racemes. For a long time farmers in Europe maintained that a barberry bush planted near a field of wheat would blight the wheat. Actually a fungus which attacks barberry throws off spores which do attack wheat.

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"

Barren Strawberry
Barren Strawberry (Potentilla fragariastrum) is a species of the herbaceous perennial Potentilla.

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"

Bazougers
see "Bleu du Maine"

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.

Bean Tree
see "Carob"

Bear
A bear is an omnivorous mammal animal of the order ursus.

Beard-Moss
see "Usnea"

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"

Bec-fin
Bec-fin is the French name for various small birds of the family Muscicapidae, order Passeriformes. It includes such thin-billed birds as the stone-chat and hedge sparrow or dunnock.

Bee
The bee is a four winged stinging insect of the order hymenoptera.

Beech
The beech is a deciduous, shallow-rooted forest tree of the genus Fagus, family Fagaceae, native to the northern hemisphere. The leaves are oval with wavy margins and resistant to decay they form a nutrient poor soil in beech forests which resist the growth of other plants. Young beech trees keep their dead leaves, and are often used as hedges.

Beef
Beef is the meat derived from the carcass of bulls and cows.

Beefmaster
The beefmaster is a red, usually with white spots breed of beef cattle which was developed at Texas in 1908.

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.

Belarus Red
The Belarus Red (Krasnaya belorusskaya, Krasnobelorusskaya, Byelorussian Red, Red White-Russian, White-Russian Red) is a breed of cow characterized by a medium long head, not wide, with a long face. The poll is pronounced. The horns are of medium size. The neck is thin and of moderate length. The withers are not sharp, occasionally divided. The chest is of medium depth, wide enough. The back is level, slightly narrow. The loin is long and level, of medium width. The mid-part of the body is well developed. The abdomen is capacious, not drooping. The rump is level, slightly raised. The hindquarters are of medium length and width, with protruding hips. The legs are comparatively thin, bony, not long, correctly set. Sometimes legs are splayed or bowed. The udder is medium in volume, glandular, cup-shaped or roundish. The teats are cylindrical, of medium size. The skin is thin, elastic, mobile. The skeleton is light and strong. The musculature is moderately developed. The conformation is harmonious and compact; the constitution delicate. The colour is red or rust-red of various shades. many animals are noted for their longevity.

Belemnite
Belemnites are extinct, squid-like molluscs of the Cephalopoda class with a bullet-shaped internal shell. Fossils are found from the Upper Carboniferous period to the Eocene epoch.

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.

Bentheimer Landschaf
The Bentheimer Landschaf (Landrace of Bentheim) is a sheep of the heath-sheep landrace group and is a cross between German and Dutch heath sheep and a marsh sheep. Since 1934 it has been bred in the northern German Emsland area, especially in the county of Bentheim. The highly endangered, frugal Bentheimer Landschaf is used for landscape preservation. It is the largest of the German heath- and- moor sheep with long legs and hard hoofs. A slender, long head, Roman nose, small ears, no horns, long and woolly tail, describe the sheep. The sheep is white, but dark pigmentation is permitted around the eyes, on the ears and on its legs.

Berberis vulgaris
see "Barberry"

Berbery
see "Barberry"

Bergamacia
see "Bergamasca"

Bergamasca
The Bergamasca (Bergamasker, Gigante di Bergamo, Bergamacia) is a breed of sheep found in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is the basic breed of the Lop-eared Alpine group and is polled. It is coarse wooled meat breed. The Bergamasca is the foundation of the other Lop-eared Alpine breeds and of Fabrianese, Pavullese, Perugian Lowland and Zakynthos.

Bergamasker
see "Bergamasca"

Bergamot
The bergamot is a tree of the genus citrus. The rind of its fruit provides a fragrant orange scented essence used in perfume.

Bergylt
The bergylt (Sebastes norvegicus) is a fish found in northern seas and belonging to the gurnard family but resembling a perch. It is of a red colour and grows to 60 cm in length. It is also called the Norway haddock and the Norway carp.

Bermuda Grass
Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a perennial grass with erect branches cultivated as fodder in the West Indies and the USA.

Bernicla Brenta
see "Brent Goose"

Betel
Betel (Piper betel) is a climbing shrub of the order Peperaceae indigenous through Madagascar and the Malay peninsular. The leaves contain a volatile oil which contains betel-phenol and chavicol, and is used as a masticatory.

Betel-Nut
The Betel-Nut is the kernel of the fruit of the palm Areca Catechu found in southern India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Malay Archipelago. It is so named from being chewed along with betel-leaf. When ripe the fruit is the size of a cherry, conical in shape with a brown outside and mottled inside. The fruit grows in bunches of about 300 nuts, each tree bearing two or three bunches.

Betonica Officinalis
see "Betony"

Betony
Betony is the popular name of Stachys Betonica, also known as Betonica Officinalis. It is a labiate British plant with purple flowers which grows in woods. It was once used extensively in medicine and may be used to dye wool a dark-yellow colour.

Bhang
Bhang is the Indian name for cannabis indica.

Bhuteer
see "Tibetan Terrier"

Bibrik
The Bibrik is a fat tailed, mutton type of breed of sheep that is found in parts of Loralai and Sibi districts in Baluchistan Province of Pakistan. They are a medium sized breed. Their body colour is white with a black or brown head. The fat tail is short and wide.

Bidens
Bidens is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs of the natural order Compositae. Two species are British marsh plants.

Biellese
The Biellese (Biellese-Bergamasca) is a breed of sheep from the Piedmont region of Italy. It is a carpet wool breed used for meat production. One of the Lop-eared Alpine group of sheep breeds, the Biellese is polled.

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.

Bignonia
Bignonia is a genus of plants of many species. They are inhabitants of hot climates and belong to the natural order Bignoniaceae. They are usually climbing shrubs with tendrils. The flowers are mostly interminal or axillary panicles. The corolla is trumpet-shaped giving rise to their common name of trumpet-flower.

Bignonia Leucoxylon
Bignonia Leucoxylon is a tree native to Jamaica which grows to some 10 meters in height.

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.

Bind-Weed
Bind-Weed is the common name of plants of the genus Convolvulus, especially Convolvulus arvensis and also of plants of the allied genus Calystegia.

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.

Bistort
Bistort (Polygonum Bistorta) is a perennial plant of the buckwheat family found in Britain. It contains a lot of tannin, which gives it astringent properties and led to its use in medicine. In northern England it is commonly called Easter Giant and around Manchester it is called Patience Dock.

Bittern
The bittern is a British marsh bird related to the heron.

Bixa orillana
see "Aploppas"

Black Alder
see "Winter Berry"

Black Bass
Black Bass is a species of spiny-finned fish of the sea perch and bass family. They are dark freshwater fish weighing up to 5 lbs.

Black Bean
The black bean or Moreton Bay chestnut (Castanospermum australe), is an Australian leguminous tree with a thin, smooth bark and yellow or reddish flowers. It is used in furniture manufacture.

Black Bryony
Black Bryony (Tamus communis) is a plant of the natural order Dioscoreaceae (the yams) and not a Bryony at all. It has cordiate undivided leaves, greenish flowers, red berries and a black fleshy root.

Black Cypress
The Black cypress (Taxodium distichum) is an American tree found in swampy areas. It's timber is widely used.

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"

Black-Beetle
Black-Beetle is a popular name for the cockroach.

Black-Boy
Black-Boy is a popular name for the grass-tree

Black-crowned Night-heron
The Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) is a medium sized, stocky American heron of the order Ciconiiformes, family: Ardeidae. It is grey with a white throat and breast, black cap; immature birds are brown with a streaked front; breeding individuals have two long white plumes extending from the back of the head. They are active mainly from dusk to dawn, roosting during the day.

Black-fish
see "Tautog"

Black-shouldered Kite
The Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus) is a medium sized, slender, long-winged American hawk of the order Falconiformes, family Accipitridae with white head and tail, grey wings and black shoulders. It forages by hovering in place over prey, then settling down on it feet first. It feeds on small mammals, other small vertebrates and insects.

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 (Sylvia atricapilla) is an English song bird of the warbler family. It is about 15 cm long, the upper part of the body is dark-grey with a greenish tinge, the under parts are silvery white and the upper part of the head is black (hence the name). It builds its nest close to the ground.

Blackhead Persian
The Blackheaded Persian is a breed of sheep that originated in the arid regions of east Africa in what is now Samali. It is one of the fat-rumped breeds and both sexes are polled. The breed is now found in South Africa where they are sometimes known by the name Swartkoppersie. It also found its way to the tropics of the Caribbean region via South Africa many years ago. The Caribbean population has adapted well to the humid tropics.

Bladder Senna
Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens) is a leguminous shrub of Southern Europe with bladder-like pods and purgative properties.

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 (Utricularia vulgaris) is a group of genera of some 275 species of aquatic and terrestial herbs of the order lentibulariaceae.

Blapsidae
Blapsidae are a family of nocturnal black beetles, whose wings are generally obsolete and their elytra soldered together. They are to be found in gloomy damp places and when seized discharge a peculiar smelling liquid in self-defence.

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.

Blaukpfiges Fleischschaf
see "Bleu du Maine"

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.

Blessed Thistle
The Blessed Thistle (Carduus benedictus) is a plant native to the south of Europe and formerly used in medicine. It is mentioned in Much Ado About Nothing.

Bleu du Maine
The Bleu du Maine (Blaukpfiges Fleischschaf, Bazougers, Bluefaced Maine, Blue-headed Maine, Maine-Anjou, Maine a tete bleue, Maynne Blue) is a breed of sheep that originated in Western France in the region of Mayenne. The breed was developed from crossing of Leicester Longwool and Wensleydale which were imported during a period from 1855 to 1880 with the now extinct Choletais breed. The Bleu du Maine are a large breed with mature rams weighing 240 pounds and ewes 175. The breed has no wool on its head or legs. The face is a dark gray or blue colour and both sexes are polled.

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 Bell
Blue bell (Polemonium reptans) also known as Abscess Root, American Greek Valerian, False Jacob's Ladder and Sweatroot is a plant of the order Polemoniaceae. It grows in damp woods by creeping roots. The stem is about 5 cm long, much branched and bearing pinnate leaves with six or seven pairs of leaflets. The flowers are nodding, blue in colour and hang in loose terminal bunches.

Blue bottle
The blue bottle (Musca vomitoria) is a large blue species of the the blow-fly.

Blue Squill
see "Scilla"

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-headed Maine
see "Bleu du Maine"

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.

Bluefaced Leicester
The Bluefaced Leicester (Hexham Leicester, Bluefaced Maine, Blue-headed Maine) is an English Longwool breed of sheep and originated near Hexham in the county of Northumberland, England during the early 1900's. The breed was originally developed to use in the production of high quality crossbred ewes which were pastures in the neighboring hills of the region. They originated from Border Leicester individuals selected for the blue face (white hairs on black skin) and finer fleeces. They are found primarily in Northern England, Scotland and Wales. The average weight for mature rams is approximately 115 kg with adult ewes weighing 80 kg. The wool is classed as demi-luster and fine.

Bluefaced Maine
see "Bleu du Maine"

Bluethroat
The bluethroat is a small bird.

Bo tree
The bo tree, lso called the Pipal or Prepul (Ficus religiosa) is an Indian fig tree held sacred to Buddha and of Vishnu. It is a tree of considerable size, with sap abounding in caoutchouc, while it also yields lac.

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). The term is also applied to distinguish wild hogs from domesticated hogs (pigs).

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.

Bob-white
see "Virginia Quail"

Bobcat
The bobcat (Felis rufa) is a Wild cat living in a variety of habitats from Southern Canada through to Southern Mexico. It is similar to the lynx, but only 75 cm long, with reddish fur and less well-developed ear tufts.

Boehmeria
Boehmeria is a genus of plants of the order Urticaceae, closely resembling the stinging nettle. A number of the species yield tenacious fibres which are used for making ropes, twine and nets.

Bog Asphodel
Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) is a British plant of the lily family with pretty star-like flowers. It grows in elevated moors and boggy grounds.

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 or Bummalo or Bummaloti (Saurus ophiodon) is a small fish of the family Scopelidae, found in the Indian and China seas. It is a small glutinous transparent fish about the size of a smelt which is dried and then eaten.

Bombinator
Bombinator is a genus of toads that includes the fire-toad of Central Europe.

Bonasa
Bonasa is a genus of birds that includes the ruffled grouse of North America.

Bond
Bond is a breed devolved in Australia in 1909 as a dual-purpose breed, using Peppin Merinos and imported Lincoln rams. Bond sheep are mainly found in the south east portion of Australia.

Bongardia
Bongardia is a genus of the barberry family. It is a small stemless plant found in Greece and the Middle East. The Iraqis roast or boil the tuberous underground root and eat it. The leaves are also eaten like sorrel.

Bonito
The bonito (Thynnus pelamys) is a fish allied to the Mediterranean tunny, found in temperate and tropical seas. It is a predaceous and active fish feeding on flying-fish.

Bontebok
The bontebok (Alcelaphus pygarga) is a pied antelope of South Africa allied to the blesbok.

Bony Pike
see "Gar-Fish"

Booby
The booby (Sula fusca) is a swimming bird similar to the gannet and so named booby from the extraordinary stupidity it displays in allowing itself to be knocked on the head by voyagers without attempting to fly away. Like the gannet, the booby feeds on fish.

Booroola Merino
The Booroola Merino is a breed of sheep which was originally developed on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, and is the subject of a continuing development program initiated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Booroolas differ from the normal Merino in two important ways. First, their fertility is as high as any breed in the world. The number of lambs born per ewe lambing averages 2.4 with a range from one to six. In crosses with other Merinos this difference is naturally reduced but half-Booroola ewes on average wean about 20 percent more lambs than comparable Merinos under the same conditions. Second, they have the ability to breed at most times of the year, thus extending the breeding season.

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.

Borecole
Borecole is a variety of Brassica oleracea, a cabbage with the leaves curled or wrinkled, and having no disposition to form into a hard head.

Borzoi
The borzoi or Russian Wolfhound is a breed of dog introduced into England in 1870 when a pair were given to the Prince of Wales. The breed was used in Russia to hunt wolves, the dogs being used in pairs rather than packs. The borzoi has a narrow-domed, long skull with long powerful jaws. The neck is long and slightly arched and very powerful. The coat is usually white and they reach a height of 80 cm.

Bos taurus
see "Urus"

Boswellia
Boswellia is a genus of balsamic plants belonging to the myrrh family, several species of which furnish the framkincense used commercially, known as olibanum.

Boswellia thurifera
Boswellia thurifera is a large Indian timber tree found in mountainous regions. It furnishes Indian olibanum.

Bot-Fly
The Bot-Fly (Gastrophilus equi) is a family of flies (Oestridae) of which the larvae are parasitic in the bodies of hoofed animals.

Botany
Botany is the science of plant life.

Botany-Bay Oak
see "Casuarina"

Bothriocephalus
Bothriocephalus is a genus of worms belonging to the tapeworm family.

Bothriocephalus latus
see "Russian Tapeworm"

Bottle Gourd
The Bottle Gourd or calabash is a plant of the genus Lagenaria and order Cucurbitaceae. The common bottle gourd is a native of India and is cultivated in other warm climates. It is a creeping plant with white flowers, and its bottle shaped fruit, with a hard rind, used for holding water is termed a calabash.

Bottle-Brush
Bottle-Brush is the common name of shrubs or trees of the genus Callistemon, of the natural order Myrtaceae. They are natives of Australia with long and brightly coloured stamens and flowers massed together looking like a brush used for cleaning bottles, hence the name.

Bottle-Tree
The Bottle-Tree (Sterculia rupestris) is a tree of North-Eastern Australia, of the order Sterculiaceae, with a stem that bulges out into a huge rounded mass.

Bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is a genus of plants of the order Nyctaginaceae, native to South America. The flowers are almost hidden by large red or purple membranous bracts, which form magnificent masses of infloresence.

Bowerbankia
Bowerbankia is a genus of ascidioid Polyzoa, of the family Vesiculariadae, named after James Bowerbank the English geologist.

Bowfin
The bowfin or mud-fish (Amia calva) is a ganoid fish found in still water in the USA. Like its allies it has a well-developed swim-bladder, which functions as a lung, the animal rising to the surface to gulp air.

Box
Box is a hardy shrub of the order euphorbiaceae.

Box elder
Box elder is the ash-leaved maple tree (Negundo aceroides) 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 (Pteris aquilina) or common brake or fern is a common British and almost world-wide fern found growing on heathland. Its stem is a wide-spreading underground structure, covered with fine brown hairs and giving off roots in all directions; this stem sends up each year a single leaf or frond which may vary in height from 15 cm to 4 meters according to the growing conditions. The spore cases occur in lines along the margin of the pinnae, thus distinguishing the bracken from other British ferns. Formerly the stem was eaten and the fronds used for thatching and bedding cattle.

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.

Brahman
The brahman or Zebu (Bos indicus) is a grey, with a large shoulder hump breed of domestic dairy cattle which originated in India.

Brain Coral
Brain Coral (Meandrina) is one of the madreporian or reef-forming corals, which has the surface of the corallum curiously convoluted, so that in surface view it somewhat resembles the human brain.

Bramble
The bramble (Rubus fruticosus) is a prickly shrub of the order rosaceae, allied to the raspberry. It is a prolific wild plant in Britain, and bears berries known as blackberries in autumn.

Bramble-Finch
see "Brambling"

Brambling
The Brambling or Bramble-Finch (Fringilla montifringilla) is a bird of the finch family, larger than a chaffinch but very like it. It breeds in the north of Scandinavia and visits Britain and the south of Europe during winter.

Branchiopoda
Branchiopoda is a subclass of crustacean in which the trunk appendages are broad, lobed and fringed with hairs.

Brandling
The brandling (Lumbricus foetidus) is a small earthworm remarkable for its banded body, and much prized by anglers as a bait.

Brandt's Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) is a medium-sized American seabird of the order Pelecaniformes, family Phalacrocoracidae, with a long neck; long, slender hooked bill; dark brown to black in colour; dark throat patch turns blue with buffy area behind it in the breeding season. It dives from the surface, primarily for fish. It is a fairly common permanent resident along the Pacific Coast of California, preferring rocky shores, cliffs, fishing in inshore ocean waters and
breeds on Channel Islands.

Brangus
The brangus is a large, black, hornless, straight backed breed of domestic beef cattle which was developed in the USA during the 1930s.

Brank
see "Buckwheat"

Brasenia
Brasenia is a small genus of tropical South American water-plants belonging to the Nympheaceae, with small dark puprle flowers and very mucilaginous peltate leaves.

Brassica
Brassica is a large genus of cruciferous plants which includes the cabbage and turnip. They are natives of Europe, north and central Asia.

Brassica oleracea
see "Brussels Sprouts"

Brassica sinapistrum
see "Charlock"

Bread-fruit
Bread-fruit (Artocarpus incisa) is a tree of the order Artocarpaceae, native to the East Indies and islands of the Pacific, but also grown in the Caribbean. The tree grows to a height of about 100 feet. The leaves are leathery, about one foot long and three or four 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 (Abramis) is a fresh water fish allied to and belonging to the carp family. It is distinguished by its compressed and elevated body, the short dorsal fin, and the absence of barbels on the mouth. There are seven European species, two of which are British, the common bream and the white bream. Some species occur sporadically in salt-water, and they are often found in stagnant and slow-moving water.

Breeze-Fly
see "Cleg"

Brent Goose
The Brent Goose (Bernicla Brenta) is a wild goose, smaller than the common barnacle goose and of much darker plumage. They are remarkable for their wing span and the extent of their migration.

Brenta canadensis
see "Canada Goose"

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 sea fish like the turbot, belonging to the genusRhombus, but distinguished from the Turbot by its smooth skin, smaller size and glistening spots.

Bristletail
The bristletail is a primitive wingless insect of the order Thysanura. Up to 2 cm long, bristletails have a body tapering from front to back, two long antennae, and three 'tails' at the rear end. They include the silverfish Lepisma saccharina and the firebrat Thermobia domestica. Two-tailed bristletails constitute another insect order, the Diplura. They live under stones and fallen branches, feeding on decaying material.

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. Other common names for the genus include maiden's hair and lady's tresses. They are characterised by their short, broad, flat, several-flowered spikelets, hanging, in the British species, at the extremities of slender branches.

Broad Tapeworm
see "Russian Tapeworm"

Broccoli
Broccoli is an Italian late variety of the cauliflower, hardier and with more colour in the flower and leaves. The flower-stalks are eaten. It was recognised as a distinct garden variety in Britain at the end of the 17th century.

Brock
see "Badger"

Brome grass
Brome grass is the name of any annual grasses of the genus Bromus of the temperate zone; some are used for forage, but many are weeds. Soft brome (Bromus interruptus), discovered in England 1849 and widespread in 1970, was thought to have died out by 1972, until it was rediscovered in 1979 in an Edinburgh botanical collection.

Bromeliaceae
Bromeliaceae is the pineapple family of endogenous plants. The name comes from the genus Bromelia to which the pineapple was once incorrectly refered. The family contains about five hundred species, nearly all of which are herbaceous plants, with short stems crowned by rosettes of long, leathery leaves, which often exhibit a greyish appearance, owing to the small hairs with which they are covered. The flowers are borne on terminal spikes, and are often large and brightly coloured, though without scent. Many of the species are epiphytic and attach themselves to tall trees by means of aerial roots, without however obtaining any food from them.

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. The common bronze-winged ground dove is common in all Australia where it is esteemed for its eating.

Brooklime
Brooklime (Veronica Beccabunga) is a plant belonging to the Scrophulariaceae, occuring throughout Europe, North Africa and North and Central Asia. The plant is devoid of hairs, and is very succulent. The stems, creeping on the surface of the mud and rooting at the node, bear pairs of opposite leaves, from the axils of which flowering shoots arise. The flowers are bright blue, rather small, and arranged in pairs of opposite axillary racemes, not much longer than the subtending leaves. The plant had at one time a reputation as a spring salad and antiscorbutic.

Brookweed
Brookweed (Samolus Valerandi) is a small, almost cosmopolitan herbaceous plant belonging to the Primulaceae. It abounds in marshes near the sea and bears small white flowers in racemes on a slender stem springing from the centre of a rosette of bright green leaves.

Broom
Broom is the popular name of several allied genera of shrubs of the order leguminosae.

Broom-corn
see "Millet"

Broom-Grass
see "Millet"

Brosmius brosme
see "Torsk"

Brown Swiss
The Brown Swiss is a brown domestic breed of dairy cattle with a wedge-shaped body.

Bruceae
Bruceae is a genus of Simarubaceae, named in honour of the Abyssinian traveller. It consists of shrubs with compound leaves, flowers in heads, parts of the flower in fours, and stamens attached to a stalk supporting the four drupes. The stamens are sterile in the female flowers. The species are natives of Ethiopia and China and some of them possess properties similar to quassia, a drug furnished by a tree of the same natural order.

Brucella
Brucella is a genus of bacteria which causes contagious abortion in cattle, sheep and pigs and undulant fever in man.

Brush Turkey
The Brush Turkey (Catheturus lathami) is a bird of the order Gallinae, native to Australia and about the size of the common turkey but blackish brown in colour and laying eggs in mounds which it creates.

Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts (Sprouts) are one of the cultivated varieties of cabbage (Brassica oleracea). They have an elongated stem which grows to about 150 cm high with small clustered green heads like miniature cabbages. They get their name from being cultivated in great numbers near Brussels since 1213.

Bryonia
see "Bryony"

Bryony
Bryony (Bryonia) is a genus of plants of the natural order Cucurbitaceae (gourds).

Bryophyllum
Bryophyllum is a genus of plants of the house-leek family.

Bryophyta
Bryophyta (Bryophytes) is the lowest group of the Cormophytes or higher plants, comprising the two classes of Liverworts (Hepaticae) and Mosses (Musci). They have a well-marked alternation of generations.

Bryophytes
see "Bryophyta"

Bryozoa
Bryozoa is another name for phylum polyzoa.

Buansuah
The buansuah (Cyon primoevus) is a wild dog of Northen India.

Bubaline Antelope
The bubaline antelope (Bubalis mauretanica) 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 turn backwards.

Bubalis mauretanica
see "Bubaline Antelope"

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"

Buchu
Buchu is the name of several plants belonging to the Cape Province, genus Barosma, order Rutaceae, used in medicine, in the form of a powder or tincture in disorders of the urinogenital organs.

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.

Buckhound
The buckhound is a breed of dog, formerly very common in England but rare since 1900. They were exclusively employed for buck-hunting, and closely resemble the staghound. Until 1897 a royal pack was maintained. In 1901 on the recommendation of a select committee to consider the provision to be made for the crown, the mastership of the buckhounds and the royal hunt were abolished.

Buckthorn
The buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus) is a shrub of the order rhamnaceae. It is also known as waythorn, or hartshorn and is abundant in English hedgerows. It is a spreading shrub growing to three meters in height and characterized by a smooth bark, branches terminating in thorns, small unisexular four-petaled green flowers, occuring between the serrated leaves in May, and four-seeded black berries about the size of currants.

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.

Buckwheat
Buckwheat or Brank (Fagopyrum esculentum or Polygonum Fagopyrum) is a plant of the order Polygonacea, with a branched herbaceous stem, somewhat arrow-shaped leaves, and purplish-white flowers, growing to a heaight of about one meter, and bearing a small triangular grain of a brownish-black hue. It is cultivated in the far-east as a bread-corn and in Europe as a feed for farm animals.

Buffalo
The buffalo is a large animal of the ox family.

Bugula
Bugula is an ectoprocta.

Bulau
The Bulau or Tikus (Gymnura Rafflesii) is an insectivorous mammal of the hedgehog kind, but belonging to a distinct family native to Sumatra. It has a long muzzle, fur interspersed with bristles, a naked tail and glnads which secrete musk.

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.

Bulbul
The bulbul is a fruit-eating bird of the family Pycnonotidae, order Passeriformes, that ranges in size from that of a sparrow to a blackbird. They are mostly rather dull coloured and very secretive, living in dense forests. They are widely distributed throughout Africa and Asia and comprise about 120 species.

Bull
A bull is a male animal of the bovidea family.

Bull's Horn Thorn
Bull's Horn Thorn is a common name of certain tropical American species of Acacia which furnish one of the longest-known and best-established instances of myrmecophily. The large stipular thorns which are common in the genus are in these plants hollow and thin-walled, and are inhabited by ferocious ants which gain access by boring a hole near the tip of each thorn.

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 common in many parts of England, but rare in Scotland. The fruit is used to make jam.

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.

Bullet-Tree
The Bullet-Tree or Bully-Tree (Mimusops balata) is a forest tree of Guiana and neighbouring regions, of the order Sapotaceae, yielding a latex known as balata which is used to make chewing gum.

Bullfinch
The bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) is a species of finch of the family Fringillidae.

Bully-Tree
see "Bullet-Tree"

Bulrush
The bulrush (Scirpus lacustris) is a native British perennial sedge of the order cyperaceae.

Bummalo
see "Bombay duck"

Bummaloti
see "Bombay duck"

Bungarus candidus
see "Krait"

Bunting
The bunting is a bird of the sub-family Emberizinae, allied to the finches.

Bunya-Bunya
Bunya-Bunya is the native Australian name for the tree Araucaria Bidwillii. It bears cones larger than a man's head which contain seeds eagerly eaten by the native Australians.

Buprestis
The buprestis are a genus of beetles remarkable for the metallic brilliance of their colouring, especially in the case of tropical forms. The colouring is chiefly present in the hard wing-covers which are often used as ornaments.

Burbot
The burbot or eelpout (Lota vulgaris) is a fish of the cod family, which is confined to freshwater, and is widely though locally distributed throughout Europe. It is recognisable by its long tapering body, the small head with a barbel on the chin, the elongation of the second dorsal and anal fins and the small scales. In some parts of Europe it is greatly esteemed as a food.

Burdock
Burdock (Arctium Lappa) is a biennial herb of the order Compositae. The flower head is covered with small hooks and readily attaches itself to any passing body, thus securing wide distribution of its seads.

Buriti
The Buriti (Mauritia vinifera) is a South American palm growing to about 50 meters. It prefers marshy situations, and bears an imposing crown of fan-shaped leaves.

Burnet
Burnet is the name of three species of perennial rosaceous herbs. The common burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) occurs in damp meadows, and bears heads of purplish flowers, each with four stamens, in late summer. The common salad burnet (Poterium Sanguisorba) occurs in dry meadows, and bears heads of crimson flowers - the upper ones being female, while the lower are furnished with numerous drooping stamens. The prickly salad burnet (Poterium muricatum) is much like the common salad burnet. All three plants have pinnate leaves, serrated at their margins, but those of the salad burnets have the taste of cucumber.

Burnet Moth
Burnet moth is the name fiven to the species of the genus Zygaena, which are moths remarkable for their bold colouring, the wings being usually spotted and marked with green, red and black. The caterpillars are hairy, and the spindle-shaped cocoons are attached to vertical blades of grass or stems of plants. There are four British species of burnet moth, the commonest being the six-spotted burnet (Zygaena filipendula).

Bush antelope
The bush antelope is a small African antelope.

Bustard
The bustard is a bird belonging to the order Alectorides, which also includes the cranes.

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

Butea
Butea is a genus of plants of the natural order Leguminosae native to the East Indies. They are trees having pinnately trifoliate leaves, with racemes of deep scarlet flowers. The resinous sap forms a gum known as Bengal kino.

Buteo jamaicensis
see " Red-tailed Hawk"

Butomus
Butomus is a genus of monocotyledons of the natural order Butomaceae. The only species, Butomus umbellatus, the Flowering Rush, is the most elegant and beautiful of British marsh plants.

Butorides striatus
see "Green-backed Heron"

Butter-Bur
The Butter-Bur (Petasites vulgaris) is a British composite plant, with large rhubarb-like leaves and purplish flowers growing by the side of streams. It gets its name from the fact that previously its large leaves were used for wrapping up butter.

Buttercup
The buttercup (Ranunculus acris) 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.

Butternut
The butternut (Juglans cinerea) is an American tree of the Amentaceae, allied to the walnut. The wood, dark yellow in colour, takes a fine polish and is used in cabinet work.

Butterwort
The butterwort is a perennial herb of the order lentibulariaceae.

Buttons
Buttons or comon tansy (Tansy vulgare) is a plant of the tansy genus formerly used as a tonic.

Buxbaumia
Buxbaumia is a genus of humus-loving mosses, interesting because of their extremely simple structure. Apart from the well-developed green protonema, they have no vegetative organs. The male plant consists of a single concave leaf, devoid of chlorophyll, enclosing an antheridium. The female consists of a tuft of leaves, likewise colourless, surrounding an archegonium.

Buzzard
The buzzard is a group of 20 types of birds of prey belonging to the sub-family Buteoninae, distinguished by their rather slow and heavy flight, the short rounded head, and strongly curved beak.

Byelorussian Red
see "Belarus Red"

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