Animal Group Male

tiger streak/ambush tiger

toad knot

turtle bale

whale gam/pod bull

wolf pack/rout dog

BIRDS

aerie the lofty nest of a predatory bird, such as an

eagle.

altricial of chicks, born blind and helpless.

alula the group of feathers on the leading edge of a wing, used to keep airflow smooth as the wing is tilted; also known as a false wing.

Anseriformes the order of ducks, geese, and swans.

anting the practice of some birds of placing live ants within their feathers, thought to help rid them of parasites.

apterous without wings, wingless.

aquiline of a beak, curved or hooked, as an eagle's.

Archaeopteryx the earliest known bird, semireptil- ian in nature, and living about 150 million years ago.

avian referring to birds.

aviary an enclosure or large cage for birds.

barbs the filaments emanating from the shaft of a feather.

bevy a group or flock of quail.

brood to sit on eggs; also, a group or flock of chick­ens.

brood spots bare patches on a bird's underbody that are rich in blood vessels and used for warming or incubating eggs.

Charadriiformes birds that live in ravines or cliffs, such as gulls, terns, and plovers.

charm a group or flock of finches.

chattering a group or flock of starlings.

Female

tigress

cow bitch

clutch a group of eggs.

cob a male swan.

colony a group or flock of gulls.

Columbiformes the order of doves and pigeons.

comb the fleshy crest on the head of a fowl.

contour feathers the feathers involved in flying and regulating body temperature.

convocation a group of eagles.

covey a group of grouse.

craw the crop or enlargement of the gullet, aiding in digestion.

cygnet a young swan or swan chick.

dancing grounds a mating area where ritualistic displays are performed, especially of grouse and prai­rie chickens.

down the soft, fluffy plumage beneath the feathers and on the breasts of many birds.

drake male adult duck.

egg tooth a small tooth or nubbin in the upper jaw, used by newborn chicks to chip their way out of an egg; it disappears soon after birth.

exaltation a group or flock of larks.

falconer one who trains hawks or falcons to hunt for oneself.

Falconiformes the order of vultures, falcons, hawks, and eagles.

falconry the sport of hunting game with trained falcons or other birds of prey.

Young

cub

calf

cub/pup/whelp

fall a group of woodcock.

fledgling a young bird with new feathers.

flight a group of doves or swallows.

flyway a migratory route.

gaggle a group or flock of geese.

galliformes the order of grouse, quail, and turkeys.

gander a male adult goose.

gizzard the second stomach in which food is finely ground, thought to compensate for a bird's lack of teeth.

herd a group or flock of swans.

host a group or flock of sparrows.

keel the breastbone ridge in which most of the flight muscles are attached.

molt to shed the feathers.

murder a group or flock of crows.

murmuration a group or flock of starlings.

muster a group or flock of peacocks.

nye a group or flock of pheasants.

ocellus one of the eyelike spots in the tail of a pea­cock.

ornithologist one who studies birds. ornithology the study of birds. parliament a group of owls.

Passeriformes the order of birds that perch, such as larks, swallows, wrens, sparrows, and warblers, the largest order of birds.

pecking order the order of dominance and submis­sion among a bird group, where a dominant bird may peck a weaker or lower status bird, but not vice versa; once established there is little fighting among the group.

pen a female adult swan.

phoenix the bird of legend that rises from the ashes.

pigeon milk a thick, cheesy secretion of pigeons and some parrots, fed to the young.

pinnate like a feather or having the shape of a feather.

precocial of chicks, born mature and becoming active almost immediately.

Procellariiformes the order of albatrosses, fulmars, and petrels.

Psittaciformes the order of parrots, parakeets, cockatoos, macaws, and lovebirds.

quill one of the large, strong flight feathers in the wings or tail.

raptor a bird of prey, such as a falcon, hawk, or eagle.

roc the giant elephant-carrying bird of Arabian leg­end.

rookery a nesting or breeding colony of sea birds.

ruff a projecting collar of hair or feathers around the neck.

siege a group or flock of herons.

skein a group of flying geese.

static soaring floating on a warm thermal of air.

Strigiformes the order of owls.

syrinx the throat component producing a bird's voice, located at the lower end of the trachea.

talon a claw of a bird.

team a group or flock of ducks.

thermal a rising current of warm air, used by birds to carry them aloft.

wattle the naked, fleshy component hanging from the neck, as in a turkey.

CATS

Abyssinian a long, lean breed of cat known for its athleticism and playful personality.

ailurophile one who loves and admires cats.

ailurophobe one who fears cats.

allogrooming the grooming of one cat by another.

Angora Turkish breed of cat with long, silky hair.

blaze a white marking running from a cat's fore­head to its nose.

blue coloring from blue gray to slate gray.

brush a bushy or plumelike tail.

Burmese breed related to the Siamese, having short, usually sable-colored hair.

calico coloring combination of tortoiseshell and white.

calling the cries of a sexually receptive female.

caterwaul the cry of cats at mating time.

catnip plant, member of the mint family, known for its intoxicating effect on cats.

catus a tabbylike wildcat from North Africa, thought to be the primary ancestor of all domestic cats.

chinchilla coloring in which the tips of the hairs are black or another color, with the under hairs being white or pale.

cobby having a low-lying body on short legs. dam mother.

FAIDS Feline Acquired Immune Deficiency Syn­drome, a weakened immune system often brought on by feline leukemia.

feline relating to or resembling a cat.

feral domesticated but living in the wild.

flehmen response the trancelike sneer often seen on the face of a male as it smells the urine of a sexually receptive female.

frill the hairs framing the head in long-haired breeds, also known as the ruff.

furball hair swallowed by a cat and forming a mass or "ball" in the stomach.

ghost markings faint markings on solid-colored cats, revealing a slight trait of another breed.

gloves white patches on the feet, also known as mittens.

haw the third eyelid, or nictitating membrane.

heat the sexually receptive period of a female.

laces white markings on the back of the rear legs of some cats.

lilac coloring of pale pinkish gray, also known as lavender.

litter a group of newborn kittens.

locket a white or other-colored patch under the neck.

lordosis the crouched position of a sexually recep­tive female inviting entry by the male.

Manx breed of cat without a tail, thought to have originated in the Orient.

milk-treading the "kneading" motion of a kitten's paws in an attempt to stimulate the flow of its moth­er's milk, the same behavior often seen in adult cats kneading the bellies of their human owners.

moggie a mongrel cat.

muzzle the jaws and nose of a cat.

pads the soles of the paws.

Persian breed originating from Asia, known for its flattened or pushed-in face and thick, luxuriant fur.

pheromones chemical substance released in urine and from certain areas of the skin to mark territories or attract the opposite sex.

piebald having black-and-white coloring.

pricked having ears that point high and erect.

purebred a cat descended from a long line of its own kind.

queen female cat used for breeding.

rangy long-limbed and long-bodied.

Rex breed of cat known for its curly hair and higher body temperature than other cats.

sheath the protective covering over retracted claws.

Siamese angular, elongated breed known for its noisy personality.

sire father.

spaying the neutering of a female cat. spraying the male's act of marking with urine. tabby a striped cat.

tapetum the light-reflecting layer at the back of a cat's eyes, aiding nocturnal vision and causing the "glowing" effect at night.

tom a male cat.

Tonkinese a crossbreed of the Burmese and Sia­mese.

vibrissae the highly sensitive whiskers and hairs found on the cheeks, on the chin, over the eyes, and at the back of the front legs, thought capable of detect­ing subtle air currents and the movement of prey in the dark.

whip long, thin, tapering tail, typically found on a Siamese.

DINOSAuRS

acrocanthosaurus in the Cretaceous period, a very large meat eater with spikes down its back, which may have been part of a sail.

allosaur a large bipedal meat eater with a long, nar­row, and often crested head and three-fingered hands that lived in the Jurassic period.

Alvarez extinction theory a proposal by the physicist Luis Alvarez and his son, the geologist Walter Alvarez, that an asteroid striking Earth 65 million years ago caused massive fires, dust clouds, geological upheavals, atmospheric disturbances, and tsunamis, all of which contributed to the death of vegetation, which in turn caused the starvation and death of the dinosaurs. See Chicxulub, multiple impact theory, Shiva.

ankylosaur a short-legged plant eater characterized by its bony armor and clublike tail. It first appeared in the early Jurassic and survived to the end of the Cretaceous.

apatosaurus formerly known as a brontosaurus, a sauropod that grew to be 70 to 90 feet (21 to 27 m) long during the Jurassic period.

archaeopteryx a Jurassic bird with teeth, feathers, clawed wings and a long, bony tail.

archosaur "ruling lizard," one of a group of com­mon land reptiles from which dinosaurs evolved, sometime during the Triassic period.

argentinosaurus a massive sauropod, one of the largest dinosaurs, measuring 130 to 140 feet (40-43 m) and characterized by a very long tail and equally long neck. It lived in what is now South America dur­ing the Cretaceous period.

articulated skeleton a skeleton that is found with many of its bones still attached.

baryonyx a fish-eating theropod with crocodile-like jaws that lived during the Cretaceous period.

bipedal walking on two legs instead of four, as a predatory dinosaur.

bone bed a large mass of dinosaur bones in one location.

boneheaded dinosaur another name for pachy- cephalosaurid.

brachiosaurus a giant, long-necked sauropod from the Jurassic period.

browser any herbivore that ate portions of trees, shrubs, and other tall plants.

carnivore any meat-eating dinosaur.

carnotaurus a 25-foot (7.5-m) long, meat-eating theropod with horns on its head that lived during the Cretaceous.

caudipteryx zoui a 3-foot-tall (1-m) theropod adorned with insulating (but not flightworthy) feath­ers that lived from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous.

ceratopsian one of a group of four-legged plant- eaters with beaks and bony head frills. Protoceratops and triceratops were ceratopsians.

Chicxulub a 120-mile (180-km) impact crater in the Yucatan Peninsula believed to be from the aster­oid, meteor, or comet that played a large role in wip­ing out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. See Alva­rez extinction theory, multiple impact theory, Shiva.

chimera paleontologists' term for a fossil mixture composed of more than one species, named after the mythical monster with a lion's head, goat's body, and snake's tail.

compsognathus during the Jurassic, a theropod that ranged in size from a chicken to a small dog.

Cope's rule a scientific observation that, given adequate food sources, a species will tend to evolve into larger forms over time, which explains the mas­sive growth of the dinosaurs. Although there are a few exceptions, a larger animal tends to be better at winning mates, killing competitors, and fighting off predators.

coprolite literally, "dung stone," fossilized dinosaur feces.

crest a growth or bony plate on top of the head, through which some dinosaurs may have made sounds.

Cretaceous period the time period that encom­passes from 146 to 65 million years ago, at the end of which came the extinction of the dinosaurs.

cycad an evergreen, palmlike tree that served as one of the primary sources of food for herbivores in the Jurassic.

deinocheirus a giant birdlike meat eater with a toothless beak and arms that stretched 8 feet (2.4 m) and is believed to have been able to run as fast as 50 miles per hour (80 km/hr). It lived during the Creta­ceous period.

digitigrade walking on the toes. Predator dinosaurs walked and ran on their toes or the front of their feet for better speed, similar to cats and dogs.

diplodocid a huge, four-legged sauropod with a small head, long neck and tail, and peg teeth. Apa- tosaurus, diplodocus, seismosaurus, and supersaurus were all diplodocids.

disarticulated skeleton paleontologists' term for a fossil skeleton that is found with its bones detached and in various positions and locations.

dromaeosaurid a family of small but fast theropods with retractable, sicklelike claws for slashing prey. The best known were the velociraptors.

duck-billed dinosaur see hadrosaur.

ectothermic cold-blooded, or requiring the Sun or outside warmth to heat one's body to function nor­mally, as with many dinosaurs.

endothermic warm-blooded, or not requiring the Sun's heat to warm one's body to function normally, as a mammal.

extinction the complete dying out of a species, as with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

fossil the remains of any living organism from a past geological period. Mineralized bone, teeth, claws, skulls, eggshells, coprolites, and rock-hardened footprints are all fossils.

frill a bony shield protecting the neck and head of a ceratopsian, such as triceratops and protoceratops.

gastrolith a rock purposely swallowed by sauro- pod dinosaurs to help grind food and aid in diges­tion, also believed to be used as ballast by plesio- saurs. Such rocks, rounded and polished from being knocked about, are often found among dinosaur bones.

gigantosaurus a massive meat eater, slightly larger than Tyrannosaurus rex, that lived during the Creta­ceous.

gingko also known as the maidenhair tree, which in the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods served as a pri­mary food source for plant-eating dinosaurs.

grazer any dinosaur that ate grasses and other low- lying plants, such as an ankylosaur or triceratops.

Great Dying, the also known as the Permian- Triassic extinction event, the most massive die-off of marine and land organisms in the history of Earth, occurring in spurts around 251.4 million years ago, which may have played a role in the eventual develop­ment of the dinosaurs. Like the demise of the dino­saurs, the complete wiping out of 70 percent of all land vertebrates and more than 90 percent of marine species may have been due to an asteroid impact.

hadrosaur any one of various types of duck-billed dinosaur, a plant eater that lived during the Creta­ceous period. Unlike the sauropods' dependence on gastroliths to help digest food, the hadrosaurs devel­oped a prodigious number of teeth, possibly the main reason they became so successful.

hallux in predatory dinosaurs, a superfluous claw, also known as a dewclaw, above the side of the foot.

herbivore any dinosaur that ate vegetation instead of meat.

hypacrosaurus a 30-foot (9-m) hadrosaur known for the small fin rising out of its back.

ichnite a non-bone fossil, such as footprints, copro- lites, gastroliths, nests, etc. Also known as ichnofossil.

ichthyosaur Greek term for "fish lizard," a dol­phinlike reptile that lived during the Mesozoic.

iguanodontid from the late Jurassic to the Creta­ceous, very large plant eaters with beaks and thumb spikes, including iguanodon and camptosaurus, that eventually evolved into the hadrosaurs.

iridium layer a heavy element seen in meteorites and found in an unusually high concentration in a widespread geological deposit known as the K-T layer, dated from 65 million years ago. It is believed to have been dispersed around the earth by the aster­oid impact that killed the dinosaurs.

Jurassic period the time period from 208 to 146 million years ago, when many dinosaurs thrived.

K-T extinction short for the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

marginocephalian any Cretaceous plant eater with horns, beak, or thick and bony skull.

megaraptor a 26-foot (8-m) bipedal meat eater characterized by a very long, sicklelike claw on the side of each foot.

mesozoic era a broad expanse of geological time that encompasses the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Trias- sic, from 251 million to 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs lived.

microraptor among the smallest of the dinosaurs, a dromaeosaurid that grew from 1.5 to 2.5 feet (0.5­0.8 m) long and sported feathered wings on its arms, tail, and legs and probably glided from tree to tree. Thought to be a possible forerunner of birds, it lived during the early Cretaceous.

mosasaur a marine reptile, growing up to 57 feet (17.5 m) long; living during the Cretaceous, it was the deadliest marine predator of the period.

multiple impact theory the theory held by some scientists that more than one asteroid or chunk of asteroid struck the earth 65 million years ago and killed off the dinosaurs. See Alvarez extinction theory, Chicxulub, Shiva.

omnivore a dinosaur that ate both plants and meat.

ornithischian a family of plant-eating dinosaurs with hip structures similar to birds, including tricer- atops, stegosaurus, ankylosaurs, and others. They are not, however, the ancestors of birds.

ornithopod from the Jurassic to the Cretaceous, any two- or four-legged plant eater without body armor.

oviraptor a theropod with a beaked, birdlike head and long fingers.

pachycephalosaurid a bipedal plant eater with an extraordinarily thick or bony head that lived in the Cretaceous period. Some, like pachycephalosaurus, had skulls 10 inches (25 cm) thick. Also known as a bonehead.

paleontologist a scientist who gathers fossils in the field and studies them to learn more about living organ­isms, such as dinosaurs, from past geological periods.

paleontology the study of living organisms and fos­sils from past geological periods.

parasaurolophus a beaked or duck-billed plant eater with a long crest that lived during the Creta­ceous.

pterodactyl see pterosaur.

pterosaur closely related to the dinosaurs, a group of flying, fish-eating reptiles that lived from the Trias- sic to the end of the Jurassic period. Hollow-boned, with membranelike wings, they ranged in size from a few inches to as large as 40 feet (12 m). Pterodactyls are probably the best-known pterosaurs.

quetzalcoatlus a reptile closely related to the dino­saurs; a massive pterosaur with a 40-foot (12-m) wingspan that lived during the Cretaceous.

saurischian an order of dinosaurs that were the ances­tors of birds, but with hip structures similar to lizards. Sauropods and theropods were both saurischians.

sauropod any large, four-legged plant eater with a long neck and tail, ranging in size from 7 feet (2 m) to more than 100 feet (30 m) long.

scute a bony or horny plate or scale, as found on the skin of crocodiles, which many dinosaurs may have had.

seismosaurus "quake lizard," a massive diplodocid dinosaur that grew as long as 170 feet (52 m) and lived during the late Jurassic. It had an extremely long neck, which it used to peer into and forage along the edges of thick woods, especially useful when the rest of its body was simply too big to pass through.

shantungosaurus the largest of all the duck-billed dinosaurs, or hadrosaurs, growing up to 48 feet (15 m) in length. It lived during the late Cretaceous.

Shiva located under the Arabian Sea off India, a massive crater, stretching 370 miles (600 km) across, 280 miles (450 km) wide, and 7.5 miles (12 km) deep, possibly created by an asteroid or meteoroid 65 million years ago, which may have, along with the impact at Chicxulub in the Yucatan, brought on the extinction of the dinosaurs. See Alvarez extinction theory, Chicxulub, multiple impact theory.

spinosaurid during the Cretaceous, a large meat eater characterized by a 6-foot (1.8-m) high sail on its back, thought to have been a heat regulator or possibly used for mating displays.

stegosauria during the Jurassic and into the Creta­ceous, a group of ornithischian plant eaters character­ized by a double row of armor plates running down their backs and ending in spikes at the end of the tails. Stegosaurus is the best-known example, also famous for its tiny head and walnut-sized brain.

strata layers of sediment or rock, often marking distinct geological periods (sing., stratum).

Tertiary period the geological period from 1.8 to 65 million years ago, following the extinction of the dinosaurs, within which mammals took center stage.

theropod any bipedal carnivore with hands and claws, ranging from the size of a chicken to 50 feet (15 m) tall, that lived from the Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous. Birds are believed to have evolved from theropods.

thyreophoran living from the Jurassic to the Cre­taceous, any four-legged plant eaters with armored plates, including stegosaurs and ankylosaurs.

titanosaurid a group of very large, four-legged sauropods, characterized by long necks and tails, small heads, and armored backs that lived during the Cretaceous.

T. rex see TYRANNOSAURUS REX.

Triassic period the geological time period from 251 million to 199.6 million years ago, it marked the beginning of the reign of dinosaurs.

triceratops during the late Cretaceous, a four- legged plant eater that grew to be up to 29.5 feet (9 m) long, characterized by its three horns and neck frill.

Tyrannosaurus rex "tyrant lizard," a very large bipedal predator that grew as tall as 43 feet (13 m), had a 5-foot (1.5-m) long skull, and lived in North America during the Cretaceous.

velociraptor a small, swift-footed meat eater that had a slashing, sicklelike claw on each foot and lived during the Cretaceous period. According to the size of its brain case to body size ratio, it was likely among the most intelligent of the dinosaurs.

DOGS

alpha the dominant dog in a pack.

apple head a rounded or domed skull, as in the English toy spaniel.

apron the longer hairs found on the chest of many breeds.

badger-marked having a coat consisting of gray or black markings on white.

bat ear an erect ear that is rounded at the top, as in a bat.

bay a deep bark.

beard the tuft or long hairs under the chin.

belton a coat consisting of blue or orange and white hair.

bitch female dog.

blaze a white or light-colored streak running along the center of the head.

blond having a coat of light yellow or yellowish tan.

bloom the glossiness of the coat.

bobtail a tail cut short; also known as a docked tail.

brindle having a streaked or spotted coat.

brisket part of the chest between and slightly behind the forelegs.

brush a bushy tail.

bullbaiting the long-banned English sport of dogs tormenting bulls.

butterfly nose a nose with two or more different colors.

buttocks the rump.

button ear an ear that folds forward toward the eye, as in a fox terrier.

canine of the dog family, or like a dog.

chops the lower cheeks, especially in a bulldog.

cloddy thickset and low to the ground, as a Scottish terrier.

cobby short-bodied.

crest the ridge of the neck.

crop trimming the ears to make them pointed.

cynology the study of dogs and their history.

cynophobia fear of dogs.

dam mother.

dewclaw one of the short vestigial claws or digits, the remnant of a first toe, now useless.

dewlap the loose fold of skin hanging from the neck of many breeds, such as the bulldog and the blood­hound.

dingo wild dog of the Australian outback.

distemper an infectious disease of puppies and young dogs, caused by a virus.

docking the surgical removal or shortening of the tail.

eyeteeth the two projecting canine teeth in the upper jaw.

fawn having a pale, yellowish brown coat.

feather the fringe of hair along the tail and back of the legs.

feral domesticated but living in the wild.

dogs 9

fiddle front forelegs that are bowlegged.

frill a fringe of hair around the neck.

grizzle having a coat that is gray or streaked with gray.

gun dog any of the sport hunting dogs, such as a setter, pointer, spaniel or retriever.

hackles neck and back hairs that bristle when a dog is angry or fearful.

harlequin having a white coat with black spots of various sizes.

haw the red membrane inside the lower eyelid.

heartworm a worm parasite living in the blood­stream of infected dogs.

heat the female's mating period.

hock the backward-bending joint in the hindleg, corresponding to the ankle in humans.

leather the external part of the ear.

litter the puppies brought forth at one birth.

liver having a reddish brown or purplish brown coat.

lop-eared having loose, dangling ears.

lupine of the wolf family, or like a wolf.

mane the long hair growing from the top or sides of the neck, as in a collie.

mange skin disease caused by parasitic mites, caus­ing hair loss.

mask the dark shading found on the muzzle of sev­eral breeds.

mongrel a mixed breed.

muzzle the mouth, nose, and jaws. Or a leather device harnessed around the jaws to prevent biting.

overshot a jaw in which the top extends over the bottom.

pack a group of dogs.

pads the cushioned padding of the feet.

parti-colored having a multicolored coat.

pastern the foreleg part between the knee joint and the foot.

pedigree a record of lineage. Also, lineage that can be traced to the same breed for at least three generations.

philocynic one who loves dogs.

pied having a coat covered with patches or spots of two or more colors.

pit fighting the outlawed gambling sport of dog- fighting in a small pit or arena.

plume a feathery tail.

pompon the sculpted tufts of hair left on a dog's tail or body when artistically clipped, especially in poodles.

prick ear an ear carried stiffly erect, as in a German shepherd.

quarter to range over a field in search of game, especially of pointers, setters, and spaniels.

rabies an infectious viral disease affecting the cen­tral nervous system, characterized by convulsions, choking, and an inability to swallow.

racy long-legged and slight of build, as a greyhound.

ringtail a tail that is carried in a tight curl or ring.

ruff a collar of thick hair around the neck.

sable having a black or dark brown coat.

screwtail a short, kinky, twisted tail, as in a Boston terrier.

sire father.

snipy a sharply pointed muzzle.

spay to remove the ovaries of the female.

swayback a sagging back.

tie a male and female locked together in intercourse for up to 30 minutes, allowing for adequate ejacula­tion of sperm.

tulip ears erect ears with a slight forward curve.

undershot of a jaw, having the bottom further out than the top.

walleye a blue eye.

whelp to give birth to pups; also, one of the young of a dog.

whip a stiff, straight tail, as in a pointer.

withers part of the back between the shoulder blades.

HORSES

appointments equipment and clothing used in a specific riding event.

bag the udder of a mare.

barrel between the fore- and hindquarters, the trunk of a horse.

bloom the condition of a healthy-looking coat.

breastplate leather section strapped across a horse's chest that attaches to the saddle to prevent the saddle from sliding back.

bridle head harness used to control a horse, which includes a bit, cheek straps, crownpiece, throat- latch, headband, and reins. Also, a quick or violent upjerk of the horse's head.

bridlewise trained to change direction by laying the bridle reins on the side of the horse's neck the rider wishes to turn.

broodmare a mare used for breeding. broomtail a long, bushy tail.

cannon the leg portion between the hock and the fetlock.

canter a three-beat gait or slow gallop.

cantle the rear of an English saddle.

capriole an upward leap with no forward motion, as made by a trained horse.

caracole a half-turn.

cast the condition in which a horse lying down in its stall is unable to get up again without assistance.

cavesson the noseband and headpiece of an English bridle.

cayuse an American Indian pony.

cheek straps bridle straps that run down the side of the cheeks to hold the bit or noseband.

cinch the girth of a Western saddle.

cob a stocky, thickset, short-legged horse.

cold back a horse who bolts or bucks when a saddle is placed on its back, due to inexperience or improper training or treatment.

colt a male under age four.

conformation a horse's overall physique or build.

conformation fault any one of several faults found in a horse's build.

coronet the upper portion of a horse's hoof.

cow-hocked a conformation fault in which the hocks are too close together.

crest the top of a horse's neck.

crop a short, looped whip used in horseback riding. croup the rump of a horse.

crownpiece the bridle leather fitted over a horse's head and attached to the cheekpieces.

currycomb a horse comb.

cutting horse a horse trained to cut cattle out of a herd.

dam the mother of a horse.

dishing a movement in which the horse's feet swing sideways at a trot, usually a fault of pigeon-toed ani­mals.

dobbin a gentle farm horse.

draft horse a powerful horse bred for farm work, such as plowing.

dressage a refined riding style in which the horse's gait is smooth, flat, and graceful.

driving horse a horse trained or bred to pull wag­ons or sulkies.

equerry one who acts as a stableman or supervisor of horses in a royal or other household.

equestrian pertaining to horses or horse riding; one who rides horses.

equine pertaining to or resembling a horse.

fetlock the projection and accompanying tuft of hair growing above and behind the hoof, or the joint marked by this projection.

filly a female under the age of four.

foal a newborn horse of either sex.

forehand the front portion of a horse, including the head, neck, shoulders, and front legs.

forelock bangs or hair of the horse's mane that hangs down over its forehead between its ears.

forging the striking of the rear hoof and the toe of the front hoof during a trot, caused by overextending.

fox trot walking with the front legs and trotting with the rear.

gait the speed and sequence of a horse's walk or run; gaits include walk, trot, canter, gallop, and rack.

gallop a full run.

gambado a low, four-legged leap, as when frolick­ing.

gaskin part of the hind leg between the stifle and the hock.

gee a traditional horse command meaning to "turn right." Opposite of haw.

gelding a castrated or gelded male.

girth the band of leather that goes around the trunk of a horse for fastening the saddle to its back.

grade a horse of unknown ancestry.

green horse an untrained horse.

green jumper a horse that has been taught to jump.

gymkhana a riding meet or competition.

hack a horse used for pleasure riding.

hackney a horse of English origin, characterized by its flexed knee gait.

halter a rope used for leading or tying a horse.

hand a unit of measurement in which 1 hand equals 4 inches, used to estimate the size of a horse.

haw traditional horse command meaning "turn left."

headband part of the bridle placed over the horse's forehead to prevent the bridle from slipping back.

heat the breeding period of a mare, occurring at three-week intervals and lasting about five days.

12 animals and insects

hock the joint located in the lower leg, correspond­ing to the ankle in humans.

hogback a horse having a rounded back, opposite of a swayback.

hunter a horse bred or trained for hunting, usually a fast runner and strong jumper.

jib a nervous or fidgety movement sideways or backwards.

jodhpurs horse-riding pants made of heavy cloth, fitting tightly at the knees and ankles, and typically worn with ankle-height leather boots also known as jodhpurs.

jog a slow trot.

lather sweat.

lope canter.

lunge a long rope or rein used for breaking or train­ing a horse by leading it around in a circle.

manger a horse's wooden feeding trough, attached to a stall wall.

mare an adult female.

mudder a horse that runs well on muddy ground, as on a wet racetrack.

muzzle collective term for the nose, nostrils, lips, and chin of a horse.

neigh the cry of a horse.

noseband a strap fitted over the nose as part of the Western bridle.

offside the right side of a horse when viewed from behind; also known as the far side.

paddock a fenced-in area adjoining a barn where horses may play.

palfrey a post-horse, or historically a small horse used by ladies.

passade a backward movement.

pastern part of the foot between the fetlock and the hoof.

Pegasus the great steed of Greek mythology, known for its wings.

piaffe a test of horsemanship, in which the horse trots slowly in place.

pigeon-toed standing with toes pointed inward.

pillion a pad used for an extra rider behind the saddle.

poll the top of a horse's neck behind the ears.

pommel the front portion of the English saddle, fit­ting over the withers.

posting in English riding, the rising and falling of the rider with the rhythm of the trot.

rack a difficult four-beat gait or gallop used by a trained horse.

rear to stand up on the hind legs.

rip a wornout or useless horse.

sire father of a horse.

span horses in a matched pair.

splayfoot standing with toes pointed outward.

staggers a cerebrospinal disease characterized by loss of coordination, staggering, and falling down.

stallion adult male used for breeding.

steed a spirited horse, or a horse ridden in combat.

stifle the joint corresponding to the knee in humans.

swayback an old horse with a swayed back.

volt a partially sideways gait or step.

whinny a low and gentle neigh.

withers highest part of the back, between the shoul­der blades.

Horse Breeds

American albino a Nebraska-bred, snow-white horse having pinkish skin and blue, brown, or hazel eyes.

Andalusian an elegant, good-natured Spanish horse, usually gray or bay and standing about 15 hands high.

Appaloosa bred for endurance by the North Ameri­can Plains Indians, a horse widely recognized by its spotted rump.

Arab greatly admired, highly prized desert horse, known for its distinctive forehead bump shaped like a shield. Since it has fewer ribs and lumbar bones than other breeds, it has a distinctively short back. The Arab is said to "float" when it runs.

Boulonnais French breed; heavy but elegant, bred today mostly for its meat.

Camargue the ancient breed of southern France; thought to be that depicted in prehistoric cave paint­ings at Niaux and Lascaux.

Cleveland bay a popular coach-pulling or harness horse in the 19 th century. Noted for its stamina and strength, it is now used as a hunter or as a show jumper.

Clydesdale a strong, heavy draught horse of Scot­tish breed; the Budweiser beer mascot.

cob not a breed, but a stocky short-legged horse noted for its jumping ability.

Connemara intelligent Irish breed known for its sure-footedness and jumping ability.

Criollo Argentine, dun-colored horse having great endurance and toughness, ridden by the gauchos of the pampas.

Dale hardy, calm Yorkshire breed, usually black, and used for riding or as pack horses.

Dartmoor a small, European riding horse having a kind, quiet nature.

Dutch draught massive, strong horse with a docile temperament, originally bred for farm work.

Exmoor British pony breed, thought to have pulled Roman chariots, now used as fox hunter and chil­dren's riding pony.

Fell European breed similar to a Dale but smaller, used as a hunter and as a riding horse.

French trotter Normandy-bred harness-racing horse, known for its stamina.

Friesian Holland-bred work and harness horse.

hack a refined, well-mannered and elegant show horse having a trot that appears to "float." The term hack is also used to denote any type of riding horse.

Hackney a high-stepping, trotting horse of English breed. It was once a popular carriage horse.

Hanoverian German breed renowned for its show- jumping ability.

Highland Scottish pony breed used for hunting, jumping, and everyday riding.

holstein a tall (16 to 17 hands high) German car­riage horse noted for its intelligence, today used in show jumping.

hunter European breed ridden in England and Ire­land for hunting purposes. It is noted for its agility, stamina, and jumping ability.

Icelandic a small, muscular horse known for its toughness and agility.

Irish draught a large horse bred for farm work and riding.

Knabstrup ancient Denmark breed having a dis­tinctive spotted coat (like a dalmatian), widely used as a circus horse.

Lipizzaner world-famous leaping white horse breed of Vienna.

Lusitano courageous and agile Portuguese horse ridden by Portuguese bullfighters.

Missouri fox-trotting horse Missouri breed that is able to walk with its front legs while trotting with its rear legs, thus producing a smoother ride that can be maintained over long distances.

Morgan American breed, strong and muscular, and noted for its versatility.

Norwegian fjord Norwegian breed once ridden by the Vikings, noted for its surefootedness and straight- cut mane.

palomino a golden horse having a cream-colored mane and tail.

Percheron strong, massive draught horse of French breed; it usually has a dark, dappled coat.

pinto not a breed but a color type—brown and white or black and white. A popular horse with Native Americans. Also known as a paint.

quarter horse widely popular American racing breed, famous for its ability to gallop at high speed 14animals and insects

over short distances. Its speed, agility, and intelligence has also made it a favorite cutting horse among cow­boys.

saddlebred Kentucky-bred, all purpose ranch and show horse, noted for its superior rack gait.

Selle Fran^ais French, all-purpose horse, often bred for its jumping ability.

Shetland thick-set, short-legged, small (40 inches high; Shetlands are not measured with hands) horse having great strength and a shaggy mane.

shire very strong, heavy draught horse of English breed.

standardbred an American harness-racing horse.

Suffolk a strong, heavy draught horse having espe­cially powerful shoulders; an English breed usually chestnut in color.

tarpan ancient Russian breed thought to be nearly extinct.

Tennessee walking horse an American, all-purpose breed.

thoroughbred a long-distance racer, usually a cross of an Arabian stallion and an English mare.

Welsh mountain pony small breed (no bigger than 12 hands) resembling an Arab and noted for its hardi­ness and intelligence.

Welsh pony larger version (13 hands) of the Welsh mountain pony.

Horse Colors and Markings

albino white with pinkish skin and blue or hazel eyes.

Appaloosa a distinct breed noted for its spotted rump.

bald a white streak on a horse's face and covering one of its eyes. See blaze.

bars black stripes on the legs of some breeds; also known as zebra striping.

bay a reddish brown with a black mane and tail.

blaze a broad, white streak running from between the eyes to the muzzle.

blood bay a deep red bay.

buckskin beige with a black mane and tail; may or may not have an eel stripe.

buttermilk another name for a palomino.

calico a spotted or piebald color; a pinto.

California sorrel reddish gold.

chestnut chestnut, bronze, or coppery. Also known as sorrel.

claybank yellowish cross of a sorrel and a dun.

cremello cream albino with pink skin and blue eyes.

dappled spotted or mottled.

dun beige with a beige or brown mane and tail.

eel stripe a dark stripe extending from the withers to the tail.

flaxen chestnut-colored with a white or cream- colored mane and tail.

grulla bluish gray or mouse-colored. Also known as smokey.

medicine hat black speckles found on mustangs, considered good luck by American Indians.

moros bluish.

paint irregularly patterned white with colored areas. Same as pinto.

palomilla milk white with white mane and tail.

palomino light tan or golden with an ivory or cream-colored mane and tail.

piebald black and white.

pinto a piebald; a spotted or irregularly marked horse. Also known as paint or Indian pony.

race a crooked blaze on the forehead.

roan bay, chestnut, or sorrel sprinkled with gray and white.

sabino light red or roan with a white belly.

skewbald patches of white over any color except black. Sometimes humorously referred to as a stew- ball.

snip a white marking along the nostril.

sock white on leg below the fetlock.

sorrel chestnut or brown.

star small white marking between eyes.

stocking any white extending above the fetlock. See sock.

zebra dun dun-colored with a dorsal stripe and stripes on its legs.

INSECTS AND SPIDERS

abdomen the posterior segment of an insect's body.

antennae sensory appendages used for probing or smelling.

arachnid the class of insects with four pairs of legs, including spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks.

arachnoid resembling a spider's web, or pertaining to arachnids.

bristle any stiff hair arising from the body.

carapace a hard covering of the body of some insects, for protection from predators.

caste system a social system in which each insect in a colony has a clearly defined role. Termites, for example, have four castes: workers, soldiers, kings, and queens.

cephalothorax the first segment of a spider's body, including the head and thorax.

cercus a sensory appendage on the abdomen.

chitin the main component in an insect's outer structure or exoskeleton.

claspers part of the male sex organs in some insects, two clasping appendages used to hold the female dur­ing mating.

colony a community of insects that work together for one another's benefit.

compound eye multifaceted eyes consisting of sev­eral individual lenses.

cryptic coloration coloration that provides cam­ouflage to help an insect blend into its surroundings without detection by predators.

diapause a period of suspended growth or develop­ment during the life cycle.

dimorphism the existence of two different forms within the same species.

elytra the hard wing covers of beetles.

entomology the study of insects.

exoskeleton the exterior supporting structure of the insect body.

fang an appendage similar to a sharp tooth, also known as the chelicera.

formic acid the acid injected or sprayed by some ants as a defense.

fritiniency insect noises.

gallmaker an insect that causes plants or trees to grow warty protuberances, or "galls," around them.

herbivore an insect that feeds exclusively on plants.

histamine one of the main components of the poi­son injected by the sting of a wasp.

honeydew the sugary excretion of aphids and some other insects.

insectivore any animal or insect that eats insects.

instar any single stage of insect development in which the insect is transformed from one form to another; some insects have more than a half dozen such instars or stages.

larva the wormlike form of a newly hatched insect before metamorphosis.

leg segments from top to bottom these are the coxa, the trochanter, the femur, the tibia, and the footlike tarsus.

mandible the upper jaw of an insect, used in chewing.

mesothorax the middle segment of the thorax from which are attached the second pair of legs.

metamorphosis the transformation process that changes one form of an insect into another, such as a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

metathorax the third or last segment of the thorax from which the third pair of legs are attached.

mimicry imitation of shape, colorization, or size of an insect (usually poisonous) by an insect of another species for the purpose of deceiving predators. (For example, a nonpoisonous insect with the exact appearance of a poisonous insect.)

mine a shaft dug by ants or caterpillars.

molt the shedding of skin to allow for metamorpho­sis or growth.

mouthparts a vast array of tiny mouth instruments, depending on the species, from a sucking proboscis to tools for boring, sawing, cutting, clamping, injecting, and piercing.

nymph the young of insects that undergo incom­plete metamorphosis.

ocelli tiny simple eyes (usually three) between the compound eyes.

omnivore an animal or insect that eats plants and animals.

ovipositor a long, tubelike organ on the abdomen of females for depositing eggs.

palp an elongated sensory organ associated with the mouthparts.

parthenogenesis reproduction by unfertilized females with the unfertilized eggs usually developing into one-sex young.

pedipalp on the cephalothorax of a spider, a leglike appendage used for guiding food to the mouth, but also used by the male to transfer sperm.

pheromones scents discharged by some insects to attract members of the opposite sex.

prehensile adapted for grabbing and holding, as the legs of a praying mantis.

proboscis a slender, tubular feeding instrument.

prothorax the first of the three thoracic seg­ments, from which the head and first set of legs are attached.

pulvillus the adhesive foot lobe moistened by secretion that allows insects to cling to smooth surfaces.

pupa the inactive stage of metamorphosis following the larval stage and preceding the adult stage.

pupate to become a pupa.

spinneret one of the two to four pairs of nozzlelike outgrowths in the rear of a spider through which silk is extruded for the construction of webs.

spiracles respiratory holes in the sides of the abdo­men and thorax. Also known as stigmata.

stridulation insect chirping sounds, especially that of crickets and grasshoppers.

thorax the segment of the body between the head and abdomen, which in itself consists of three subdi­visions (prothorax, mesothorax, metathorax).

ultrasounds whistles, tones, and other insect noises pitched too high for humans to hear.

venation the arrangement of veins in the wings that help distinguish orders, families, and genera of insects.

warning coloration conspicuous colors of some insects that warn predators of the presence of poison or other hazard.

LIVESTOCK

abomasum the fourth or true stomach of a rumi­nant, where most digestion takes place.

anthrax a frequently fatal blood poisoning disease of cattle, sheep, and goats (pigs to a lesser degree) that is highly contagious and characterized by dark, bloody discharges from mouth, nose, and rectum.

barn itch see mange.

boar a male hog or pig.

buck a male goat.

bummer an orphaned lamb.

cloven-footed having feet that are divided by clefts.

crossbreed a cross between two different breeds; a hybrid.

crutching trimming the wool around a ewe's udder and flanks.

cud regurgitated food chewed a second time and then reswallowed, part of the natural digestive pro­cess of ruminants.

cull to remove an undesirable animal from a herd.

dam the mother of a pig, cow, sheep, or goat.

dewlap a loose fold of skin hanging from the neck of some breeds of cattle.

disbud to dehorn. Also known as to poll.

dock to bob or cut off the end of a tail, usually of lambs for health reasons.

double-muscled of some breeds of cattle, hav­ing bulging muscles and a rounded rump, supplying greater meat than other breeds.

elastration livestock castration method in which a rubber band is wound tightly around the scrotum to cut off blood supply, ultimately resulting in the death, drying up, and falling off of the testicles.

estrus the period when the female is sexually recep­tive to the male, or in heat.

ewe a female sheep.

facing trimming the wool around a ewe's face.

farrow a litter of pigs; to give birth to such a litter.

flock book a register of purebred sheep.

flushing a method of increasing fertility in animals by increasing their feed a few weeks prior to breeding.

fodder various coarse foods for livestock, including cornstalks, hay, and straw.

foot-and-mouth disease a long-lasting, highly con­tagious disease of cloven-footed animals character­ized by fever and blisters in the mouth and around the hooves and teats.

gilt a young sow who has not yet produced a litter.

grade an animal with one purebred parent and one grade or scrub.

heat the period of sexual arousal in animals, espe­cially the estrus of females.

heifer a young cow yet to produce young.

herdbook a register of cattle or hog breeds.

hircine like a goat; pertaining to goats.

kid a young goat.

listeriosis a brain inflammation disease in cattle, sheep, and goats associated with corn silage feeding and characterized by facial paralysis, a "depressed" look, and aimless wandering or walking in tight cir­cles. Also known as circling disease.

mad cow disease a disease of cattle, caused by pro­teins called prions, which clog brain cells. The prions are spread through the ingestion of infected tissue from a cow's nervous system and are not destroyed by cooking the meat after slaughter.

mange dermatitis caused by mite infestation, char­acterized by itching and wrinkling of the skin. Also known as barn itch.

mastitis a common disease of sows, dairy goats, and dairy cattle, characterized by reduced milk flow, fever, lack of appetite, and a hot, swollen udder.

omasum the third stomach of a ruminant.

ovine like a sheep; pertaining to sheep.

pedigree a written record or registry of the ancestry of an animal. Also, the registration certificate itself.

poll to cut off or cut short the horns.

pollard an animal with its horns removed.

porcine like a pig; pertaining to a pig or hog.

purebred an animal from two registered parents or from unmixed descent.

ram a male sheep.

reticulum the second stomach of a ruminant.

rumen the first stomach of a ruminant.

ruminant any of the cud-chewing animals, includ­ing cattle, sheep, and goats.

ruminate to chew the cud.

rutting sexual excitement of the male.

scours severe diarrhea suffered by livestock animals.

scrub an animal of unknown or unimproved ancestry.

service to stud.

silage green fodder stored in a silo.

sire to father an animal; the father of an animal.

sow an adult female pig.

stud a male used for breeding.

swine collective term for pigs or hogs. switch the hairy part of a tail. taurine like a bull; pertaining to bulls. tribe closely related families within a breed. ungulate any animal with hooves. yearling a newly born sheep or goat.

Beef Cattle Breeds

Angus originated in Scotland, black, polled head.

Barzona originated in Arizona, red, specially adapted to arid ranges.

beefalo a crossbreed of a buffalo, a Charolais, and a Hereford, cold-tolerant, lean, flavorful meat, origi­nating in the United States.

beef Friesian bred in the United States, black and white, broad-muzzled, and strong-jawed.

beefmaster Texas breed, red or varied colors, horned or polled, good milk producer.

belted Galloway originally bred in Galloway, Scotland, black with brown tinge or dun-colored with white belt encircling the body, polled head.

Brahman originating in India, gray, red, or spotted, long face with drooping ears, hump over shoulders, pendulous dewlap, heat- and insect-tolerant.

Brangus Oklahoma breed, cross between Brahman and Angus, black, polled, sleek coat, crest on neck.

Charbray Texas breed, creamy white, horned, slight vestigial dewlap.

Charolais French breed, creamy white, horned, large size.

Chianina Italian origin, white, horned, black tongue, the largest cattle in the world, with some bulls weighing in at 4,000 pounds.

Devon English breed, red, horns with black tips.

Dexter Irish breed, black or red, horned, small with short legs.

Fleckvieh German breed, red and white-spotted, horned.

Galloway Scottish breed, black or black with brown or red tint, or dun; polled, long, curly hair, cold-tolerant.

Gelbvieh German breed, golden red or rust, horned, large, long, and muscular.

Hays converter Canadian breed, black with white face, white feet and white tail, good milk producer.

Hereford English breed, red with white markings and white face, horned, thick hair.

Indu Brazil Brazilian breed, light gray silver, dun or red; long, drooping ears, horns pointing up to the rear, hump on shoulders, pendulous dewlap.

Limousin French breed, wheat or rust, horned, long and large, abundant meat.

Lincoln red English breed, cherry red, horned or polled, long, fast-growing, good milk producer.

Maine-Anjou French breed, dark red with white, long, large, fast-growing.

Marchigiana Italian breed, grayish white, small horns, large-bodied.

Normande French breed, dark red and white, spec­taclelike patches over eyes, large-bodied.

Norwegian red Norwegian breed, red or red and white, horned, good milk producer.

Piedmont Italian breed, white or pale gray, double- muscled, excellent meat producer.

polled Hereford Iowa breed, red with white mark­ings, white face, polled, thick coat of hair.

polled Shorthorn U.S. breed, red or white, or red and white, polled.

ranger U.S. breed of the western range, all colors, hardy, medium-sized.

red Angus Scottish breed, red, polled, similar to black Angus.

red Brangus U.S. breed, cross of a Brahman and Angus, broad head, sleek coat.

Salers French breed, deep cherry red, horned or polled, hardy, fast-growing, and large.

Scotch Highland Scottish breed, red, yellow, silver, white, dun, black, or brindle; long, shaggy hair, cold- tolerant.

Shorthorn English breed, red, white, or red and white; short horns curving inward.

Simmental Swiss breed, red and white-spotted, white face, horned, fast-growing, excellent meat and milk producer.

Sussex English breed, mahogany red, mostly polled, high yield of lean meat.

Tarentaise French breed, wheat-colored or light cherry or dark blond, small-bodied.

Texas longhorn Texas breed, all colors; long, spreading horns, long head, long legs.

welsh black Welsh breed, black, mostly horned, good milk producer.

Dairy Cattle Breeds

Ayrshire Scottish breed, cherry red, mahog­any, brown, or a mixture of these colors; mostly horned.

brown Swiss alpine breed, solid brown, black nose and tongue, horned, strong and muscular, placid.

Dutch belted Dutch breed, black and white with white belt extending around the body, horned.

guernsey originating on the Isle of Guernsey, fawn with white marks, horned; yellow milk.

Holstein-Friesian Netherlands breed, black and white or red and white, broad-muzzled, strong-jawed.

Illawarra Australian breed, red or red and white, horned.

Jersey originating on the Island of Jersey, usually fawn-colored with or without white marks; large, bright eyes.

milking Shorthorn English breed, red, white, or red and white, horned.

Goat Breeds

American La Mancha U.S. breed, all colors, short or no ears, hornless, milk producer.

Angora Turkish breed, white face, legs and mohair, horned or polled, long locks of mohair.

French Alpine French Alps breed, multicolored, horned or polled, large and deerlike, milk producer.

Nubian a cross of Indian and Egyptian breeds, mul­ticolors, horned or polled, long and droopy ears, Roman nose, milk producer.

Rock Alpine U.S. breed, multicolored, horned or polled, milk producer.

Saanen Swiss breed, white or creamy, horned or polled, large, milk producer.

Swiss Alpine Swiss breed, ocher or brown, polled, erect ears, milk producer.

Toggenburg Swiss breed, fawn to dark brown with white stripes on face and white on legs, polled, milk producer.

Pig Breeds

American Landrace Danish breed, white with small black spots.

Berkshire English breed, black with white feet.

Chester white U.S. breed, white with or without small bluish spots.

Conner prairie U.S. breed, all colors, large litters.

Duroc U.S. breed, red, medium size.

hampshire Kentucky breed, black with white belt encircling body; white face.

hereford U.S. breed, red with white face, similar coloring to that of Hereford cattle.

Lacombe Canadian breed, white, floppy ears.

Managra Canadian breed, white, lop-eared, large litters.

Poland China U.S. breed, black with or without white spots; droopy ears.

spotted u.S. U.S. breed, spotted black and white.

Tamworth English breed, red with or without black spots.

wessex saddleback English breed, black with white belt encircling body.

Yorkshire English breed, white with or without black freckles; long-bodied.

Sheep Breeds

American merino Spanish breed, white, strong flocking instinct, produces fine wool.

black-faced Highland Scottish breed, black or mot­tled, horned, produces carpet wool.

Cheviot Scottish breed, white with black nose, polled, no wool on head or legs.

Columbia Wyoming and Idaho breed, white, polled, face free of wool.

Corriedale New Zealand breed, white with or with­out black marks, polled.

Cotswold English breed, white or white with gray specks, polled, wavy ringlets and curls, long wool.

Debouillet New Mexico breed, white, horned or polled, produces fine wool.

Delaine merino Spanish breed, white, rams with horns, strong flocking instinct, produces fine wool.

Dorset English breed, white, horned or polled.

Finnsheep Finnish breed, white, head free of wool, usually polled; medium wool.

Hampshire English breed, deep brown, polled, large, produces medium wool.

Leicester English, white with or without bluish tinge, polled.

Lincoln English breed, white with or without black spots, polled, the largest of all sheep breeds with rams weighing as much as 375 pounds; produces heavy fleece.

montadale U.S. breed, white, polled, head free of wool, produces medium wool.

oxford English breed, gray to brown, polled, large.

Panama U.S. breed, white, polled, long wool.

shropshire English breed, dark-faced, polled, dense wool on head.

southdown English breed, light or dark brown, polled, produces medium wool.

suffolk English breed, black head and legs, polled, no wool around head or ears, produces medium wool.

Targhee U.S. breed, white, polled, open-faced.

Tunis North African breed, reddish brown to light tan, polled, long drooping ears, no wool on head, produces medium wool.

MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES

abdomen the hind body portion, consisting of 10 segments.

androconia special scales on the abdomen, legs, or wings of males that release sex pheromones.

antennae the sensory appendages on the head.

birdwing the largest of all butterflies, with wing- spans as long as 12 inches in some species.

chorion the shell of an insect egg.

chrysalis the pupa of a butterfly, the form reached between the larval or caterpillar stage and the winged butterfly stage.

cocoon the silky protective casing made by a moth caterpillar, in which it passes the pupa stage.

cocoon cutter a ridgelike growth on the head of some species that enables them to cut their way out of a cocoon when they're ready to emerge.

compound eye similar to other insects, each eye consisting of several individual units or facets.

cremaster at the tip of the abdomen of a pupa, an extension used to attach the pupa to the place of pupation.

crepuscular active or flying during the twilight, as some species of moths and butterflies.

dagger moth a family of moths recognized by black daggers or dashes on their gray brown forewings.

dash a sharp, short black line on the forewing of many species; also known as a dagger.

diapause a period of suspended growth or develop­ment during the life cycle.

diurnal flying or active during the day, as most but­terflies.

epiphysis the leaflike appendage on the foreleg, thought to be used for cleaning mouthparts and antennae.

eyespot an eyelike spot found on the wings of some species, thought to frighten birds away. Also known as ocellus (pl., ocelli).

forewing the front wing, attached to the mesotho- rax.

frass the excrement pellets of caterpillars.

frons the front of the head, between the eyes and above the mouthparts.

geometer the second largest family of moths, rec­ognized by their slender bodies and small to medium overall size. The larvae are inchworms.

gossamer wing a family of butterflies recognized for their small size and bright wings with metallic or iridescent hues.

hawk moth a family of medium to very large moths with robust bodies, narrow wings without ocelli, long probosci, and a hovering flight similar to a bird. Also known as sphinx moths or hummingbird moths.

Hesperiidae the butterfly family of skippers.

hind wing the back wing, attached to the meta- thorax.

instar in the larval stage, the period between molts.

larva the caterpillar stage.

Lepidoptera the order of moths and butterflies.

lepidopterist an entomologist specializing in moths and butterflies.

Lycaenidae the butterfly family of gossamer wings.

mandible the chewing mouthpart of a caterpillar.

Megathymidae the butterfly family of giant skippers.

mesothorax the midportion of a thorax on which the forewings and middle legs are attached.

metamorphosis a transformation of the structure or nature of an organism resulting in a radically different organism; the transformation of a caterpillar to a but­terfly, for example; the transformation of Lepidoptera from an egg to a larva to a pupa to a butterfly.

Microlepidoptera a family of medium to small moths recognized by long, slender legs and T-shaped appearance when at rest (its rolled wings are kept folded at right angles to the body).

moths and butterflies 21

nectaring the act of gathering nectar by butterflies.

nocturnal active or flying at night, as most moths.

Nymphalidae the large family of brushfooted but­terflies, with forelegs reduced to useless brushes.

ocelli collective term for all eyelike spots found on a wing.

orbicular spot a round or elliptical spot resembling an eye in the middle of a forewing in some species.

owlet (noctuid) moth the largest family (Noctuidae) of moths, with some 20,000 species worldwide, recog­nized by gray brown coloring with a complex pattern of lines and spots and obscured orbicular spots.

Papilionidae the butterfly family of swallowtails, recognized by their spectacular colors, and with wings shaped like a swallow's.

pheromone a sex attractant released by male and female.

Pieridae the butterfly family of whites, sulfurs, and marbles, each resembling its namesake.

proboscis the double-coiled tongue, which is extended to suck up nectar or water.

prothorax the first or frontmost of the three tho­racic segments to which the forelegs are attached.

pupa the quiet, metamorphic stage that grows into a butterfly or moth.

reniform spot a kidney-shaped spot on the fore- wing, similar to an orbicular spot.

skipper once thought to be a link between butter­flies and moths, actually a small, quick-flying, short- winged butterfly.

sphragis a device deposited by a male moth on the abdomen of a female to prevent her from mating with another male.

spinneret the silk-spinning organ near the mouth of a caterpillar.

thorax the middle of the three body sections con­sisting of the prothorax, the mesothorax, and the metathorax.

underwing a large family of moths, recognized by their hind wings, which are all black or brightly colored with black bands; the forewings resemble the bark of trees.

venation the pattern formed by branching veins in wings, helpful in identification.

WHALES

ambergris a waxy substance formed in the intes­tines of sperm whales and used in the manufacture of perfumes.

baleen in baleen whales, the comblike plates hang­ing from the palate that strain out small fish and crustaceans.

baleen whale a toothless whale that eats plankton. blowhole the nostril(s) on top of the head. breaching jumping out of the water. calf a juvenile whale.

cetacean the order of fishlike aquatic mammals, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

cetology the study of whales, porpoises, and dol­phins.

dorsal fin the stabilizing fin on the top of the back of many species.

finning of a whale on its side, slapping the water with its fin.

flukes the horizontal tail fins.

Jonah biblical character who survived three days in the belly of a whale.

lobtailing raising the flukes high out of the water then slapping them down hard on the water.

mysticeti "mustached whales"; the suborder of baleen whales, with 10 species known.

odontoceti the suborder of toothed whales, with more than 66 species known.

orca the species of killer whales.

pod a school of whales.

right whale once considered by whalers as the "right" whale to catch because it is slow and floats when dead.

scrimshaw the decorating and carving of whale bones and teeth.

sonar the use of sound by some whales to locate objects obscured in dark or murky water; echoloca- tion.

sounding diving.

spermaceti a waxy, fatty substance taken from the heads of sperm whales and used for making candles, ointments, and cosmetics.

spy-hop to stick the head upright out of the water.

stranding stranding or beaching in shallow waters.

zeuglodon a prehistoric forerunner of the whale from the Eocene epoch, 50 million years ago.

RCHITECTURE