Among the continents, Europe is an anomaly. Larger only than Australia, it is a small appendage of the great landmass.... europ european

Among the continents, Europe is an anomaly. All the continents are conceptual constructs, but only Europe was not first perceived and named by outsiders. Traders and travelers reported that Europe possessed distinctive physical units, with mountain systems and lowland river basins much larger than those familiar to inhabitants of the Mediterranean region. Yet it was not until the 19th and 20th centuries that modern science was able to draw with some precision the geologic and geographic lineaments of the European continent, the peoples of which had meanwhile achieved domination overand set in motion vast countervailing movements amongthe inhabitants of much of the rest of the globe. As to the territorial limits of Europe, while these seem clear on its three seaward flanks, they have been uncertain and hence much debated on the east, where the continent merges, without sundering physical limits, with parts of western Asia. Further, the Mediterranean coastlands of North Africa! and southwestern Asia also exhibit some European physical and cultural affinities, and Turkey and Cyprus, while geologically Asian, possess elements of European culture and may, perhaps, be regarded as parts of Europe. This civilization is distinguished from the rest of Europe by legacies of a medieval Mongol-Tatar domination that precluded sharing many of the innovations and developments of European Western civilization; and it became further distinctive during the relative isolation of the Soviet period. In partitioning the globe into meaningful large geographic units, therefore, most modern geographers treated the former Soviet Union as a distinct territorial entity, comparable to a continent, that was separate from Europe to the west and from the rest of Asia to the south and east; this distinction undoubtedly will be maintained for Russia, which occupied three-fourths of the Soviet Union. The following discussion of Europe focuses primarily upon the territories and pe! oples lying west of the Russian border, although note is taken! of physical and cultural features shared by the European portion of Russia with the rest of the continent. Whatever its indebtedness, Europe has always shown its own powers of creativity and leadership: although wracked and exhausted by continued internal conflict, it has nevertheless advanced sufficiently to leave as its heritage the exploration, colonization, and development of other peoples and regions of the globe, if not always to the benefit of the other peoples and regions. The principal articles discussing the historical and cultural development of the continent include ; European exploration; colonialism; ; ancient Greek civilization; ancient Rome; ; and . europ european

Size range 1 mm to 7.5 cm; wings, when present, number 2; hind wings reduced to.... larva sometim

Size range 1 mm to 7.5 cm; wings, when present, number 2; hind wings reduced to halteres; sucking mouthparts; 85,000 species; worldwide distribution; diverse habitats and diets in both larvae and adults. Compact, well-armoured flies; strong spurs on legs; often abundant on spring blossoms; larvae in soil, sometimes found in a tangled mass near roots of plants. Tiny flies seldom seen as adults; shapeless larvae burrow into plant tissues, cause formation of plant galls, and deform leaves, stems, and roots; some horticultural and agricultural pests. Tiny, with hairy wings; often seen singly in kitchens, on windows above sinks; some larvae numerous in sewage sedimentation tanks; larvae mostly aquatic. Name usually shortened to Brachycera; flagellum of antennae nearly always fused into a compound 3rd segment, remaining diminutive segments form a stumpy style or bristle-like arista; anal cell of wing narrowed, nearly always closed on or before wing margin; palpi seldom with more t! han 3 segments, often 2 or 1, held forward (porrect); larvae usually with well-defined head, mandibles move vertically or parallel, cannot be opposed; adult escapes from pupa by a rectangular slit (Orthorrhapha). Colourful flies, found resting on vegetation with wings closed; males sometimes dance in air; larvae sometimes elongate, aquatic, active, carnivorous ( Stratiomys ); others in decaying vegetation ( Hermetia ). Tiny black flies, on windows indoors; develop from larvae in carpets, feed on flea and clothes moth larvae; natural habitat, bird nests or similar dry debris. Tiny flies sometimes numerous indoors; larvae live in any organic debris rich in protein or nitrogenous decay products and scavenge in nests of wasps, bees, ants, termites; breed in carrion; many adults wingless or with short wings (brachypterous). Vena spuria in wing runs between third and fourth veins; familiar everywhere; hover over flowers, settle on leaves; some larvae aquatic (rat-tailed maggots);! larvae of many species feed on aphids on plant stems and leav! es. All flies with a ptilinal suture in head; larvae with no external head structure, mouth hooks visible through cuticle, one pair of prothoracic spiracles and one pair of posterior spiracles, each with either three slits or a mass of small pores; larvae with fore end pointed and hind end truncate are called maggots; larvae with both ends blunt and fleshy, with bulges and tracts of spines, are called grubs. Thoracic squamae ( i.e., calypters that join base of wing to thorax) are small or evanescent; small soft-bodied flies; major families well established; placement of genera uncertain; families can be grouped according to food preferences of larvae. (kelp flies, seaweed flies) Breed in wrack ( i.e., heaps of decaying seaweed stranded on beaches) chiefly in temperate countries; adults of some species attracted by trichloroethylene; sometimes pests. Tiny, black-brown flies; first tarsal segments of hind legs swollen; abundant throughout world in dunglike materials; some mem! bers live in seaweed on beaches; many short-winged or wingless species. Transitional; wide range of larval habitats; no substance unpalatable for larvae ( e.g., algae, sewage, excrement, carrion, urine, brine, hot springs, tar pools); carnivorous petroleum fly ( Psilopa petrolei ) lives in pools of crude petroleum seepage preying on trapped insects; many larvae feed in terrestrial and aquatic plants. Many species include the housefly; some larvae carnivorous, especially in third instar; breed in decaying vegetable matter or dung; larvae of Fannia , the lesser housefly like materials soaked in urine; economically important muscid larvae feed on plant stems and roots; subfamily (sometimes a separate family) Anthomyiinae contains dipteran plant pests; stable fly, Stomoxys , (biting proboscis in both sexes) may be placed in a separate family, Stomoxyidae; tsetse fly Glossina , confined to Africa, peculiar structurally and biologically, sometimes placed in the family Glossinidae! , occurred in North America in the Miocene. Offshoot of Calliphoridae a! bove; larvae are parasitic in rodents; one larva, Dermatobia hominis (human bot fly) also attacks man; eggs sometimes attached to mosquitoes and other biting flies and carried to their prospective prey. larva sometim

town, eastern New South Wales, Australia, on the Wyong River, im.... mi [72

Wyong, a municipality since 1957, serves an area of mixed farming (dairying, fruit and vegetable growing, seed processing, and poultry raising), rutile and zircon mining, and lumbering. Situated on the main northern rail line (from Sydney, 45 mi [72 km] southwest) and on the Pacific Highway, Wyong is the chief town of the Tuggerah Lakes resort region. mi [72

Animal-conservation problems vary widely depending on the type of animal (whether, for exa.... anim conserv

In many countries, game animals are widely hunted by sportsmen, over both private and public lands; thus an outstanding factor in wildlife conservation in such regions is the licensing and supervision of hunters. Although primitive people had a far more immediate stake in wildlife than modern people do, it is virtually certain that early humans had little concept of conserving game. Modern ecologists perceive that nature is a series of complex biotic communities of which the human species is an interdependent part; a spokesman for conservationists, Aldo Leopold, has argued that the Golden Rule applies to the land and to its animals as well as to people. The primary factor in the depletion of the world's fauna has been modern human society, operating either directly through excessive commercial hunting or, more disastrously, indirectly through invading or destroying natural habitats, placing firearms in the hands of peoples who previously were without them, or introducing to ! the native fauna of certain areas (Australia and various islands) more aggressive exotic (nonnative) mammals. Animal protection must begin with the conservation of the habitatthe area where animals feed, rest, and breed. This naturally involves the preservation of much besides the animal population itself, including conservation of vegetation cover and soil. An example of earlier attitudes is well illustrated by Great Britain, which passed through two centuries of so-called game protection, the original purpose of which was to create artifically high populations of grouse, partridge, pheasant, mallard, and other sporting species and, at the same time, to reduce the populations of such predators as the stoat, weasel, otter, wildcat, and badger, as well as birds of prey including owls. anim conserv

Whales are distributed throughout the world's oceans .... whale live

Whales are distributed throughout the world's oceans and seas, from the Equator to the polar ice, except for the landlocked Caspian and Aral seas. Whales must surface regularly to breathe, evacuating their lungs more completely than most mammals in an almost explosive breath known as a . Despite living in a medium that has much greater characteristics than air, whales, like other mammals, must regulate their body temperature. These members of the extinct suborder are the primitive whales from which modern whales are derived. Archaeocetes gave rise to the living suborders: the baleen whales (suborder Mysticeti) and the toothed whales (suborder Odontoceti). Humans have long utilized stranded whales as a food resource, and historically whales were hunted for and baleen. Scientific concern over the increased catch of whales in the Southern Hemisphere in the 1930s led to the ratification of the International Whaling Convention and the founding of the in 1946. Through the years th! is agency has acted to moderate whaling, and it instituted a moratorium on commercial whaling in the late 1980s. whale live

About 10 species of the genus Mustela are found from North thr.... long, tail,

rixosa, is about 1520 cm (68 inches) long, exclusive of the 24-centimetre (11.5-inch) tail, and weighs 3070 g (12.5 ounces). africana are about 2530 cm (1012 inches) long, excluding the 1020-centimetre (48-inch) tail, and weigh 85350 g (312 ounces). The Patagonian weasel ( Lyncodon patagonicus ) is a South American mustelid of the Argentinean and Chilean pampas. About 3035 cm (1214 inches) long, excluding the 69-centimetre (2.53.5-inch) tail, it is grayish with dark brown underparts and a white stripe running across the forehead onto the sides of the neck. Its black-and-white, spotted body is about 2329 cm (911.5 inches) long, exclusive of the 1318-centimetre (57-inch) tail, which is striped, as are its face and back. The African striped, or cape, weasel ( Poecilogale albinucha ) is found south of the Congo region. Similar in habit to weasels of the genus Mustela, it is 2535 cm (1014 inches) long, excluding the 1523-centimetre (69-inch) tail, and is striped yellowish and bla! ck with black underparts and a white tail. long, tail,

Vinegar can be made from any liquid that is capable of .... vinegar liquid

Vinegar can be made from any liquid that is capable of being converted into alcohol in a two-step process. Organic acids and esters derived from the fruit or other source material are also present and are responsible for the flavour and aroma variations of vinegar. Table vinegar contains approximately 4 percent acetic acid. A mash consisting of wine or other alcoholic liquid was poured into the barrel, and a small amount of vinegar containing a mass of vinegar bacteria, called mother of vinegar, was added to start the reaction. Early in the 18th century, a Dutch technologist, Hermann Boerhaave, found that the rate of acid production in the vinegar process was directly proportional to the amount of surface exposed to air. Vinegar's principal uses are the flavouring of foods and the preservation, or pickling, of meat products, fish, fruit, and vegetables. vinegar liquid

in full John G. Shedd Aquarium, one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world. .... sea turtles,

A special display called the Coral Reef Exhibit features a tank that circulates 340,000 litres of seawater per hour and contains more than 300 Caribbean marine animals, including nurse sharks, sea turtles, moray eels, and numerous rare and colourful varieties of fish. sea turtles,

Sharks, together with rays and skates, make up the subclass Ela.... shark fish,

All other sharks prey on small sharks, fish, squid, octopuses, shellfish, and, in some species, trash. The largest among them is the voracious 6-metre (20-foot) great white shark, or man-eater, which attacks seals, sea turtles, large fish, and occasionally people. The more sluggish ( Somniosus ) of cold, deep waters, while half the size of the white shark, reputedly feeds on seals, large fish, whales, and even swimming reindeer. Normally, sharks feed on fish, often attacking in schools; open-ocean species such as the , , and sharks frequently feed near the surface and are much sought-after by rod-and-reel sportsmen. The origin of sharks is obscure, but their geologic record goes back to the Devonian Period (408 to 360 million years ago). Modern sharks appeared in the Early Jurassic Period (208 to 187 million years ago) and by the Cretaceous Period (144 to 66.4 million years ago) had expanded into present-day families. shark fish,

The female deposits eggs in the water or on aquatic vegetation; the la.... dive style:

The female deposits eggs in the water or on aquatic vegetation; the larvae, known as water tigers because of their voracious appetite, are long and slender and have sickle-shaped jaws. MLA style: "predaceous diving beetle." APA style: predaceous diving beetle. style: "predaceous diving beetle." dive style:

The man-of-war, although found in warm seas throughout the world, occurs most commonly in the Gulf Stream of the n.... physalia man-of-war

The man-of-war, although found in warm seas throughout the world, occurs most commonly in the Gulf Stream of the northern Atlantic Ocean and in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian and Pacific oceans; it is sometimes found floating in groups of thousands. The fish , about 8 cm long, lives among the tentacles of Physalia and is almost immune to the poison from the stinging cells. MLA style: "Portuguese man-of-war (genus Physalia ) ." APA style: Portuguese man-of-war (genus Physalia ) . style: "Portuguese man-of-war (genus Physalia ) ." physalia man-of-war

The Okavango River rises as the Kubango just south of Vila Nova, Angola, o.... river okavango

The Okavango River rises as the Kubango just south of Vila Nova, Angola, on the Bi lateau, at an elevation of 5,840 feet (1,780 m). After being joined by its largest tributary, the Kwito River, the Okavango River then crosses Namibia's narrow Caprivi Strip to enter Botswana. About 70 miles inside Botswana, the river spreads out to form a triangular-shaped delta, the base of which extends for about 150 miles (240 km). In its uppermost course, the Okavango flows through woodland country that becomes less densely forested as the river progresses southward. In the Okavango Swamp itself, the vegetation falls into two main typesdense clumps of papyrus reeds and other aquatic plants in the river and floodplain channels; and patches of woodland and savanna occupying the slightly higher parts of the delta. APA style: Okavango River. river okavango

Narwhals lack a dorsal fin, and in adults the flippers are turned upward at the tips. Their mottled gray bodies are.... ( style:

Adult males weigh about 1,600 kg (3,500 pounds); females weigh about 1,000 kg. The narwhal has two teeth, both at the tip of the upper jaw, but usually only the left tooth develops. The undeveloped right tooth in males and usually both teeth in females remain vestigial. MLA style: "narwhal ( Monodon monoceros ) ." APA style: narwhal ( Monodon monoceros ) . style: "narwhal ( Monodon monoceros ) ." ( style:

MLA style: "Moorish idol." . . Chicago: , . APA st.... idol." "moorish

MLA style: "Moorish idol." style: "Moorish idol." idol." "moorish

The water moccasin inhabits marshy lowlands of the southeastern United States. It is also known as the cottonmouth, .... (genu style:

It is a dangerous snake and is brown or black with narrow irregular whitish bars on its back and sides. MLA style: "moccasin (genus Agkistrodon ) ." APA style: moccasin (genus Agkistrodon ) . style: "moccasin (genus Agkistrodon ) ." (genu style:

permanent kidney of amphibians and most fish, developing poster.... tubules, process

Glomeruli are absent in some marine fish; urine then forms solely in the tubules, a process that conserves water. tubules, process

There are two broad types of recycling operations: internal and external. Internal recycling is.... materi wast

Internal recycling is the reuse in a manufacturing process of materials that are a waste product of that process. External recycling is the reclaiming of materials from a product that has been worn out or rendered obsolete. These materials can be collected by any of three main methods: buy-back centres, which purchase waste materials that have been sorted and brought in by consumers; drop-off centres, where consumers can deposit waste materials but are not paid for them; and curbside collection, in which homes and businesses sort their waste materials and deposit them by the curb for collection by a central agency. Recycling becomes economically attractive when the cost of reprocessing waste or recycled material is less than the cost of processing new raw materials. Ferrous products ( i.e., and steel) can be recycled by both internal and external methods. The scrap comes from a variety of manufacturing operations that use steel as a basic material and from discarded or obsol! ete goods made from iron and steel. materi wast

town, south-central Namibia. It lies at an elevation of 3,576.... mile km)

It lies at an elevation of 3,576 feet (1,090 m) and is situated 145 miles (232 km) north of Keetmanshoop and 170 miles (274 km) southeast of Windhoek, the national capital. The Hardap Dam on the Fish River, 14 miles (22 km) northwest of Mariental, is Namibia's first large earth-fill dam and supplies electricity and water to the area. mile km)

German colonizers, who began arriving in the mid-19th century, stimulated econom.... major agricultur

Agriculture is the economic mainstay, and potatoes, beef, dairy products, wheat, oats, and fruit are produced. Lumber production in Valdivia provincia is of major economic importance to the nation. Tourism provides a major source of income, for the northern area has many lakes, including Calafquen, Panguipulli, Ri e, Ranco, Puyehue, and Chile's largest lake, Llanquihue. The chief agricultural product is potatoes; lumbering is important, but the fishing potential has not been developed. MLA style: "Los Lagos." major agricultur

The lobster has a rigid, segmented body covering (exoskeleton) and five pairs of legs,.... lobster water

The lobster has a rigid, segmented body covering (exoskeleton) and five pairs of legs, one or more pairs of which are often modified into pincers (chelae) with the chela on one side usually larger than that on the other. The true lobsters (Homaridae) have claws on the first three pairs of legs, with very large claws on the first pair. The American lobster ( Homarus americanus ) and the Norway lobster, also known as Dublin Bay prawn and scampi ( Nephrops norvegicus ), are the most valuable and are often marketed alive; the heavily muscled abdomen and claws are the parts eaten. found in waters from Labrador to North Carolina, sometimes dwells in shallow water but is more abundant in deeper water down to 200 fathoms (1,200 feet [366 m]). Lobsters caught in shallow water weigh about 0.45 kg (about one pound) and are about 25 cm (about 10 inches) long. The red colour of lobsters is caused by immersion in hot water. Unlike true lobsters, spiny lobsters (Palinuridae), so called bec! ause of their very spiny bodies, do not have large claws. Usually only the abdomen is eaten and is marketed as lobster tail. Two palinurid species are commercially important in America: Palinurus interruptus, the California spiny lobster of the Pacific coast, and P. Jasus lalandei, the commercially important South African rock lobster, occurs in waters around South Africa. lobster water

in ceramics, a school of Turkish pottery making that flowered throughout the 16th and on into .... clai potteri

There may have been potteries at Iznik, where there were deposits of suitable clay, as early as the 12th century, but it was not until the late 15th century that pottery making came into its own in Turkey. Iznik ware was soft and sandy, being of grayish-white clay covered with a thin, usually white slip (a mixture of clay and water). clai potteri

Ichthyosaurs had a very wide geographic distribution, and their fossi.... ichthyosaur fossil

Ichthyosaurs had a very wide geographic distribution, and their fossil remains span almost the entire (about 248 million to 65 million years ago); but they were most abundant and diverse during the and (248 million to 144 million years ago). Excellent fossil specimens occur in the fine-grained Early Jurassic shales of southern Germany. Several specimens are known in which the skeletal remains of small, immature ichthyosaurs are fossilized within the bodies of larger individuals, even within the birth canal. Ichthyosaurs are first known from the Triassic Period of Asia, where they began as long-bodied, undulating swimmers without many of the specializations seen in later species. Fossils from the western United States and Canada indicate that some ichthyosaurs could exceed 13 metres (43 feet) in length. The typical ichthyosaur form was fully realized by the Early Jurassic, when the like body plan suggestive of high-speed pursuit and great mobility ass Ichthyosaurs persisted i! nto Late Cretaceous times and may have been well adapted for deep diving as well as near-shore predation, but all species became extinct well before the end of the Cretaceous Period. ichthyosaur fossil

Herons commonly stand with the neck bent in an S shape. They fly with the legs trailing loosely and.... heron (

Herons are subdivided into typical herons, night herons, and tiger herons. Best known of the typical herons are the very large, long-legged and long-necked, plain-hued, crested members of the genus Ardea especially the 130-cm (50-inch) great blue heron ( A. The typical herons also include several species of the genus (egrets); the little blue heron, Hydranassa (or Florida ) caerulea, and the Louisiana heron ( H. The black-crowned night heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax ) ranges over the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia; the Nankeen night heron ( N. Another night heron is the boat-billed heron, or boatbill ( Cochlearius cochlearius ), of Central and South America, placed by some authorities in its own family (Cochleariidae). The most primitive herons are the six species of tiger herons (formerly called tiger bitterns), shy, solitary birds with cryptic, often barred, plumage. The lined, or banded, tiger heron ( Tigrisoma lineatum ), 75 cm (30 in.) long, of central and northern S! outh America is a well-known example. heron (

The keys were originally inhabited by such Native American peoples as the and Tequesta. The Spanish explorer visited.... kei long

Largest of the keys is Key Largo, about 30 miles (50 km) long and formerly known for its plantations of key limes (used to make key lime pies). It is some 25 miles (40 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide and lies along Key Largo's east coast. Long Key State Park is on Long Key, just southwest of Islamorada. , a short distance south of Miami Beach, includes several of the northernmost keys, and most of the keys in Florida Bay are within . The keys are protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, established in 1990, which covers an area of some 3,600 square miles (9,300 square km). Much of the northern area of the lower keys has been designated the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, and another refuge is located immediately west of Key West. Big Pine Key, largest of the lower keys, is a refuge for the tiny key deer and has unusual displays of cacti. kei long

(species Felis viverrina ), tropical cat of the family Felidae, found in India and Southeast Asia. The coa.... cm black-ring

The adult animal stands about 40 cm (16 inches) at the shoulder, weighs 811 kg (1824 pounds), and is from 60 to 85 cm long, excluding the black-ringed tail, which accounts for an additional 2530 cm. cm black-ring

Several deep inlets of the Kara Sea cut into the mainland. The l.... sea kara

The largest rivers flowing into the sea are the Yenisey, Ob, Pyasina, and Kara, from which the sea derives its name. The Kara Sea lies on the Siberian Shelf; thus, about 40 percent of it is less than 160 feet (50 m) deep, and only 2 percent is over 1,600 feet (500 m) deep. The Kara Sea formed as a result of deglaciation during the last Ice Age, traces of glacial ice being found under a thin layer of silty sediment. In the winter the water temperature averages 29.1 F (-1.6 C); in the summer it reaches 43 F (6 C) in the southwestern part of the sea and 36 F (2 C) in the north. Fish found in the Kara Sea include cod, salmon, and sturgeon. The sea's mammals include the seal, sea hare, white whale, walrus, and polar bear. The Kara Sea is on the Russian Northern Sea route.

The Hawaiians were a brown-skinned people with straight or wavy black hair.... hawaiian usual

The Hawaiians were a brown-skinned people with straight or wavy black hair. Hawaiian society's basic unit of land, the ahupuaa, usually extended from the shore to the mountaintop, with rights in the adjoining sea waters, so that the occupants had the means of supplying all their wantsthe sea for fish; the littoral for coconuts; the valley for taro, their principal food; the lower slopes for sweet potatoes, yams, and bananas; and the mountain for wood. Within the ili were small areas, kuleanas, occupied by the common people, who also had certain rights of fishery, water, and mountain products. Without metals, pottery, or beasts of burden, the people made implements, weapons, and utensils of stone, wood, shell, teeth, and bone, and great skill was displayed in arts and industries. Food was cooked in holes in the ground, called imus, by means of hot stones; but many foods, including fish, were often eaten raw. Many of the best foods were taboo to women. Men usually wore only a ! malo, or girdle, and women a skirt of tapa, or paper cloth, or leaves or fibre, though both sometimes wore mantles thrown over the shoulders. The Hawaiians excelled in athletics. The first indentured Chinese field hands arrived in 1851, and the first Japanese in 1868; these and other foreigners eventually overwhelmed the native Hawaiians. APA style: Hawaiian. hawaiian usual

Hammerheads are swift, powerful sharks that may be found at sea, close to s.... hammerhead three

Hammerheads are swift, powerful sharks that may be found at sea, close to shore, or in brackish water. Three species seem to be particularly dangerous: the great hammerhead ( Sphyrna mokarran ), growing to a maximum length of 4.5 m (15 feet) or more; the scalloped hammerhead ( S. All three are grayish and are found throughout the tropics; the smooth hammerhead, which is valued as a sport fish, also ranges into cooler waters. These three species are individually distinguished by the shape of the front edge of the head: straight, with a central notch in the great hammerhead; curved outward with a central notch in the scalloped hammerhead; and curved outward but unnotched in the smooth hammerhead. hammerhead three

The Gulf Stream is part of a general clockwise-rota.... current flow

Off the northeastern coast of South America, this current splits into the , which passes into the Caribbean Sea and through the Yucat Channel into the Gulf of Mexico, and into the , which flows to the north and east of the West Indies. Deflected to the northeast by the submerged southeast of the Florida Peninsula, this swift current is joined by the Antilles Current and flows roughly parallel to the eastern coast of the United States to about Cape Hatteras. A part of the Gulf Stream forms a countercurrent that flows south and then west. The main portion of the Gulf Stream continues north, veering more to the east and passing close to the Grand Banks, south of Newfoundland, where it breaks up into swirling currents. current flow

From its source in the highlands of the , the Gambia follows a winding course to its mouth, which is a ria, or drowned estua.... river flat

The dividing and reuniting of river channelsa phenomenon known as braidinghas created several islands along the river's middle course, of which the two largest are Elephant Island and . The river valley is cut into a plateau of sandstone dating from the Tertiary period (66.4 million to 1.6 million years ago). Dense mangrove swamps fringe the lower river for 60 miles (97 km) inland, after which freshwater swamps and salt flats on low-lying stretches alternate with dense clumps of small trees and shrubs that line the cliffs. The river abounds in fish and river The grass-covered river flats (known locally as ) of the lower river are rendered useless for cultivation by the salt water that periodically inundates them, and settlements on them are few. The flats of the middle and upper river are of some agricultural value, however. Cultivation and settlement have therefore taken place in the middle flats and on the higher slopes, with many villages being located on the borderline b! etween the flats and the plateau, thus avoiding both the flooding of the lower slopes and the increasing aridity of the higher terrain. river flat

Adult darkling beetles vary greatly in size and shape: from 2 to 35 mm ( inches) and from flat to.... darkl larva

Adult darkling beetles vary greatly in size and shape: from 2 to 35 mm ( inches) and from flat to cylindrical. The larvae are about 25 mm (1 inch) long, cylindrical, and wormlike. The larvae of a widely distributed darkling beetle known as the mealworm ( Tenebrio ) are used as food for such pets as birds and fish. APA style: darkling beetle.

Chimpanzees awaken at dawn, and their day is spent both in the trees and on the ground. Afte.... move chimpanze

In the trees, where most feeding takes place, chimps use their hands and feet to move about. Though able to walk upright, chimpanzees more often move about on all fours, leaning forward on the knuckles of their hands (knuckle walking). The female chimpanzee bears a single young at any time of year after a gestation period of about eight months. Males are considered adults at 16 years of age, and females usually begin to reproduce at about 13 years, but often only two offspring survive during her lifetime.

Carcharhinids are typically sharklike in appearance, having two dorsal fins, an elongate upper tail.... shark speci

Carcharhinids are typically sharklike in appearance, having two dorsal fins, an elongate upper tail lobe, and single-cusped, blade-shaped teeth. The name blacktip shark applies to any of several species with dark fin tips. Two Atlantic species are the small blacktip ( Carcharhinus limbatus ), which grows to about 2.5 m, and the somewhat larger large blacktip, or spinner shark ( C. The bull shark grows to about 3.5 m. The Lake Nicaragua shark, which is considered a race of bull shark by some, is found in Lake Nicaragua. The soupfin shark ( Galeorhinus zyopterus ) is a North American Pacific species that was once heavily fished for its vitamin-rich liver oil. All three species are gray or brownish, grow to about 2 m long, and are often found in schools. The whitetip shark has long pectoral fins; a large, rounded first dorsal fin; and is coloured white below and olive, gray, brown, or bluish above, with white fin tips.

The members of the family vary greatly in form, from elongated and streamlined to very deep.... dorsal fins,

The members of the family vary greatly in form, from elongated and streamlined to very deep-bodied and thin from side to side. In general, however, they bear the following features in common: two dorsal fins, the first of which may be reduced to a few small spines; anal and second dorsal fins, usually high in front; pectoral fins slim and often sickle-shaped; tail base very slender; tail strong, either forked or crescent-shaped; scales small; lateral line (series of small sense organs along the head and sides) often partly or wholly covered with large, hard, keeled scales (scutes). Many of the carangids are small, but some grow to a large size. The first rays of the second dorsal fin extend into filaments that reach to the tail.

also called Speckled Trout, or Squaretail ( Salvelinus fontinalis ), popular freshwater game fish, a vari.... lower white

It lives in cold, clean fresh water and is recognized by dark, wormlike markings on the back, red and whitish spots on the body, and white on the leading edge of the lower fins and lower tail-fin lobe.

First post in my blog!

First post in my blog!