Haddock
Haematopus
Haemosporidia
Hag
Hairy Mou'ed Collie
Haliaetus
Halibut
Halichondria
Halicoridae
Haliotis
Halistemma
Halophytes
Haltica
Hamamelidaceae
Hammer-oyster
Hammerhead
Hamster
Hand-plant
Hard-fern
Hare
Hare's Ear
Harebell
Hareld
Harlequin Duck
Harp-shell
Harpy-eagle
Harrier
Hart
Hart's-tongue
Hartebeest
Harvest-bug
Harvest-mouse
Harvest-spider
Haustellata
Hawfinch
Hawk-moth
Hawkweed
Hawthorn
Hazel
Hazel-grouse
Heart
Heather
Hedera
Hedge-mustard
Hedge-nettle
Hedge-sparrow
Hedge-warbler
Hedgehog
Helamys
Helianthemum
Helicidae
Helictis
Heliotrope
Heliozoa
Helix
Hellebore
Helleborus
Helmet-shell
Heloderma
Hemerobiidae
Hemerocallis
Hemichordata
Hemidesmus
Hemimetabola
Hemipodius
Hemiptera
Hemlock
Hemp
Hemp-palm
Henbane
Henna
Heracleum
Herb-bennet
Herb-robert
Herbaceous
Herbivore
Herbivorous
Hercules-beetle
Hermaphrodite
Hermit-crab
Hernandia
Heron
Herring
Hessian Fly
Heteropoda
Heteroptera
Heterotricha
Hexactinellida
Hibiscus
Hickory
Highland Collie
Hind
Hinny
Hippocampus
Hippomane
Hippopotamus
Hirudinea
Hirudo
Hirundinidae
Hoatzin
Hog
Hog-fish
Hog-plum
Hog-rat
Holcus
Holly
Hollyhock
Holm-oak
Holothuria
Holothurioidea
Holothuroidea
Holotricha
Holy Grass
Honey-ant
Honey-eater
Honey-guide
Honey-locust
Honeysuckle
Hooded Seal
Hoof
Hoofed
Hoopoe
Hooves
Hop
Hop-clover
Haddock is a marine fish of the cod family found in the north atlantic.
Haematopus is a genus of wading birds which includes the common oyster-catcher.
Haemosporidia is a suborder of coccidiomorpha. They are parasites which live in warm-blooded animals and produce various types of malaria.a
Hag is the popular name of fish of the genus Myxine. They are of worm-like form and have no eyes or scales. The mouth is formed for suction and is without lips and is furnished with barbels. The hag has horny teeth which it uses to eat into the interior of other fish.
see "Bearded Collie"
Haliaetus is a genus of birds which includes the British white-tailed sea-ragle and the American bald eagle.
Halibut is a large flatfish found in the north atlantic.
The halichondria is an order of sponges of the demospongia class.
The Halicoridae is a family of Sirenia found in herds on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
Haliotis is a genus of gateropodous molluscs commonly called ear-shells or sea-ears and found adhering to rocks on the sea-shore. They are remarkable for the pearly iridescence of their inner surface.
Halistemma is a member of the order of siphonophora.
The Halophytes are a class of plants which inhabit salt marshes, and by combustion yield barilla.
Haltica is a genus of beetle.
Hamamelidaceae is a small natural order of epiygynous exogenous trees or shrubs, varying in height from 2 to 10 meters. These are the witch-hazels.
The hammer-oyster is a bivalve shell fish. Malleus vulgaris, found in the Indian Ocean. It resembles the pearl-oyster when young, but becomes more hammer-like as it gets older by the lengthening of its ears.
The hammerhead is a species of shark.
The hamster (Cricetus) is a genus of rodent animals belonging to the Muridae (mice) family, and closely allied to the rats. They are distinguished by a short hairy tail and cheek pouches.
The hand-plant (Cheirostemon platanoides) is a Mexican tree of the order Sterculiaceae. It grows to about 10 meters in height and has flowers, the stamen of which looks a bit like a human hand.
Hard-fern is the popular name of Lomaria spicant, a common fern found throughout Britain growing on heaths and glens.
The hare (Lepus) is a genus of rodent with long ears, long hind legs, a shirt tail, soft hair and a divided upper lip. The young hare is called a leveret and are born in litters of between 3 and 6 leverets upto 4 times a year.
Hare's Ear (Bupleurum) is a plant of the natural order Umbelliferae.
Harebell (Scotch bluebell, Campanula rotundifolia) is a plant of the natural order Campanulaceae with a bell shaped blue, and sometimes white flower. The radical leaves are cordate or reniform, the stem-leaves partly ovate or lanceolate. It is a slender plant growing to about 12 cm tall.
The hareld (Harelda glacialis) is the long-tailed duck, an oceanic duck with a short thick bill, a high forehead and two very long feathers in the tail of the male. It inhabits the northern seas and is often found around Orkney and Shetland.
The Harlequin Duck (Clangula histrionica) is a species of duck with white, grey and black plumage found in Arctic regions.
The harp-shell is a genus of molluscs (Harpa) belonging to the gasteropoda and to the whelk family. The species are found around Mauritius. The shells are very attractive, but exposure to light causes their colours to fade.
The harpy-eagle is a large, powerful bird of South America. It has a crooked bill, and strong sharp claws. The harpy-eagle feeds on birds, sloths, racoons, fawns, fish and tortoise eggs.
The Harrier is a breed of dog intended for hare hunting. It is similar to the foxhound, but smaller.
Hart is the name given to a male stag.
Hart's-tongue is a genus of highly ornamental fern with simple, undivided fronds.
The hartebeest (Alcelaphus) is a south African antelope which measures about 1.5 meters high at the shoulder, has a long head, horns projecting outwards and backwards, black marks on the face and legs, a white mark on the rump and a bushy tail. They are generally found in small herds.
The harvest-bug (Leptus autumnalis) is a small larval insect of the family Acaridae. It is bright red in colour and about the size of a grain of cayenne pepper. It attacks livestock and humans, burrowing under the skin and so causing red pustules.
The harvest-mouse (Musmessorius) is the smallest British quadruped. It builds a nest suspended amongst stalks of wheat.
The harvest-spider (Phalangium longipes) is a British spider with very long legs. It has a peculiar habit of throwing off one or more legs.
Haustellata is an extensive division of insects in which the mouth is furnished with a haustellum or proboscis adapted for suction. It includes the butterflies and moths, and two winged flies.
The hawfinch is a species of grossbeak. It is one of the largest of the finches. It resembles the Chaffinch in colour, but is distinguished by its enormous beak, larger size, and bill-hook formation of some of its wing feathers. It feeds on all kinds of berries and is found throughout Britain.
The Hawk-moth is one of the sphinx moths, so called from its hovering motion which resembles that of a hawk.
Hawkweed (Hieracium) is a genus of composite plants, sub-order Cichoraceae, consisting of numerous species with yellow flowers.
Hawthorn (Cratoegus Oxyacantha) is a small spiny European tree, belonging to the sub-order Pomeae of the order Rosaceae, rising sometimes to the height of 6 meters. The leaves are alternate, obovate, 3 to 5 lobed. The flowers are white, sometimes with a reddish tinge, disposed in corymbs and smell rather nice.
The hazel is a tree of the genus corylus, family corylaceae. The leaves are roundish-cordate, alternate and shortly petiolate. It produces nuts known as filberts.
The hazel-grouse is a species of grouse inhabiting Europe and Asia. It is found in heathy tracts, woods and forests. It feeds on berries, buds, insects and worms.
The heart is a muscular organ used to maintain circulation of blood through an animal.
Heather is a low growing evergreen shrub that is common on sandy and acid soil.
Hedera is the genus of plants to which ivy belongs.
Hedge-mustard (Sisymbrium officinale) is a cruciferous plant once used as a remedy for catarrh.
see "Stachys"
see "Hedge-warbler"
The hedge-warbler (hedge-sparrow, Accentor modularis) is a bird of the family Sylvidae, common in Britain and the temperate parts of Europe. It feeds on insects, worms and seeds. It grows to about 14 cm long and has reddish-brown plumage streaked with dark-brown.
The hedgehog is a small prickly carnivorous mammal of the order Insectivora, family Erinaceidae. They are solitary, nocturnal animals feeding on caterpillars, beetles, slugs, worms, young mice, eggs and fruit. Hedgehogs grow to about 30 cm long and can live up to 6 years.
Helamys is a genus of rodents allied to the jerboas. They are the jumping-hare or jumping-rat.
Helianthemum is a genus of herbaceous undershrubs and shrubby or creeping plants, also known as the rock-rose genus.
Helicidae is the name by which the land shell-snails are distinguished.
Helictis is a genus of carnivorous quadrupeds allied to the skunk. They are found in China and Nepal.
Heliotrope (Heliotropium) is a genus of plants of the natural order Boraginaceae. The species are herbs or undershrubs mostly native of the warmer parts of the world and have alternate leaves and small flowers usually disposed in scorpioid cymes.
The heliozoa are an order of rhizopoda. The body is radially symetrical and the pseudopodia are thin and stiff. Reproduction is by fission and sexually by the fusion of gametes.
Helix is a genus of gasteropodous molluscs comprising the land shell-snails.
Hellebore (Helleborus) is a genus of plants of the natural order Ranunculaceae, consisting of perennial low-growing plants with palmate or pedate leathery leaves, yellowish, greenish or white flowers having five conspicuous persistent sepals and eight to ten small tubular petals.
see "Hellebore"
Helmet-shell is a common name for molluscs of the genus Cassis, gasteropods of the family Buccinidae found mainly on tropical shores.
Heloderma is a genus of Mexican lizard. They are about 1 meter in length and some are venomous. They have a thick, squat body covered with rough scales and form burrows under the roots of trees.
Hemerobiidae are the lace-wing flies, a family of neuropterous insects.
Hemerocallis is a genus of Liliaceae.
Hemichordata is a class of sub-phylum acrania. They are peculiar marine worm-like creatures.
Hemidesmus is a genus of twining plants of the natural order Asclepiadaceae, having opposite leaves, and cymes of small greenish flowers. Sarasparilla is derived from them.
Hemimetabola is the section of the insect class which undergo complete metamorphosis, the larva differing from the perfect insect chiefly in the absence of wings and size.
Hemipodius is a genus of rasorial birds allied to the quail.
Hemiptera is an order of four-winged insects, having a suctorial proboscis, the outer wings, or wing-covers, are leathery at the base and transparent towards the tips.
Hemlock (Conium maculatum) is a poisonous plant of the natural order Umbelliferae. It is a tall, erect, branching biennial, with a smooth, shining, hollow stem usually marked with purple spots. It has elegant, much divided leaves which when bruised emit a nauseous odour. The flowers are white in compound umbels of ten or more rays surrounded by a general involucre of three to seven leaflets.
Hemp is an annual plant of the genus Cannabis, cultivated for its fibres that are used to make rope.
Hemp-palm (Chamoerops excelsa) is a Chinese and Japanese species of palm. Rope is made from the fibres of its leaves.
Henbane is a plant of the genus Hyoscyamus, natural order Solanaceae. It is a coarse, erect biennial herb having soft, clammy, hairy foliage of a disagreeable odour and pale yellowish-brown flowers streaked with puple veins.
Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a shrub of the natural order Lythraceae, bearing opposite entire leaves and numerous small white fragrant flowers disposed in terminal panicles.
Heracleum is a genus of large umbelliferous herbs, the cow-parsnips.
Herb-bennet (Benedict's herb, Avens) is an aromatic plant used as a tonic and astringent.
Herb-robert (Geranium Robertianum) is a common British plant. It is astringent and aromatic.
A plant said to be herbaceous is a perennial plant of which the stem perishes annually, while the roots remain permanent and send forth a new stem in the following season.
A herbivore is an animal that eats plants.
see "herbivore"
The Hercules-beetle (Scaraboeus) is a very large Brazilian lamellicorn beetle. An enormous horn projects from the head, and a smaller one from the thorax. The beetle grows to 12cm long.
An hermaphrodite animal is one in which both male and female gametes are present.
Hermit-crab is the popular name of the Paguridae family of decapod crustaceans. They take posession of and occupy cast-off univalve shells of various molluscs, carrying this habitation about with them, and changing it for a larger one as they increase in size.
Hernandia is a genus of large Indian trees of the natural order Hernandiaceae. They have alternate entire leaves and flowers arranged in axillary or terminal spikes or corymbs.
Heron is a popular name for birds of the genus Ardea, constituting with the bitterns the family Ardeidae. Herons are spread over almost all the world. They are distinguished by having a long bill cleft beneath the eyes, a compressed body, long slender legs naked above the tarsal joint, three toes in front, the two outer united by a membrane, and by moderate wings. The tail is short, rounded, and composed of ten or twelve feathers. The common Heron is about 1 meter in length.
The herring (Clupea harengus) is an edible fish found in the north Atlantic. It comes close to the shore in large shoals to spawn.
The Hessian Fly (Cecidomyia destructor) is a fly of the family Tipulidae, of the order Diptera, the larva of which is very destructive to wheat, barley and rye crops.
Heteropoda is an order of marine molluscs, the most highly organized of the Gasteropoda. In this order the foot is compressed into a vertical muscular lamina, serving for a fin, and the gills, when present, are collected into a mass on the hinder part of the back.
Heteroptera is a section of hemipterous insects comprising those in which the two pairs of wings are of different consistence, the anterior part being horny or leathery, but generally tipped with membrane. They comprise the land and water bugs.
Heterotricha is an order of ciliata vera. They are covered in cilia, and have a spiral band of tough cilia leading towards the cytostome.
Hexactinellida is a class of sponge with a skeleton built of six-rayed spicules made of silica.
Hibiscus is an extensive genus of plants, natural order Malvaceae chiefly natives of tropical climates. They have large showy flowers, borne singuarly on stalks towards the ends of the branches, these flowers having an outer calyx of numerous leaves in addition to the true five-lobed persistent calyx.
Hickory is several species of timber trees of the genus Carya of the natural order Juglandaceae. They are natives to North America. The wood is heavy, strong and tenacious.
see "Bearded Collie"
Hind is the name of a female stag or deer.
A Hinny is a hybrid, the product of a stallion mating with a she-ass. It is smaller and weaker than the mule.
Hippocampus (the Sea-Horse) is a genus of fish closely allied to the pipe-fish, of singular construction and peculiar habits. The upper parts look rather like a horse's head and neck in miniature. When swimming they maintain a vertical position. They are generally about 15cm to 25cm long and are found mainly in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
Hippomane are a genus of plants belonging to the Euphorbiaceae.
The hippopotamus is a large herbivorous mammal found in Africa.
The hirudinea are the leeches. They are an ectoparasitic class of annelids with few true segments but each segment shows numerous annuli. Suckers are present at both ends of the body. They lay eggs in cocoons secreted by the clitellum.
The hirudo are hirudinea.
see "Swallow"
The hoatzin is a bird found only in the Amazon.
see "Pig"
The Hog-fish are teleostean fish of the genus Scorpoena, family Scorpaenidae.
The Hog-plum are plants of the genus Spondias, natural order Anacardiaceae. Some of them yield pleasant fruit. The name Hog-plum comes from the West Indies where the fruit was once fed to pigs (hogs).
The Hog-rat (Capromys) is a genus of rodent animals of the family Muridae.
Holcus is a genus of grasses, natural order Gramineae.
Holly (Ilex) is a genus of plants of the order Aquifoliaceae, embracing a number of evergreen trees or shrubs. The common holly is a conical evergreen tree growing to a height of 10 meters in Britain. It's leaves are dark-green, shiny and leathery, abundantly armed with prickles on the lower branches but free from them on the higher branches.
Hollyhock is a biennial or perennial herb with tall, erect, leafy stems. It is native to central Europe and China. It is an important plant in medicine providing a dark pigment which is also used in cooking.
Holm-oak (Quercus Ilex) is a shrub-like tree native to Mediterranean countries with holly-like leaves.
Holothuria is a type of holothuroidea.
Holothurioidea is an order of Echinoderms, the sea-cucumbers.
The holothuroidea are the sea cucumbers. The body is elongated and appears worm-like. Skeletal plates are minute and imbedded in the fleshy body wall. There are no spines. The mouth is at one end of the body, the anus at the other. Feeding is carried out by tube feet near the mouth.
Holotricha are an order of ciliata vera. They are covered in alike cilia.
Holy Grass (Hierochloe) is an odoriferous genus of grass belonging to the Phalarideae.
The honey-ant (Myrmecocyctus mexicnus) is a Mexican ant. They live in subterranean galleries and in summer some secrete a kind of honey from their abdomen.
Honey-eater is a name given to a number of insessorial birds forming the family Meliphagidae, of the tribe Tenuirostres. They form a large group, feeding mainly on honey and the nectar of flowers. These birds are found in Australia and surrounding islands. They have long curved sharp bills, with a tongue terminating in a pencil of delicate filaments.
The honey-guide is a South African cuckoo of the genus Indicator, which by its cries and motions directs people to the nests of wild honey bees.
The Honey-locust (Gleditschia triacanthos) is an American forest tree belonging to the natural order Leguminosae. The leaves are pinnated, divided into small leaflets and the foliage has a light and elegant appearance.
Honeysuckle (Woodbine) is the Lonicera genus of Linnaeus of the natural order Caprifoliaceae. It is a twining shrub with distinct leaves and red berries found in Britain.
The hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) is a species of seal, the male of which has a movable, inflatable muscular bag stretching from the muzzle to behind the eyes. The prevailing colour is black.
A hoof is the horny casing of the foot of a ruminant, horse, swine or similar animals.
Hoofed is the term applied to animals with hooves.
The hoopoe (Upupa) is a bird about 30cm long with a fine crest of pale cinnamon-red feathers tipped with black. It is a ground feeder eating mainly insects.
Hooves is the plural of hoof.
The hop is a plant of the family cannabiaceae. The root is perennial giving out several herbaceous, rough, twining stems with large lobed leaves. The catkins are added to beer to give it flavour.
Hop-clover (Trifolium procumbens) is a plant of the order Leguminosae, distinguished from other species of clover by its bunch of yellow flowers which wither to brown.