Search the Dictionary

e of the leather called roan; as, roan binding. Roan antelope (Zoöl.), a very large South African antelope (Hippotragus equinus). It has long sharp horns and a stiff bright brown mane. Called also mahnya, equine antelope, and bastard gemsbok.

nd Machærium. The finest kind is from Brazil, and is said to be from the Dalbergia nigra. African rosewood, the wood of the leguminous tree Pterocarpus erinaceus. -- Jamaica rosewood, the wood of two West Indian trees (Amyris balsamifera, and Linocieria ligustrina). -- New South Wales rosewood, the wood of Trichilia…

Her leaden scepter o'er a slumbering world. Young. Sable antelope (Zoöl.), a large South African antelope (Hippotragus niger). Both sexes have long, sharp horns. The adult male is black; the female is dark chestnut above, white beneath. -- Sable iron, a superior quality of Russia iron; -- so called because originally…

te) of Europe, resembling saffron. -- Saffron wood (Bot.), the yellowish wood of a South African tree (Elæodendron croceum); also, the tree itself. -- Saffron yellow, a shade of yellow like that obtained from the stigmas of the true saffron (Crocus sativus).

The Abyssinian ox (Bos or Bibos, Africanus), noted for the great length of its horns. It has a hump on its back.

A large African antelope (Alcelaphus tunata), similar to the hartbeest, but having its horns regularly curved.

The bark of a West African leguminous tree (Erythrophlæum Guineense, used by the natives as an ordeal poison, and also medicinally; -- called also mancona bark.

Written also Shemitic.] Semitic language, a name used to designate a group of Asiatic and African languages, some living and some dead, namely: Hebrew and Phoenician, Aramaic, Assyrian, Arabic, Ethiopic (Geez and Ampharic). Encyc. Brit.

dian climbing plant (Aristolochia odoratissima). -- Tree serpent (Zoöl.), any species of African serpents belonging to the family Dendrophidæ.

An African wild cat (Felis serval) of moderate size. It has rather long legs and a tail of moderate length. Its color is tawny, with black spots on the body and rings of black on the tail.

An African sapotaceous tree (Bassia, or Butyrospermum, Parkii), from the seeds of which a substance resembling butter is obtained; the African butter tree.

A large African wading bird (Balæniceps rex) allied to the storks and herons, and remarkable for its enormous broad swollen bill. It inhabits the valley of the White Nile. See Illust. (l.) of Beak.

Life Guards when on duty at the palace. [Eng.] Thackeray. -- Silver tree (Bot.), a South African tree (Leucadendron argenteum) with long, silvery, silky leaves. -- Silver trout, (Zoöl.) See Trout. -- Silver wedding. See under Wedding. -- Silver whiting (Zoöl.), a marine sciænoid food fish (Menticirrus littoralis) n…

The wood of a South African tree. See Neishout.

An African anthropoid ape, supposed to be a variety of the chimpanzee.

The Guinea, or sphinx, baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx). Sphinx baboon (Zoöl.), a large West African baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx), often kept in menageries. -- Sphinx moth. (Zoöl.) Same as Sphinx, 3.

A South African gazelle (Gazella euchore) noted for its graceful form and swiftness, and for its peculiar habit of springing lighty and suddenly into the air. It has a white dorsal stripe, expanding into a broad patch of white on the rump and tail. Called also springer. [Written also springboc, and springbock.]…

e bend of the wings. Spur-winged goose (Zoöl.), any one of several species of long-legged African geese of the genus Plectropterus and allied genera, having a strong spur on the bend of the wing, as the Gambo goose (P. Gambensis) and the Egyptian, or Nile, goose (Alopochen Ægyptiaca). -- Spur-winged plover (Zoöl.), an…

almata, of Florida and the West Indies. -- Stag-horn fern (Bot.), an Australian and West African fern (Platycerium alcicorne) having the large fronds branched like a stag's horns; also, any species of the same genus. -- Stag-horn sumac (Bot.), a common American shrub (Rhus typhina) having densely velvety branchlets.…

An extensive and curious genus of African plants of the natural order Asclepiadaceæ (Milkweed family). They are succulent plants without leaves, frequently covered with dark tubercles giving them a very grotesque appearance. The odor of the blossoms is like that of carrion.