Aardvark First Animal in Dictionary Echoes Earth Pig Origins
The aardvark, a large termite eater from southern and eastern Africa, is notable as the first animal named in the dictionary. Its Dutch name means earth pig, though it is unrelated to pigs. Zoologists find its classification puzzling while the animal uses a thick snout and fat body to feed on termites.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wilford H. Osgood
Field Museum of Natural History Department of Zoology
Africa
Equator
Osmium Iridium Thulium and Platinum Metal Group Discovery
Osmium and iridium are among the platinum metals, with osmium discovered in 1803 and iridium in 1804. Osmium is extremely dense and resistant to acids. it forms osmiridium with iridium for fountain pen points. Iridium alloys serve standards and high temperature tools. thulium is a rare rare earth metal found in nature among other rare earths.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Aqua Regia
Kansas City Star
Untapped metal discovered in 19th century color tones
Thulium, first identified in 1879, is described as a light green colored element with no current commercial use. Its discovery marked a milestone in rare earth chemistry, though practical applications remain undeveloped.
Red Honey Varieties Across Regions and Colors
Paul Griswold Hayes notes in Nature that reddish brown honey forms from sap pigments in trees like logwood on Dominica. Europe’s dark honey includes Scottish heather and cheaper English heather. southern choices include Romaria from rosemary and Himettus from wild thyme. Crystallization varies with type. white treacle stays liquid for a decade, while blue curl nectar granulates quickly.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Paul Griswold Hayes
Nature
Dominica
West Indies
Europe
Greece
Monkey Business and Counterfeit Copper in New York 1753
The New York Post Boy reports widespread confusion over counterfeit copper halfpence flooding the city. Despite long-standing good pence, counterfeits are now in circulation, causing public suspicion and rejection of even coins passed for decades.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York Post
The Great Dipper and Earth’s Rotation
The Great Dipper appears to revolve due to Earth’s rotation. It makes a daily apparent revolution and remains visible all night as part of the circle of perpetual apparition. This circle grows from the equator to the pole, where it encompasses the entire Northern Hemisphere.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Equator
Walnut Use in Victorian Era Furnishings
Walnut in the Victorian era was used almost exclusively for practical furnishings, especially dining and bedroom pieces. Handsomely carved whatnots, living room items, settees, small tables, occasional chairs, and massive hall chests were also fashioned from the light-toned wood.
Egyptian Climate Praised by Herodotus for Unchanging Sunshine
The travel writer notes contrast with Herodotus who visited Egypt 2800 years ago. He lauds Nile and Egyptian learning, but his strongest praise is for Egypt's climate claiming Egyptians are the healthiest after Libyans due to unchanging seasons.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Egypt
Heddotus
Herodotus
Nile
Bond Street Legacy in London and New York
The article traces Bond Street origins in London and New York, noting both streets began as affluent residential avenues for bankers, merchants, and nobility. It credits Sir Thomas Bond, a 17th century courtier, with early London real estate speculation and the 1683 acquisition and redevelopment of Clarendon House, shaping the street through Whitehall and Piccadilly.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bond Street
New York
London
Thomas Bond
Henrietta Maria
Whitehall
Charles II
Arthur Dasent
Daily Telegraph
Chares
Thomas
West End
St. Martin-in-the Field
Claredon House
Piccasily
Monk
Duke of
Zodiac signs and the celestial band around the sky
The article explains the zodiac as a celestial band around the sky fixed at sixteen degrees wide to include the Sun Moon and five planets. It details the twelve 30 degree constellations Aries through Pisces and notes the March start of the year with each sign named for animal forms and myths.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Chicago Tribune
Aries
Taurus
Bull
Gemini
Twins
Cancer
Crab
Leo
Virgo
Virgin
Libra
Balance
Scorpio
Scorpion
Sagittarius
Archer
Capricornus
Aquarius
Pisces
Belted Kingfisher History and Myth The Legend of Ceyx
The belted kingfisher known as Ceryle alcyon has a mythic origin in Greek lore. The tale follows Ceyx son of Lucifer who marries Alcyone, drowns seeking the oracle, and is transformed along with his wife into kingfishers. The article notes Halcyon days and describes the bird’s spring burrow nesting five to six feet deep in sand banks.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New York World- Telegram
Trachinia
Ceyx
Lucifer
Alcyone
Aeolus
Claros
Morelos Statue Claims World’s Highest Monument Title
The Morelos statue on Janitzio Island in Lake Patzcuaro, Morelos, Mexico, is claimed to be the world’s tallest monument. Mexico allegedly copied the Statue of Liberty’s specs to raise Morelos by three feet, surpassing a Buddha cliff statue in Bamian Afghanistan cited as the previous tallest.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mexico
Morelos
Janitzio
Lake
Patzcuaro
Bamian
Afghanistan
Old Royal Palaces and Their Builders
St James palace, built by Henry VIII on the site of an old lepers hospital, later bought by William III and rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. Marlborough House, also by Wren for the Duke of Marlborough, became royal when Prince Leopold married Princess Charlotte. Balmoral Castle came to Victoria funded by Prince Consort savings at Buckingham Palace, per London Answers Magazine.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
St. James’ Palace
Henry VIII
Kensington
William III
Wren
St. Paul’s
Marlborough House
Duke of Marlborough
Prince Leopold
Charlotte
Balmoral Castle
Queen Victoria
London Answers Magazine
Prince Consort
Buckingham Palace
Odd sleeping patterns across tribes and a patriarch’s vigil
The Literary Digest notes the Urubu tribe in Brazil builds a human sleeping pyramid with elders on the ground and children on top. It contrasts this with the Patriarch of the Coptic church in Alexandria who must be awakened every fifteen minutes whenever he sleeps.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Brazil
Alexandria
Egypt
Literary Digest
England's coast towns and famed Elizabethan explorers
England's Riviera includes Exmouth Dawlish Teignmouth Paignton Brixham Dartmouth Totnes and Torquay. It notes the coast as birthplace of Elizabethan sea dogs Drake Raleigh Hardy Gilbert Davis Hawkins and its role as the launch site for the East India Company's 1602 voyages that built the British empire in the East.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
England
Riviera
Exmouth
Dawlish
Teignmouth
Paignton
Brixham
Dartmouth
Totnes
Torquay
Drake
Sir Walter Raleigh
Hardy
Gilbert
Davis
Hawkins
East India Company
Bell Invented Telephone While Teacher of Speech
Bell, a young Scotsman who moved to Canada in 1870 and then to Boston in 1872, improved voice transmission using a trumpet transmitter and harp receiver. On March 10, 1876, he uttered a famous line to Watson, and the telephone era began with exhibitions at Philadelphia and rapid development led by Edison. The first home, switchboard, and exchanges followed in Boston and Chicago, with automatic exchanges arriving in La Porte in 1892 and a transcontinental call on January 25, 1915.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Bell
Canada
Boston
Thomas A. Watson
Mr. Watson
Philadelphia
Thomas A. Edison
Charles Williams, Jr
Chicago
la Porte
Ind
New York
San Francisco
Sea Lion Not Related to King of Beasts Despite Roar
A Montreal Herald writer notes the sea lion bears no royal lineage to lions. Its ancestors were bearlike land dwellers driven to the sea, evolving flippers and waterproof hair to endure subarctic waters, with visible ears much smaller than true seals.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
King of Beasts
Montreal Herald
Woodlands
Atlantic
Unwritten Indian Law Emphasizes Property Rights
A Cleveland Plain Dealer writer notes an unwritten code among tribes that forbids stealing from fellow members. If an animal is killed and cannot be carried home, a tribal mark is placed on it and hung in a tree, to be left untouched by others even when hungry, preserving property respect.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Spiders Poison Glands and Human Danger
All spiders possess poison glands used to catch prey but most have tiny fangs and harmless bites. Tarantulas are different yet deaths are rare and doubtful. Truly poisonous species include the Black Widow group with serious risk to humans.
Best Hunting Dogs Pointing Breed Noted for Intelligence
Pointer owners praise their breed as highly intelligent and fast bird dogs. They scent and indicate birds without killing or retrieving, standing rigid with nose to the game and tail straight as a ramrod for the hunter.
The Winter Pelt of the Ermine Described
The piece explains ermine fur as a winter pelt from the weasel with a black tipped tail. It notes the fur can be fashioned with or without the tail trim and remains regal when well tanned. Larger skins may yellow with time, though well cared-for pelts stay white.
Also Mentioned on This Page
David M. Flett, M. D
Kimball, Nebraska
The
Mcaleer Hospital
E C. McAleer, M. D
Kimball
DR. W. T. Sloan
Potter
Potter State Bank
Optometrist
Wiker
Radcliff Bidg
Sidney
Nebraska
Kimball Hospital
A. L. Miller
Roy D. Sinclair
John Pinkerton
Joe P Schwartz
Nebr
Potter Review
Maytag
Philco
Irwin’s Electric
C. V. Johnson
J. J. Fiegenschuh
Burwell
Leo J. Thomas
Thulium
America
Sea Lion
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!