Thetiger(Panthera tigris) is the largestcat species, reaching a total body length of up to 3.38m (11.1ft) over curves and exceptionally weighing up to 388.7kg (857lb) in the wild. Its most recognisable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside. The species is classified in the genusPantherawith thelion,leopard,jaguarandsnow leopard. Tigers areapex predators, primarily preying onungulatessuch asdeerandbovids. They are territorial and generallysolitary but socialanimals, often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements. This, coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth, has caused significantconflicts with humans.Tigers once ranged widely acrossAsia, fromTurkeyin the west to the eastern coast ofRussia. Over the past 100 years, they have lost 93% of their historic range, and have been extirpated from southwest and central Asia, from the islands ofJavaandBali, and from large areas ofSoutheastandEastern Asia. Today, they range from the Siberiantaigato opengrasslandsand tropicalmangroveswamps. The remaining six tiger subspecies have been classified asendangeredbyIUCN. The global population in the wild is estimated to number between 3,062 and 3,948 individuals, down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century, with most remaining populations occurring in small pockets isolated from each other, of which about 2,000 exist on theIndian subcontinent.[4]Major reasons for population decline includehabitat destruction,habitat fragmentationandpoaching. The extent of area occupied by tigers is estimated at less than 1,184,911km2(457,497sqmi), a 41% decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s.Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world'scharismatic megafauna. They have featured prominently in ancientmythologyandfolklore, and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature. They appear on manyflags,coats of arms, and asmascotsfor sporting teams. The tiger is thenational animalofBangladesh,India,Vietnam,MalaysiaandSouth Korea..In 1758,Linnaeusdescribed the tiger in his workSystema Naturaeand gave it thescientific nameFelis tigris.[3]In 1929, the British taxonomistReginald Innes Pococksubordinated the species under the genusPantherausing the scientific namePanthera tigris.[5]The wordPantherais probably ofOrientalorigin and retraceable to theAncient Greekwordpanther, theLatinwordpanthera, theOld Frenchwordpantere, most likely meaning "the yellowish animal", or

Indian lotus,sacred lotus,bean of India, or simplylotus, is one of two species of aquatic plant in thefamilyNelumbonaceae. The Linnaean binomialNelumbo nucifera(Gaertn.) is the currently recognized name for this species, which has been classified under theformer names,Nelumbium speciosum(Willd.) andNymphaeanelumbo, among others. (These names are obsolete synonyms and should be avoided in current works.) This plant is an aquatic perennial. Under favorable circumstances its seeds may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1,300years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeasternChina.[1]Native to Tropical Asia andQueensland,Australia,[2][3]it is commonly cultivated inwater gardens. It is also thenational flowerofIndiaandVietnam.While all modernplant taxonomysystems agree that this species belongs in the genusNelumbo, the systems disagree as to which familyNelumboshould be placed in, or whether the genus should belong in its own unique family and order.The lotus is often confused with the water lilies (Nymphaea, in particularNymphaea caerulea, sometimes called the "blue lotus"). In fact, several older systems, such asBentham and Hooker(which is widely used in the Indian subcontinent) call the lotusNymphaea nelumboorNymphaea stellata. This is, however, evolutionarily incorrect, as the lotus and water-lilies are practically unrelated. Far from being in the same family,NymphaeaandNelumboare members of different orders (NymphaealesandProtealesrespectively).The roots oflotusare planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface or are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150cm and a horizontal spread of up to 3meters, but some unverified reports place the height as high as over 5meters. The leaves may be as large as 60cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20cm in diameter.Researchers report that the lotus has the remarkable ability toregulatethetemperatureof itsflowersto within a narrow range just as humans and otherwarmbloodedanimals do.[4]Dr. Roger S. Seymour and Dr. Paul Schultze-Motel, physiologists at theUniversity of AdelaideinAustralia, found that lotus flowers blooming in theAdelaide Botanic Gardensmaintained a temperature of 3035C (8695F), even when the air temperature dropped to 10C (50F). They suspect the flowers may be doing this to Peafowlinclude two Asiatic species (the blue orIndian peafowloriginally of India and Sri Lanka and thegreen peafowlof Burma, Indochina, and Java) and one African species (theCongo peafowlnative only to theCongo Basin) of bird in thegeneraPavoandAfropavoof thePhasianidaefamily, the pheasants and their allies, known for the male's piercing call and, among the Asiatic species, his extravagant eye-spotted tailcovert featherswhich he displays as part of acourtshipritual. The termpeacockis properly reserved for the male; the female is known as apeahen, and the immature offspring are sometimes called peachicks.[1]In common with other members of theGalliformes, peacocks possess metatarsal spurs or "thorns" on their legs used duringintraspecificterritorial fights.The elaborateiridescentcolorationand large "train" of peacocks have been the subject of extensive scientific debate about their function.Charles Darwinsuggested they served to attract females, and the showy features of the males had evolved bysexual selection. More recently,Amotz Zahaviproposed in hishandicap theorythat these featuresacted as honest signalsof the males' fitness, since less fit males would be disadvantaged by the difficulty of surviving with such large and conspicuous structures.The Indian peacock has iridescent blue and green plumage. The peacock "tail", known as a "train", consists not of tail quill feathers, but highly elongated upper tailcoverts. These feathers are marked with eyespots, best seen when a peacock fans his tail. Both sexes of all species have a crest atop the head. The Indian peahen has a mixture of dull grey, brown, and green in her plumage. The female also displays her plumage to ward off female competition or signal danger to her young.The green peafowl differs from the Indian peafowl in that the male has green and gold plumage with black wings with a sheen of blue. Unlike the Indian peafowl, the green peahen is similar to the male, only having shorter upper tail coverts, a more coppery neck, and overall less iridescence.The Congo peacock male does not display his covert feathers, but uses his actual tail feathers during courtship displays. These feathers are much shorter than those of the Indian and green species, and the ocelli are much less pronounced. Females of the Indian and African species are dull grey and/or brown.

The Indian National Flag symbolises national pride and is one of the most respectable national symbols. The late Prime MinisterJawaharlal Nehrucalled it "a flag not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom to all people."

As per the Indian laws, the national flag is to be made up of khadi. The Flag Code of India governs the usage of the flag. Initially the use of flag by private citizens was prohibited except on national days like Republic Day and Independence Day. But gradually some changes were made by the Union Cabinet about the usage of flag by private citizens. The code was amended about its usage for hoisting and its adaptation on other types of clothes.

The Indian national flag is popularly known as Tiranga which means "three colours". It is a horizontal tricolour in equal proportion of deep saffron at the top, white in the middle and green at the bottom. The ratio of the width to the length of the flag is 2:3. At the center of the white band, is a wheel with 24 spokes in navy blue colour that indicates the Dharma Chakra (the wheel of law).Saffron:Saffron is the upper most colour of the flag and is a symbol of courage and selflessness.

White:The white colour in the Tiranga represents honesty, peace and purity. It highlights the importance of maintaining peace in the country.

Green:The green colour of the flag represents faith and chivalry. It is a symbolism of prosperity, vibrance and life.

Ashoka Chakra:The Ashoka Chakra or the Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Law) has 24 spokes and appears on the number of edicts of Ashoka.

History of Indian National FlagThe Indian national flag represents India's long struggle for freedom and is a national treasure. It signifies the status of India as an independent republic. The flag came into being in its present form at the meeting of Constitutional Assembly on 22 July 1947. Since then it has served as the National Flag of the Dominion of India from15 August1947 to 26 January 1950 and, thereafter, as the national flag of the Republic of India. The Indian National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya and contains three equal strips of saffron, white and green.

TheBarbary lion(Panthera leo leo), sometimes referred to as theAtlas lionorUK animal, was an Africanlionpopulation native toNorth Africa, including theAtlas Mountains, that is now consideredextinctin the wild.[2]It is believed that the last wild Barbary lions died out or were killed in the 1950s and early 1960s. The last recorded shooting took place in the westernMaghrebin 1942 nearTizi n'Tichka.[3]The Barbary lion was first described by theAustrianzoologist Johann Nepomuk Meyer under thetrinomenFelis leo barbaricuson the basis of atype specimenfromBarbary.[4]A lion fromConstantine, Algeriawas considered thetype specimenof thespecific nameFelis leoused byLinnaeusin 1758.[5][6]The Barbary lion was long considered one of the biggest lion subspecies.[7]Museum specimens of male Barbary lion were described as having very dark and long-haired manes that extended over the shoulder and to the belly. Head-to-tail length of stuffed males varies from 2.35 to 2.8m (7ft 9in to 9ft 2in), and females measure around 2.5m (8ft 2in). A 19th century hunter described a large male allegedly measuring 3.25m (10.7ft) including a 75cm (30in) long tail.[8][9]In some historic accounts the weight of wild males was indicated as very heavy and reaching 270 to 300 kilograms (600 to 660lb). But the accuracy of the measurements may be questionable, and the sample size of captive Barbary lions were too small to conclude they were the biggest lion subspecies.[10]Before it became possible to investigate thegenetic diversityof lion populations, the colour and size of lion manes was thought to be a sufficiently distinctmorphologicalcharacteristic to accord asubspecificstatus to populations.[11]Results of a long-term study of lions in theSerengeti National Parkindicate that various factors such asambient temperature, nutrition and level oftestosteroneinfluence the colour and size of lion manes.[12]Sub-Saharan lions kept in a cool environment of European and North American zoos usually develop bigger manes than their wild counterparts. Barbary lions may have developed long-haired manes because of the temperatures in theAtlas Mountainsthat are much lower than in other African regions, particularly in winter.[10]Therefore, the size of manes is not regarded as appropriate evidence for identifying Barbary lion ancestry. Results ofmitochondrial DNAresearch published in 2006 support the genetic distinctness of Barbary lions in a uniquehaplotypefound in museum specimens that are believed to be of Barbary lion descent. The presence of this haplotype is considered a reliablemolecular markerfor the identification of Barbary lions surviving in captivity.[11]TheEuropean robin(Erithacus rubecula), most commonly known inAnglophoneEuropesimply as therobin, is a smallinsectivorouspasserinebird, specifically achat, that was formerly classed as a member of thethrushfamily (Turdidae), but is now considered to be anOld World flycatcher. Around 12.514.0cm (5.05.5in) in length, the male and female are similar in colouration, with an orange breast and face lined with grey, brown upperparts and a whitish belly. It is found across Europe, east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa; it is sedentary in most of its range except the far north.The termrobinis also applied to some birds in other families with red or orange breasts. These include theAmerican robin(Turdus migratorius), which is athrush, and the Australian red robins of the genusPetroica, members of a family whose relationships are unclear.The European robin was one of the many species originally described byLinnaeusin his 18th century work,Systema Naturae, under the name ofMotacilla rubecula.[2]Its specific epithetrubeculais a diminutive derived from theLatinruber'red'.[3]The genusErithacuswas created by French naturalistGeorges Cuvierin 1800, giving the bird its currentbinomial nameofE. rubecula.[4]The distinctive orange breast of both sexes contributed to the European robin's original name ofredbreast(orangeas the name of a colour was unknown in English until the sixteenth century, by which time thefruit of that namehad been introduced). In the fifteenth century, when it became popular to give human names to familiar species, the bird came to be known asrobin redbreast, which was eventually shortened torobin.[5]Other older English names for the bird includeruddockandrobinet. In American literature of the late 19th century, this robin was frequently called theEnglish robin.[6]TheFrisianrobyntsjeorrobynderkeis similar to the English name,[7]while Dutchroodborstjeand Frenchrouge-gorgeboth refer to the distinctively coloured front.[8]In German the bird is called "Rotkehlchen", literally a diminutive of "Red Throat". The robin belongs to a group of mainlyinsectivorousbirds that have been variously assigned to the thrushes or "flycatchers", depending on how these groups were perceivedtaxonomically. Eventually, the flycatcher-thrush assemblage was re-analysed and the genusErithacusassigned to a group of thrush-like true flycatchers, the tribe Saxicolini, that also includes thecommon nightingaleand theOld World chats.[9]Arose(/roz/) is a woodyperennialof thegenusRosa, within the familyRosaceae. There are over 100speciesand thousands ofcultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharpprickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native toAsia, with smaller numbers native toEurope,North America, and northwestAfrica. Species,cultivarsandhybridsare all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach seven meters in height. Different species hybridize easily, and this has been used in the development of the wide range ofgarden roses.[1]The namerosecomes from French, itself from Latinrosa, which was perhaps borrowed fromOscan, fromGreekrhdon(Aeolicwrdon), itself borrowed fromOld Persianwrd-(wurdi), related toAvestanvara,Sogdianward,Parthianwr.[2][3]Theleavesare borne alternately on the stem. In most species they are 5 to 15 centimetres (2.0 to 5.9in) long,pinnate, with (3) 59 (13) leaflets and basalstipules; the leaflets usually have a serrated margin, and often a few small prickles on the underside of the stem. Most roses aredeciduousbut a few (particularly from South eastAsia) areevergreenor nearly so.

The hybrid garden rose "Amber Flush"Theflowersof most species have five petals, with the exception ofRosa sericea, which usually has only four. Each petal is divided into two distinct lobes and is usually white or pink, though in a few species yellow or red. Beneath the petals are five sepals (or in the case of someRosa sericea, four). These may be long enough to be visible when viewed from above and appear as green points alternating with the rounded petals. There are multiplesuperiorovaries that develop intoachenes.[4]Roses are insect-pollinated in nature.Theaggregate fruitof the rose is a berry-like structure called arose hip. Many of the domestic cultivars do not produce hips, as the flowers are so tightly petalled that they do not provide access for pollination. The hips of most species are red, but a few (e.g.Rosa pimpinellifolia) have dark purple to black hips. Each hip comprises an outer fleshy layer, thehypanthium, which contains 5160 "seeds" (technically dry single-seeded fruits calledachenes) embedded in a matrix of fine, but stiff, hairs. Rose hips of some species,. Theflag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as theUnion JackorUnion Flag,[1]is thenational flagof theUnited Kingdom.The current design of the Union Jack dates from theunion of Ireland and Great Britainin 1801. It consists of thered crossofSaint George(patron saintofEngland), edged in white, superimposed on theCross ofSt Patrick(patron saint ofIreland), which are superimposed on theSaltireofSaint Andrew(patron saint ofScotland).Wales, however, is not represented in the Union Flag by Wales's patron saint,Saint David, as at the time the flag was designed Wales was part of theKingdom of England.The flag's correct height-to-length proportions are 1:2.[2]However, the version used by theBritish Armymodifies the proportions to 3:5 and also crops two of the red diagonals.The earlierflag of Great Britainwas established in 1606 by aproclamationofKing James VI and IofScotlandandEngland.[3]The new flag of the United Kingdom was officially created by anOrder in Councilof 1801, reading as follows:The Union Flag shall beazure, the Crossessaltireof Saint Andrew and Saint Patrick quarterly per saltire, counter-changed,argentandgules, the latterfimbriatedof thesecond, surmounted by the Cross of Saint George of thethirdfimbriated as the saltire.[4]Bigger RenderEvolution of the Union flag.The Union Flag can be flown by any individual or organisation in Great Britain on any day of their choice. Legal regulations restrict the use of theUnion Flagon Government buildings inNorthern Ireland. Long-standing restrictions on Government use of the flag elsewhere were abolished in July 2007.[5][6]Upside-down[edit]While the flag appears symmetric, the white lines above and below the diagonal red are different widths. On the side closer to the flagpole (or on the left when depicted on paper), the white lines above the diagonals are wider; on the side farther from the flagpole (or on the right when depicted on paper), the converse is true. Thus, no change will be apparent when rotating the flag 180 degrees, but if mirrored the flag will be upside-down.Placing the flag upside down is consideredlse majestand is offensive to some,[7][8]However, it can be flown upside down as a distress signal. While this is rare, it Thespringbok(Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized brown and whiteantelope-gazelleof southwestern Africa.[2]It is extremely fast and can reach speeds of 88km/h (55mph)[3][4]and can leap 4 m[5](13 feet) through the air. The common name "springbok" comes from theAfrikaansandDutchwordsspring= jump andbok= maleantelopeor goat.The specific epithetmarsupialis(Latin:marsupium, "pocket") derives from a pocket-like skin flap which extends along the middle of the back from the tail onwards. When the male springbok is showing off his strength to attract a mate, or to ward off predators, he starts off in a stiff-legged trot, jumping up into the air with an arched back every few paces and lifting the flap along his back. Lifting the flap causes the long white hairs under the tail to stand up in a conspicuous fan shape, which in turn emits a strong scent of sweat. This ritual is known asstotting or pronkingfrom the Afrikaans meaning to boast or show off.Springboks are slender, long-necked antelopes, with a total length of 150 to 195cm (59 to 77in), and horns present in both sexes.[6]Adults are between 70 and 90cm (28 and 35in)[7]tall at the shoulder, depending on weight and gender; they weigh between 30 and 44kg (66 and 97lb) for the females and 33 and 48kg (73 and 106lb) for the males. The tail is 15 to 30 centimetres (5.9 to 11.8in) long.[6]Their colouring consists of a pattern of white, reddish/tan and dark brown. Their backs are tan-coloured and they are white beneath, with a dark brown stripe extending along each side from the shoulder to inside the thigh. The face is white in adults, with a dark patch on the forehead, and a stripe running from just above the eyes to the corner of the mouth. The hooves and horns are black, and the tail is white with a black tuft at the tip.[6]Rams are slightly larger than ewes, and have thick horns; the ewes tend to have skinnier legs and longer, more frail horns. The horns are, however, of similar shape in both sexes, with a hook-like tip that curves inwards, and a series of rings along their length. The average horn length for both genders is 35cm (14in), with the record being a female with horns measuring 49.21 centimetres (19.37in). Springbok footprints are narrow and sharp, and are 5.5cm (2.2in) long. springbok are distinguished fromgazellesin that they only have twopremolarteeth in each side of each jaw, instead of three, and therefore a total of twenty eight teeth, rather than thirty.[6]There are three variations in the color of springbokpelage.[8]In addition to the normal-coloured springboks there are also black and whitemorphs. Although born jet black, adult "black" springboks primarily have two shades of chocolate-brown and a white marking on Theblue crane(Anthropoides paradiseus), also known as theStanley craneand theparadise crane, is the national bird ofSouth Africa.Description[edit]The blue crane is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, but is fairly small by the standards of thecranefamily. It is 100120cm (3ft 3in3ft 11in) tall, with a wingspan of 180200cm (5ft 11in6ft 7in) and weighs 3.66.2kg (7.913.7lb).[2][3][4]Among standard measurements, the wing chord measures 51.459cm (20.223.2in), the exposedculmenmeasures 810cm (3.13.9in) and thetarsusmeasures 20.525.2cm (8.19.9in). This crane is pale blue-gray in colour becoming darker on the upper head, neck and nape. From the crown to the lores, the plumage is distinctly lighter, sometimes whitish. Thebillis ochre to greyish, with a pink tinge. The long wingtipfeatherswhich trail to the ground. The primaries are black to slate grey, with dark coverts and blackish on the secondaries. Unlike most cranes, it has a relatively large head and a proportionately thin neck. Juveniles are similar but slightly lighter, with tawny coloration on the head, and no long wing plumes.Habitat[edit]Blue cranes are birds of the dry grassy uplands, usually the pastured grasses of hills, valleys, and plains with a few scattered trees. They prefer areas in the nesting season that have access to both upland andwetlandareas, though they feed almost entirely in dry areas. They are altitudinal migrants, generally nesting in the lower grasslands of an elevation of around 1,300 to 2,000 m and moving down to lower altitudes for winter. Though historically found in areas of low human disturbance, the blue crane is currently thriving in the highly transformed agricultural areas of the Western Cape. This is the only portion of its range where the population is increasing, though they still face threats such as poisoning in the region.Movements and behaviour[edit]Of the 15 species of crane, the blue crane has the most restricted distribution of all. Even species with lower population numbers now (such asSiberianorwhooping cranes) are found over a considerable range in their migratory movements. The blue crane is migratory, primarily altitudinal, but details are little known.Protea/proti/[1]is both thebotanical nameand the English common name of agenusof South Africanflowering plants, sometimes also calledsugarbushes(Afrikaans: suikerbos).Etymology[edit]The genus Protea was named in 1735 byCarl Linnaeusafter the Greek godProteus, who could change his form at will, because they have such a wide variety of forms. Linnaeus's genus was formed by merging a number of genera previously published byHerman Boerhaave, although precisely which of Boerhaave's genera were included in Linnaeus'sProteavaried with each of Linnaeus's publications.Taxonomy[edit]The Proteaceae family to which proteas belong is an ancient one amongangiosperms. Evidence from pollen fossils suggest Proteaceae ancestors grew inGondwana, in theUpper Cretaceous, 75-80 million years ago.[2]Proteaceae is divided into two subfamilies: theProteoideae, best represented in southernAfrica, and theGrevilleoideae, concentrated inAustraliaandSouth Americaand the other smaller segments of Gondwana that are now part of easternAsia. Africa shares only one genus withMadagascar, whereas South America and Australia share many common genera this indicates they separated from Africa before they separated from each other.Distribution[edit]Most protea occur south of theLimpopo River. However,Protea kilimanjarois found in thechaparral zoneofMount Kenya National Park. 92% of the species occur only in theCape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mountainous coastal land fromClanwilliamtoGrahamstown, South Africa. The extraordinary richness and diversity of species characteristic of the Cape Flora is thought to be caused in part by the diverse landscape where populations can become isolated from each other and in time develop into separate species.Botanical history[edit]Proteas attracted the attention of botanists visiting theCape of Good Hopein the 17th century. Many species were introduced to Europe in the 18th century, enjoying a unique popularity at the time amongst botanists.Theflag of South Africawas adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning ofSouth Africa's1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928. The newnational flag, designed byState HeraldFrederick Brownell, was chosen to represent the new democracy.The flag has horizontal bands ofred(on the top) andblue(on the bottom), of equal width, separated by a centralgreenband which splits into a horizontal "Y" shape, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side (and follow the flag's diagonals). The Y embraces ablackisosceles trianglefrom which the arms are separated by narrowyellowbands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrowwhitestripes. The stripes at the fly end are in the 5:1:3:1:5 ratio.Three of the colours black, green and yellow are found in the banner of theAfrican National Congress. The other three red, white and blue are displayed on the oldTransvaal vierkleur(which also includes green), theDutch tricolourand the BritishUnion flag.After theAnglo-Boer Warfrom 1899 to 1902 until the formation of theUnion of South Africain 1910, the BritishUnion Flagwas the national flag in the four British colonies that became South Africa.As was the case throughout theBritish Empire, theRedandBlue Ensignswere the official flags for merchant and government vessels at sea, and the British Admiralty authorised them to bedefacedwith theshieldof the South Africancoat of arms.[2][3]Theseensignswere not intended to be used as the Union's national flag, although they were used by some people as such.It was only after the first post-UnionAfrikanergovernment took office in 1925 that a bill was introduced inParliamentto introduce a national flag for the Union. This provoked violent controversy that lasted for three years, as the British thought that theAfrikanerswanted to remove the imperial symbols. TheNatal Provinceeven threatened tosecede from the Union.Finally, a compromise was reached that resulted in the adoption of a separate flag for the Union in late 1927 and the design was first hoisted on 31 May 1928. The design was based on the so-called Van Riebeeck flag orPrinsevlag("Prince's Flag" inAfrikaans) that was originally theDutch flag; it consisted of orange, white, and blue horizontal stripes. A version of this flag had been used as the flag of theDutch East India Companyat the Cape (with Penguins(orderSphenisciformes,familySpheniscidae) are a group ofaquatic,flightlessbirdsliving almost exclusively in theSouthern Hemisphere, especially inAntarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins havecountershadeddark and whiteplumage, and their wings have evolved intoflippers. Most penguins feed onkrill,fish,squidand other forms ofsealifecaught while swimming underwater. They spend about half of their lives on land and half in the oceans.Although all penguin species are native to the Southern Hemisphere, they are not found only in cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin live so far south. Several species are found in thetemperatezone, and one species, theGalpagos penguin, lives near the equator.The largest living species is theemperor penguin(Aptenodytes forsteri): on average adults are about 1.1m (3ft 7in) tall and weigh 35kg (77lb) or more. The smallest penguin species is thelittle blue penguin(Eudyptula minor), also known as the fairy penguin, which stands around 40cm (16in) tall and weighs 1kg (2.2lb). Among extant penguins, larger penguins inhabit colder regions, while smaller penguins are generally found in temperate or even tropical climates (see alsoBergmann's rule). Someprehistoricspecies attained enormous sizes, becoming as tall or as heavy as an adult human. These were not restricted to Antarctic regions; on the contrary,subantarcticregions harboured high diversity, and at least one giant penguin occurred in a region not quite 2,000km south of theequator35mya, in a climate decidedly warmer than today.The wordpenguinfirst appears in the 16th century as a synonym forgreat auk.[1]When European explorers discovered what are today known as penguins in the Southern Hemisphere, they noticed theirsimilar appearanceto the great auk of theNorthern Hemisphere, and named them after this bird, although they are not closely related.[2]The etymology of the wordpenguinis still debated. The English word is not apparently ofFrench,[1]Breton[3]orSpanish[4]origin (the latter two are attributed to the French wordpingouin"auk"), but first appears in English or Dutch.[1]Some dictionaries suggest a derivation fromWelshpen, "head" andgwyn, "white", including theOxford English Dictionary, theAmerican Heritage Dictionary,[5]theCentury Dictionary[5]andMerriam-Webster,[6]on the basis that the name was originally applied to thegreat auk, either because it was found onWhite Head Island(WelshPen Gwyn) in Newfoundland, or because it had white circles around its eyes (though the head was black). Thebroad-billed prion(Pachyptila vittata) is a smallseabird, but the largestprion, with grey upperparts plumage, and white underparts. It has many other names that have been used such as blue-billed dove-petrel, broad-billed dove-petrel, long-billed prion, common prion, icebird, and whalebird.[2] Taxonomy[edit]The broad-billed prion is a member of thePachyptilagenus, and along with theblue petrelmakes up theprions. They in turn are members of theProcellariidaefamily, and theProcellariiformesorder. The prions are small and typically eat justzooplankton;[2]however as a member of the Procellariiformes, they share certain identifying features. First, they have nasal passages that attach to the upper bill callednaricorns. Although the nostrils on the prion are on top of the upper bill. The bills of Procellariiformes are also unique in that they are split into between seven and nine horny plates. They produce astomach oilmade up ofwax estersandtriglyceridesthat is stored in theproventriculus. This can be sprayed out of their mouths as a defence against predators and as an energy rich food source for chicks and for the adults during their long flights.[3]Finally, they also have asalt glandthat is situated above the nasal passage and helps desalinate their bodies, due to the high amount of ocean water that they imbibe. It excretes a high saline solution from their nose.[4]Etymology[edit]Pachyptila, the word, comes from theGreekwordspakhusandptilon.Pakhusmeans "thick" or "stout" andptilonmeans "a feather". Also from the Greek language,prioncomes from the wordprinmeaning "a saw", which is in reference to its serrated edges of itsbill.[5]Description[edit]The broad-billed prion has traditional prion colours: blue-grey upperparts, white underparts, and the ever present "M" across its back and wings. It also has a blackcrown, a dark eye stripe, and a black-tipped tail. Itsbillis also black.[6]The head pattern is more distinct and the tail band is less extensive than that of the similarfairy prion. It has a broad flat bill with comb-like fringes calledlamellae.[citation needed]This is a large prion measuring 25 to 30cm (9.8 to 11.8in) long, with a wingspan of 57 to 66cm (22 to 26in) and weighing on average 160 to 235g (5.6 to 8.3oz).[2]

Nothofagus antarctica(Antarctic Beech; inSpanishireorirre) is adeciduoustree or shrub native to southernChileandArgentinafrom about 36S toTierra del Fuego(56 S), where it grows mainly in the diminishing temperaterainforest. Its occurrence onHoste Islandearns it the distinction of being the southernmost tree on earth.Nothofagus antarcticatypically grows 1025m (3280ft) tall and has a slender trunk with scaly bark. Theleavesare simple and alternate, growing 2-4.5cm long, and often viscid, with a sweetly scented wax. The leaf color is medium green, turning yellow to orange in the fall. The leaves are broadlyovateto triangular, crinkly, rounded at the tips, irregularly and minutely toothed. Theflowersare inconspicuous yellow-greencatkins. Thefruitis a 6mm, very fragrant 4-valved capsule containing three smallnuts.Cultivation[edit]N. antarcticahas been planted on the North Pacific Coast of theUnited States[1]and inGreat Britainwhere it thrives. Trees planted in theFaroes, which were imported directly from its southernmost distribution in Tierra del Fuego, have shown good hardiness.[2]NB:Lophozonia moorei, found inAustralia, is also referred to as "Antarctic beech".References[edit]1. Jump up^"Nothofagus antarcticain Washington Park Arboretum"(PDF). Seattle Government. Retrieved2009-06-27.2. Jump up^Hjgaard, A., J. Jhansen, and S. dum (eds) 1989. A century of tree planting in the Faroe Islands. Froya Frodskaparfelag, TorshavnFurther reading[edit] Donoso, C. 2005. rboles nativos de Chile. Gua de reconocimiento. Edicin 4. Marisa Cuneo Ediciones, Valdivia, Chile. 136p. Hoffmann, Adriana. 1998. Flora Silvestre de Chile, Zona Central. Edicin 4. Fundacin Claudio Gay, Santiago. 254p. Rodrguez, R. & Quezada, M. 2003. Fagaceae. En C. Marticorena y R. Rodrguez [eds.], Flora de Chile Vol. 2(2), pp 6476. Universidad de Concepcin, Concepcin.

Flag Prior to 2002Antarcticahad no official flag as thecondominiumthat governs the continent had not yet formally selected one even though a particular design was in widespread use. The consultative members of theAntarctic Treaty Systemofficially adopted a flag and emblem in 2002, which is now the official symbol of the continent.[1]Also, several unofficial designs have been proposed.Several sources have suggested various designs, including one byGraham Bartramand one byWhitney Smith.Graham Bartram[edit]The Graham Bartram design.TheGraham Bartramdesign uses theflag of the United Nationsas its model. A plain white map of the continent on a blue background symbolizes neutrality (Bartram was well aware of the overlapping territorial claims of theUnited Kingdom,Chile, andArgentinawhen he designed the flag). This flag was actually flown on the Antarctic continent for the first time in 2002, when Ted Kaye (editor ofRaven, the scholarly journal of theNorth American Vexillological Association) took several full-size flags in the Bartram design on an Antarctic cruise. The bases of Brazil, Ukraine, and theUKall flew it from their flagpoles, making its raising "official". He presented a paper ("Flags Over Antarctica") which described the first flying of the Bartram design over Antarctica in Stockholm in 2003, at the 20th International Congress ofVexillology. It is perhaps the most popular flag for Antarctica, as seen by its prevalence on theInternet]Whitney Smith[edit]The Whitney Smith design.TheWhitney Smithdesign uses the high-visibility colororangeas its background (it is the international rescue color, it contrasts the best against snow, and to avoid any confusion, is unlike almost anynational flag on Earth). The emblem consists of several components. 'A' stands for Antarctica. The bottom segment of the globe represents Antarctica's "position" on Earth (according to the modern convention of drawing maps withnorthon top), while the two hands holding up the globe segment represent peaceful human use. The emblem is colored white to represent the snow and ice of Antarctica and is offset toward thehoistof the flag so as to maintain its integrity should the flag fray badly in the high winds prevalent upon the continent. However, there is no record of it ever being fabricated or used, despite being displayed in some atlases]