#andean goose

[alonglistofbirds]

[238/10,977] Andean Goose - Chloephaga melanoptera

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae (ducks, geese and swans) Subfamily: Tadorninae (shelducks and sheldgeese)

Photo credit: Pablo Martinez Morales via Macaulay Library

[animal-families-tournaments]

[battle-of-the-birds]

Alrighty and HERE ARE OUR CONTENDERS!!!

Tag for the polls: #bird battle

DISCLAIMER - I wrote the round one blurbs when I was very sick and half awake, so if you see any mistakes PLEASE TELL ME! Nicely, obviously, but I want to make sure they sound good for round 2. Thank you!

I know there’s a lot of them, but man there’s SO MANY GOOD BIRDS! There were a few times where people didn’t put what specific subspecies for some birds, so sometimes I’d have to choose one. I tried to choose one that represents that bird the best!

I don’t know when the polls will begin, I’m doing some research on the birds so that people can read about them before they vote.

If one of your favs didn’t make it in, don’t worry they’re a winner in my and your heart.

If you are wondering where the Pigeon (Rock Dove) is, THEY ARE THE FINAL CHAMPION! At the end of this bracket, the winner will face off against the mightily popular Rock Dove! Will they be able to beat such a tough challenger? We will see…

Also, a note on how I set this bracket up: I put all the birds in a numbered list and then used a number generator. I think the matchups we got were really interesting.

Full list under the cut

HARPY EAGLE

SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE

VAMPIRE FINCH

RAINBOW LORIKEET

BALTIMORE ORIOLE

EURASIAN WREN

STELLER'S JAY

CALIFORNIA CONDOR

EURASIAN HOOPOE

BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE

TAWNY FROGMOUTH

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

ANDEAN COCK OF THE ROCK

MUTE SWAN

WESTERN SANDPIPER

STELLER'S SEA EAGLE

VIOLET BACKED STARLING

HOATZIN

HOUSE SPARROW

HERACLES

CANADIAN GOOSE

DODO

GREAT EARED NIGHTJAR

SANDHILL CRANE

PELAGORNIS

SUPERB FAIRY WREN

SOUTHERN CASSOWARY

AMERICAN ROBIN

GREATER ROADRUNNER

GREAT BLUE HERON

AMERICAN AVOCET

PASSENGER PIGEON

WALLCREEPER

GREAT TIT

MOA

EASTERN BLUEBIRD

AUSTRALIAN BUSHTURKEY

EMU

MALLARD DUCK

FLAME BOWERBIRD

MANDARIN DUCK

BELTED KINGFISHER

OILBIRD

FAIRY PENGUIN

LESSER FLAMINGO

AUSTRALIAN KESTREL

CARRION CROW

UMBRELLABIRD

LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE

PERUVIAN PELICAN

CALIFORNIA QUAIL

MACGREGORS BOWERBIRD

HARRIS HAWK

COMMON RAVEN

BEARDED VULTURE

PEREGRINE FALCON

ROSY LOVEBIRD

ROSEATTE SPOONBILL

LONG TAILED GRACKLE

AMERICAN WOODCOCK

KAKAPO

BLUE FOOTED BOOBY

RHEA

BEE HUMMINGBIRD

WHITE WAGTAIL

HUIA

SNAIL KITE

DOMESTIC CHICKEN

KIWI

MOURNING DOVE

ATLANTIC PUFFIN

CARDINAL

LYREBIRD

EUROPEAN ROBIN

BURROWING OWL

OSPREY

RED TAILED HAWK

BLEEDING HEART DOVE

BARN OWL

PEACOCK

SATIN BOWERBIRD

CAIQUE

RED WINGED BLACKBIRD

LONG TAILED TIT

HERRING GULL

GREEN HERON

CREAM COLORED WOODPECKER

AUSTRALIAN IBIS

TRISTAM'S STARLING

POTOO

WANDERING ALBATROSS

BLUE JAY

KEA

COMMON MYNA

RAINBOW TOUCAN

GREATER SAGE GROUSE

TURKEY VULTURE

TUFTED TITMOUSE

CRESTED AUKLET

EURASIAN MAGPIE

BUDGIE

SCREECH OWL

WIP-POOR-WILL

SECRETARY BIRD

AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE

CEDAR WAXWING

VICTORIA CROWNED PIGEON

HERMIT THRUSH

COMMON SWIFT

WHITE BELLBIRD

BROWN SKUA

EUROPEAN DIPPER

[officialweezerelections]

THE FULL FUCKED UP BIRD BRACKET

All birds have been randomized, the seeds mean nothing. Yes pitohui is spelled incorrectly in the bracket image.

GROUP A

Andean Condor VS Loggerhead Shrike

Superb Lyrebird VS Emu

Greater Sage-Grouse VS Common Ostrich

Yellow-Billed Oxpecker VS American Woodcock

Bare-Throated Bellbird VS Giant Petrel

Greater Sooty Owl VS Vampire Ground Finch

Great Eared Nightjar VS Spur-Winged Goose

Common Cuckoo VS Tawny Frogmouth

GROUP B

Great Potoo VS Killdeer

Domestic Chicken VS Oilbird

Tufted Puffin VS Dalmatian Pelican

King Vulture VS Twelve-Wired Bird Of Paradise

Greater Superb Bird Of Paradise VS Perrito

Barn Owl VS Purple Gallinule

Bearded Vulture VS Secretary Bird

Long Wattled Umbrellabird VS Horned Screamer

GROUP C

Oriental Bay Owl VS Anhinga

Pennant Winged Nightjar VS Snowy Sheathbill

Red-Legged Seriema VS Marabou Stork

Argentavis VS Common Loon

Black Skimmer VS Luzon Bleeding-Heart

Southern Cassowary VS Flamingo (all species)

Green Heron VS Great Hornbill

African Jacana VS California Condor

GROUP D

Hamerkop VS Capuchinbird

Shoebill Stork VS American White Pelican

Roseate Spoonbill VS Hoatzin

Terror Bird VS Elephant Bird

Great Egret VS Magnificent Frigatebird

Guinean Cock-Of-The-Rock VS Hooded Pitohui

White-Throated Rail VS Spur-Winged Plover

White Bellbird VS Kiwi

Polls will be tagged with their BRACKET (example: #bracket a) and #tournament poll

MAY THE WORST BIRD WIN

[xtruss]

Night Photography!

A "Wolf Moon" Hovers Over the Frigid Sangre De Cristo Mountains at Twilight, San Luis Valley, Colorado.

Glowing tents dot the grass around Les Cheserys Lake in the French Alps.

A grove of Giant Sequoia Trees frame a towering white fir tree under starry skies in Sequoia National Park, California.

An Aurora Borealis Bends across the sky in South East Greenland.

Grotto Geyser Steams under star-filled skies at Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

Arbol de Piedra (The Stone Tree), is a 20-Foot-Tall Rock Formation in Bolivia’s Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.

An Inverted Crescent Moon hanging high over the Kalahari Desert at twilight, South Africa.

Forest elephants graze in the grasslands of central Gabon. While many people often want to go up close when it comes to animal photography, it sometimes helps to take some distance and create images that create a sense of place.

With plenty of practice and patience, kids can capture sweet photographs like this one of a Canada Goose and Her Goslings. Photograph By Melissa Groo Photography

A Marbled Godwit stands in Bowdoin Lake in Montana. Photograph By Melissa Groo Photography

[crackersforquackers]

A super sleepy Andean Goose at WWT Slimbridge.

This little cutie (look at that tiny pink beak!) is not in fact a goose, but is more closely related to the Shelduck. They are terrestial grazing geese normally found at high altitudes in the Andes in South America and only take to the water when threatened.

[darwin1601]

Andenvögel wie der Puna Ibis, das Giant Coot/Riesenblässhuhn und die Andean Goose/Andenganz sammeln sich an solchen Wasserstellen.

[redfurrycat]

I love your Goose 🥰🥰🥰

Suggestions for you:

Mav = black-footed cat

Ice = harp seal

Slider = andean condor

Hollywood = red fox

Wolfman = wolfdog

Sundown = sugar glider

Chipper = hedgehog

ok but? little goose sticker

i wanna make the whole group into little animals (i can not draw humans)

any suggestions for animals for the others? im thinking (least) weasel for mav tbh

[andean-deer]

chawpi qichwa

animals / uywakuna

*excluding insects & non-native animals except introduced domesticated animals that have become a staple in quechua cultures.

a-aa-ch-h-i-ii-k-l-ll-m-n-ñ-p-q-r-s-sh-t-ts-tr-u-uu-w-y

ALLQU — dog

akash — guinea pig

atuq — fox/culpeo

amaru — snake

akakllu — andean flicker

akarway — lobster

ashnu — donkey

añash — andean hog-nosed skunk

aqruy — white-throated caracara

CHAKWA / yutu — andean tinamou

challwa — fish

chipi — white-fronted capuchin

chillaw — brown-bellied swallow

chusiq tuku — western barn owl

chipsha — chicken

chiwaku — chiguanco thrush

HATUN TUKU — great horned owl

hatun ukush — rat

INTRIWSHI — marsupial frog

KAWALLU — horse

kakash — chicken/ rooster

kirkinchu — armadillo

kullku — bare-faced ground dove

killiwara / killincha / killiksha — american kestrel

kuchi — pig

LLAMA — andean camelid

lliqllish — wader

lluychu — deer

MACHAKU — snakes

malaku — sierra finch

mashu — leaf-nosed bats

mishi — cats / panther kitten

PAKAPAKA — ferruginous pygmy owl

paku — alpaca

pariwana — andean flamingo

pichi — peruvian meadowlark

pichiwsa — rufous-collared sparrow

pikpish tuku — burrowing owl

pishqu — bird

puku-puku — grey-breasted seedsnipe

puma — mountain lion

QARACHUPA — southern black-eared opossum

qinchu — hummingbird

qipaman puriq kuru — freshwater crab

qiwlla — andean gull

RACHAK — warty toad

SALASH — peruvian anchoveta

SHUKULLWAY — tree iguana

shuri — rhea

shuru — pupfish

TAKAMA — common gallinule

tuku — owl

tuya — golden grosbeak

TSIKTSI — leaf-nosed bats

UKUMARI / ukuku — andean short-faced bear

ukush — junín grass mouse

upa anka — turkey vulture

uturunku — jaguar

uwish/ uusha — sheep

WAAKA — cow

wachwa / wallata — andean goose

wallpa — chicken

waman — falcon

wamanñawi — acancocha water frog

wanaku — guanaco

watapuñuq — boa constrictor

wawash — peruvian thick-knee

wawaytukri — great egret

wayanay / wayanita — white-collared swift

waychaw — black-billed shrike-tyrant

waywash — long-tailed weasel

wikuña — vicuña

wiskash / wishka / wiskacha — viscacha

YANAWIKU — puna ibis

________________________________________

source , photos from wikimedia , liolaemus alticolor by mauricio ocampo (red de investigadores en herpetología-bolivia)

bonus fact: the dog in the first photo is a coated peruvian hairless dog!

[animal-families-tournaments]

[simon-the-stuffa]

Replica Andean Condor made for a movie few years ago. Made from a bronze Turkey, goose and rabbit fur with cast of head and feet. #taxidermy #replica #condor #andeancondor #moviemaking #movieprops #bird #birdsofprey (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-ezigKaq7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[fatehbaz]

Ch*rles D*rwin (historical figure noted primarily for being extremely racist), disrespecting Tierra del Fuego and being drastically wrong, again: “A single glance at the landscape was sufficient to show me how widely different it was from anything I had ever beheld ... The zoology of Tierra del Fuego ... is very poor ... The gloomy woods are inhabited by few birds. ... Two or three species of trees grow, to the exclusion of all others.”

Uhhh, what’s this, then?

-- Moss World: Tierra del Fuego home to over 5% of the world’s moss and lichen species. Ricardo Rozzi, Chilean ecologist specializing in Tierra del Fuego landscapes: “In an area that represents less than 0.01% of the Earth’s land surface, we find more than 5% of the world’s bryophyte species. [...] And what’s more, because it’s so isolated here, over half of them are endemic.”

-- the Andean condor

-- the “miniature forests” of Cape Horn

-- the guanaco :)

-- the kelp goose, endemic to Valdivian temperate rainforest, Tierra del Fuego, and Islas Malvinas

-- Nothofagus forest-steppe and the cold-tolerant temperate rainforest-dwelling Antarctic beech tree

-- liverworts everywhere

-- culpeo zorro (Andean fox)

-- the Austral parakeet, endemic to the general region, and the world’s southernmost parrot, living in sub-Antarctic ecosystems

-- spectacular steep mountains and glaciers

-- the daredevil: torrent duck, living in narrow, highly-specific habitat zones

-- penguins

-- the giant strikingly-beautiful endemic Magellanic woodpecker

-- almost as far as you can get away, physically, from the bloody history of “Old World” Eurasian classical state-building “civilizations” while still technically being on a non-polar continental land mass

-- the planet’s southernmost (known) forest and trees (possibly?)

[firstginger]

hello, i loved the hdm quiz and i'm curious: what was the full list of possible daemons??

hi, i’m so glad you liked it! :D so there are currently ~320 possible outcomes and i will type them up because i’ve gotten this question so many times! however i do add more periodically — about 50 have been added since the quiz was first posted

domestic doghusky, pug, golden retriever, cocker spaniel, german shepherd, bulldog, bloodhound, afghan, westie, poodle, chow chow, pomeranian, australian cattle dog, rottweiler, st. bernard

domestic catbengal, sphynx, persian, maine coon, tabby (DSH), siamese, lykoi, bobtail, russian blue, abyssinian, turkish angora, norwegian forest cat, cornish rex, oriental shorthair

viverroidhyena, aardwolf, meerkat, mongoose, fossa, fanaloka, binturong, african civet, genet

bovidbison, domestic cow, muskox, yak, water buffalo, cape buffalo, kudu, bongo, nyala, gaur

bearbrown bear, polar bear, black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, panda, spectacled bear, moon bear

xenarthrapichiciego, armadillo, sloth, silky anteater, anteater, tamandua

raptorvulture, osprey, hawk, falcon, secretary bird, eagle, caracara, goshawk, gyrfalcon

foxgray fox, arctic fox, fennec fox, red fox, bat-eared fox, simien fox, andean fox, corsac fox, rüppell’s fox

marsupialopossum, wombat, tasmanian devil, kangaroo, koala, bandicoot, quokka, pygmy possum, brushtail possum, sugar glider, tree kangaroo, wallaby, cuscus

owlbarn owl, snowy owl, screech owl, great horned owl, burrowing owl, eagle owl, great grey owl, little owl

primategorilla, chimpanzee, mandrill, gibbon, capuchin, tamarin, spider monkey, ring-tailed lemur, squirrel monkey, colobus, sifaka, howler monkey, orangutan, tarsier, loris

wild cattiger, lion, snow leopard, cheetah, ocelot, caracal, cougar, serval, jaguar, clouded leopard, lynx, jaguarundi

waterfowlheron, pelican, gull, goose, duck, swan, albatross, booby, shoebill, stork, puffin, sandpiper, flamingo

batflying fox, disk-winged bat, vampire bat, little brown bat, ghost bat, yellow-winged bat, sac-winged bat

musteloidraccoon, kinkajou, skunk, red panda, coati, ringtail, olingo, olinguito, cacomistle

perching birdsparrow, blue jay, raven, cuckoo, magpie, cardinal, dove, parrot, robin, blackbird, mockingbird, manakin, thrush

wild dogwolf, african wild dog, jackal, coyote, bush dog, dhole, maned wolf, dingo

deerwhite-tailed deer, moose, reindeer, mouse deer, fallow deer, elk, water deer, pudu

serpentblind snake, shieldtail, python, file snake, viper, cobra, boa, corn snake, garter snake, rattlesnake, milk snake, hognose, vine snake

mustelidstoat, badger, wolverine, polecat, marten, ferret, sea otter, river otter, tayra

antelopegazelle, duiker, impala, wildebeest, oryx, waterbuck, addax, reedbuck, dik-dik, eland

rabbitholland lop, cottontail, jackrabbit, snowshoe hair, pika, flemish giant rabbit

cavitavetoucan, woodpecker, hornbill, hoopoe, kingfisher, kookaburra

eulipotyphlahedgehog, shrew, mole, moonrat, desman

rodentrat, mouse, squirrel, hamster, beaver, capybara, guinea pig, porcupine, flying squirrel, kangaroo rat, gopher, chipmunk, gundi

insectant, beetle, mantis, ladybug, moth, butterfly, cockroach, bumblebee, firefly, wasp, grasshopper, dragonfly

arachnidharvestman, tarantula, black widow, orb-weaver, scorpion, horseshoe crab, trapdoor spider

reptilecrocodile, tortoise, chameleon, gecko, iguana, skink, komodo dragon, gila monster, tuatara, caiman, bearded dragon, snapping turtle, horny toad, tegu

caprineibex, domestic goat, bighorn sheep, domestic sheep, serow, mountain goat

swinedomestic pig, warthog, babiursa, wild boar, pygmy hog

equine (i’m such a horse girl there are so many horse options LMAO)arabian, friesian, thoroughbred, fjord, shetland pony, clydesdale, donkey, zebra, przewalski’s horse, akhal-teke, dartmoor pony, dutch warmblood

pinnipedharbor seal, leopard seal, elephant seal, sea lion, walrus

amphibianpoison dart frog, pond frog, glass frog, fire-bellied toad, common toad, bullfrog, salamander, axolotl

flightless bird (SO many people have commented that some of these birds aren’t flightless… i Know i just needed more birds for this category)kiwi, emu, ostrich, cassowary, kakapo, penguin, chicken, turkey, peacock

i’m considering adding camelidae and montreme to the main section but as of right now it’s just these 34 😊 for fun, the least common daemon is the pygmy hog — 5 people or 0.0002% of people got it!

[siphonophoresupernumerary]

Oh you like animals? Name every animal

Uh ok, sure

Aardwolf, Proteles cristatus

Admiral, indian red,Vanessa indica

Adouri (unidentified)unavailable

African black crake, Limnocorax flavirostra

African buffalo,Snycerus caffer

African bush squirrel,Paraxerus cepapi

African clawless otter,Aonyx capensis

African darter,Anhinga rufa

African elephant,Loxodonta africana

African fish eagle,Haliaetus vocifer

African ground squirrel, (unidentified)Xerus sp.

African jacana,Actophilornis africanus

African lion, Panthera leo

African lynx,Felis caracal

African pied wagtail,Motacilla aguimp

African polecat,Ictonyx striatus

African porcupine,Hystrix cristata

African red-eyed bulbul,Pycnonotus nigricans

African skink, Mabuya spilogaster

African snake, (unidentified)unavailable

African wild cat,Felis silvestris lybica

African wild dog,Lycaon pictus

Agama lizard, (unidentified)Agama sp.

Agile wallaby, Macropus agilis

Agouti,Dasyprocta leporina

Albatross, galapagosDiomedea irrorata

Albatross, wavedDiomedea irrorata

Alligator, american,Alligator mississippiensis

Alligator, mississippi,Alligator mississippiensis

Alpaca,Lama pacos

Amazon parrot, (unidentified)Amazona sp.

American Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana

American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

American badger,Taxidea taxus

American beaver, Castor canadensis

American bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis

American bison, Bison bison

American black bear, Ursus americanus

American buffaloBison bison

American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos

American marten, Martes americana

American racer, Coluber constrictor

American woodcock, Scolopax minor

Anaconda (unidentified), Eunectes sp.

Andean goose, Chloephaga melanoptera

Ant, (unidentified)unavailable

Anteater, australian spiny, Tachyglossus aculeatus

Anteater, giant, Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Antechinus, brownAntechinus flavipes

Antelope ground squirrelAmmospermophilus nelsoni

Antelope, four-hornedTetracerus quadricornis

Antelope, roanHippotragus equinus

Antelope, sableHippotragus niger

Arboral spiny ratEchimys chrysurus

Arctic foxAlopex lagopus

Arctic ground squirrelSpermophilus parryii

Arctic hareLepus arcticus

Arctic lemmingDicrostonyx groenlandicus

Arctic ternSterna paradisaea

ArgalisOvis ammon

Armadillo, common long-nosedDasypus novemcinctus

Armadillo, giantPriodontes maximus

Armadillo, nine-bandedDasypus novemcinctus

Armadillo, seven-bandedDasypus septemcincus

Asian elephantElephas maximus bengalensis

Asian false vampire batMegaderma spasma

Asian foreset tortoiseManouria emys

Asian lionPanthera leo persica

Asian openbillAnastomus oscitans

Asian red foxVulpes vulpes

Asian water buffaloBubalus arnee

Asian water dragonPhysignathus cocincinus

Asiatic jackalCanis aureus

Asiatic wild assEquus hemionus

Ass, asiatic wildEquus hemionus

Australian brush turkeyAlectura lathami

Australian magpieGymnorhina tibicen

Australian masked owlTyto novaehollandiae

Australian pelicanPelecanus conspicillatus

Australian sea lionNeophoca cinerea

Australian spiny anteaterTachyglossus aculeatus

Avocet, piedRecurvirostra avosetta

Azara's zorroPseudalopex gymnocercus

[autodidact-adventures]

Plants: Holly (Ilex aquifolium): Part 2

Holly is also known as: Holm, Holm Chase, Holy Tree, Hulver Bush, Hulm.

Holly grows very slowly (though more quickly after the first 4-5yrs), and is more likely to grow tall when among trees that don't grow faster than it does. ��In Italy, and in the woods in France (especially Brittany), is grows to a much larger size than in Britain, where it seldom grows over 1.0 – 1.3 metres tall, or 60cm in diameter.

Holly tree.

It will grow in any soil (so long as it isn't too wet), but grows best in rich, sandy or gravelly loam, with good drainage and a moderate amount of moisture at its roots.  Its growth is usually stunted in very dry places.

Holly will grow in nearly any soil that isn't saturated with stagnant water.  The best place is a thin, scattered oak wood – it will grow up at once in the gaps.  Even the worst winters rarely injure it.

Like the beech tree, the trunk of the holly tree often has small wood knots – smooth nodules of solid wood embedded in the bark.  They can easily be knocked off/out by a quick blow.  The bark is smooth and light grey, often with faint crimson touches.  It is often infected with a very thin lichen, which has many curved black lines as its spore-bearing structure (fructification).

Bark of an old holly tree.

Knobbly growths on a holly tree trunk (Cumbria, England).

The leaf's prickles point alternately upwards and downwards.  Only the end prickle is in the same plane as the leaf, and most of the upper leaves only have this one prickle.

The leaves have no taste or smell.  They fall off the tree after several years, and because of their leathery texture & durable fibres, they take a long time to decay, withstanding effects of both air and moisture.

Flowers appear in May (late spring), and are succeeded by berries, which mature in October/November (late autumn).  One tree will rarely produce an abundance of flowers two years in a row.  The male flowers fully develop, but the female flowers don't [?]  If the tree is clipped a lot, there aren't likely to be many berries.  The berries are usually most abundant in the upper part of the tree.

Birds, rodents and large herbivores (including deer & sheep) eat the berries in late winter, after the frost has made them softer & more edible, and they have fallen to the ground.

Each seed has 3-4 seeds, which germinate in their second or third spring.  This delay means by that time, they will usually have been buried in a heap of earth for a year (or more) previously.

Young plants should be transplanted when 30-45cm high, and in autumn. Holly exhausts the soil around it more quickly than most deciduous trees, so if it's going to be a holly hedge, the soil around it should be well-trenched and moderately manured if necessary.  The holly plant will take at least 2yrs to recover from being transplanted.

Holly is excellent for a hedge, as it is easily kept trimmed.  It forms very thick hedges that are basically impenetrable.

In Morbihan (a department in Brittany, in north-west France), the peasants gather the young holly stems to feed to cattle from November to April (late autumn to mid-spring).  The stems are dried and bruised, and fed to the cattle three times a day.  They are a very wholesome food; and lead to good milk & butter production.

Apparently, a holly-stick placed in a hutch for the rabbits to gnaw on will act as a tonic, and restore their appetite.

Uses of the Wood

Holly wood is hard, compact, and very even throughout.  It is beautifully white (except in the centre of very old trees), and polishes very well.  Because of this, it is much prized for ornamental ware, especially for inlaying (such as in Tunbridge ware). Its grain is also very even, making it valuable to the turner [woodturner?].

It has a slightly greenish hue when freshly-cut, but soon becomes perfectly white.  Its hardness makes it superior to any other white wood.  It retains sap well, causing it to warp, so it must be well-dried and seasoned before being used.

Examples of the wood.

Spalted English Holly (turned).

The best time to cut holly is in the spring, before the sap rises.  A sloping cut, as opposed to a straight cut, prevents moisture from remaining on the cut part, which should also be covered in a coating of tar for the same reason.  The side growths help draw up the sap, so they should be left.

Holly wood is often stained blue, red, green or black.  When stained black, it usually serves as a substitute for ebony (e.g. in the handles of metal teapots).  Holly wood is used to make mathematical instruments, and blocks for calico printing.  Although it is inferior to boxwood, it has been used as a substitute for it in wood engraving.  Wood of the silver-striped variety of holly is said to be whiter than the wood of the common kind.

Straight sticks of this wood are often used for the stocks of light drivings whips, and for walking sticks.

English holly (sanded).

English holly (sealed).

English holly (endgrain - cut across the growth rings).

Endgrain (x10).

History

In Ancient Rome, people sent holly boughs, together with gifts, to friends during Saturnalia.  The early Christians adopted this custom, but some obviously didn't approve – an edict of the Church of Bracara forbade Christians to decorate their houses with green branches at Christmastime.  (Saturnalia was about a week before Christmas.)

In pre-Christian Britain, the Druids decorated their houses with evergreens during winter, so their home could be an abode for forest spirits.

In old church calendars, Christmas Eve is often marked templa exornatur (“churches are decked”).  According to legend, holly first sprang up under Jesus' footsteps.  In Northern Europe, the plant is referred to as “Christ's Thorn” for this reason.  It is also called the “Holy Tree” (including in England).

“Holme” and “Hulver” are also popular names for holly.  It used to be called “Holme” in Devon, “Hulver” in Norfolk, and “Holme Chase” in one part of Dartmoor.

Medicine

The leaves, berries and bark have medicinal properties.  Leaves that will be dried should be collected in May or June (late spring/early summer), on a dry day, preferably around noon, when there is no longer any trace of dew on them.  Stained or insect-eaten leaves shouldn't be used.  Fresh leaves are also used.

Holly leaves have been used as a diaphoretic (to induce sweating), and an infusion (prepared by soaking the leaves in liquid) of them have been used to treat catarrh (inflammation of the mucuous membrane leading to excessive mucus in nose/throat), pleurisy and smallpox.

Juice of the fresh leaves has been used for jaundice.  The leaves' febrifugal (fever-reducing) & tonic properties have been useful for intermittent fevers and rheumatism.

They have been used successfully when cinchona bark (an Andean flowering tree in western South America) has failed, in the form of a powder, infusion or decoction (prepared by heating/boiling the leaves to extract a concentrated essence).  This substitute works because of ilicin, a bitter alkaloid contained in the leaves.

Cinchona bark.

The berries, on the other hand, are violently emetic and purgative (laxative).  Even only a few will cause a human to vomit excessively very soon afterwards.  However, they have been used to treat dropsy; and powdered berries can treat bleeding as an astringent (causing the contraction of skin cells & other body tissues).  They were also used in the past to treat colic.

The English botanist Nicholas Culpeper (c. 1616 – 1654) stated that “the bark and leaves are good used as fomentations for broken bones and other members as are out of joint.”  A fomentation is a poultice.

Holly bark can also be used to make birdlime.  The bark is stripped off around midsummer, steeped in clean water, and boiled until it separates into layers.  The inner green layer is piled up into small heaps, and left until it ferments, which takes about a fortnight.

The sticky substance is then pounded into a paste, washed, and put aside to ferment again.  Finally, it is mixed with some oily substance (preferably goose-fat).

In northern England, holly was once so abundant in the Lake District that large quantities of it were used to make birdlime, which was shipped to the East Indies for destroying insects.

In the Black Forest (in south-west Germany), holly leaves have been used for tea leaves.  In Brazil, “Paraguay Tea” is a popular drink, made from the dried leaves & shoots of Ilex paraguariensis, a South American species of holly also known as yerba mate.

Ilex gongonha and Ilex theezans are also used for tea in Brazil.  All three of these species are valuable as diaphoretics and diuretics (increase urination).

The leaves of Ilex paraguariensis (and several other species) are used in dyes.  The unripe fruits of Ilex Macoucoua have high levels of tannin, so when bruised in a ferruginous mud, they can be used in dyeing cotton, acting somewhat like galls (a type of abnormal swelling growth on the outside of plants, fungi and animals).

Ilex paraguariensis.

Pliny

Pliny the Elder (d. 79 AD) wrote about holly in his Naturalis Historia, calling it Aquifolius (“needle leaf”).  He states that it was the same tree that Theophrastus (c. 371 – c. 278 BC) called Crataegus, but later commentators deny this. According to Pliny:

Crushed holly leaves, mixed with salt, are good for diseases of the joints.

Holly berries – for menstruation, coeliac problems, dysentery and cholera.  A wine made from them can help with diarrhoea.

A decoction of holly root can extract objects embedded in the flesh, and can also be used for dislocations and swellings.

A holly tree planted in a town/country house will ward off magic influences and protect the house from lightning.

Holly flowers cause water to freeze (he attributes this to Pythagoras).

If you throw the wood at an animal and miss, it will roll closer towards is (also attributed to Pythagoras).  It will also compel the animal to return and lie down by you.

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the signs as animals

arist: south african cheetah

aries: american black bear

argo: kordofan giraffe

arga: griffon vulture

arittanius: wildebeest

arittarius: yak

arpio: bowhead whale

arpia: african elephant

arlo: horse

aro: barn owl

ara: tiger

arza: white rhinoceros

aricorn: spider monkey

ariborn: ring-tailed lemur

arnius: tabby cat

arius: megabat

asci: rock dove

asces: pied crow

armino: lion

armini: eurasian wolf

arcer: gerbil

arcen: newt

arus: bush-tailed porcupine

arun: philippine forest rat

taurrist: asiatic cheetah

taurries: asian black bear

taurgo: nubian giraffe

taurga: cinereous vulture

taurittanius: roan

taurittarius: southern marsupial mole

taurpio: right whale

taurpia: asian elephant

taurlo: sea eagle

tauro: grass owl

taurra: sheep

taurza: sumatran rhinoceros

tauricorn: vervet monkey

tauriborn: aye-aye

taurnius: jungle cat

taurrius: flying fox

taursci: trocaz pigeon

taursces: american crow

taurmino: kit fox

taurmini: tundra wolf

taurcer: guinea pig

taurcen: seal

taurus: crested porcupine

taurun: nile rat

gemrist: north american cougar

gemries: atlas bear

gemgo: west african giraffe

gemga: white-rumped vulture

gemittanius: waterbuck

gemittarius: northern marsupial mole

gempio: blue whale

gempia: blue-ringed octopus

gemlo: snake-eagle

gemo: sooty owl

gemra: argali

gemza: black rhinoceros

gemicorn: proboscis monkey

gemiborn: sifaka

gemnius: european wildcat

gemrius: egyptian fruit bat

gemsci: laurel pigeon

gemsces: cape crow

gemmino: red fox

gemini: arabian wolf

gemcer: dove

gemcen: house mouse

gemus: long-tailed porcupine

gemun: moluccan prehensile-tailed rat

canrist: florida panther

canries: blue bear

cango: reticulated giraffe

canga: black vulture

canittanius: eland

canittarius: golden mole

canpio: bryde’s whale

canpia: dumbo octopus

canlo: black-chested buzzard-eagle

cano: itombwe owl

canra: mouflon

canza: indian rhinoceros

canicorn: pygmy marmoset

caniborn: mouse lemur

canius: black-footed cat

canrius: california leaf-nosed bat

cansci: hill pigeon

cansces: hooded crow

canmino: cape fox

canmini: steppe wolf

cancer: humming bird

cancen: mayor’s moue

canus: bristle-spined rat

canun: bulldog rat

lerist: african leopard

leries: eurasian brown bear

lego: angolan giraffe

lega: turkey vulture

leittanius: gerenuk

leittarius: eurasian beaver

lepio: fin whale

lepia: mimic octopus

lelo: black solitary eagle

leo: bay owl

lera: urial

leza: nile hippopotamus

leicorn: rhesus macaque

leiborn: cockatiel

lenius: sand cat

lerius: hondurian white bat

lesci: snow pigeon

lesces: somali crow

lemino: arctic fox

lemini: mongolian wolf

lecer: flying squirrel

lecen: sikkim mouse

leus: prehensile-tailed porcupine

leun: kerala rat

virrist: javan leopard

virries: eurasian brown bear

virgo: south african giraffe

virga: california condor

virittanius: steenbok

virittarius: north american beaver

virpio: see whale

virpia: blanket octopus

virlo: crested eagle

viro: scops owl

virra: bighorn sheep

virza: east african hippopotamus

viricorn: gibbon

viriborn: parrotlet

virnius: chinese mountain cat

virrius: big brown cat

virsci: specled pigeon

virsces: flores crow

virmino: fennec fox

virmini: dingo

vircer: unstriped ground squirrel

vircen: volcano mouse

virus: electric eel

virun: himilayan field rat

librist: northern goshawk

libries: grizzly bear

libgo: masai giraffe

libga: greater flamingo

libittanius: nyala

libittarius: star-nosed mole

lipio: chilean dolphin

lipia: coconut octopus

liblo: harpy eagle

libo: screech owl

libra: thinhorn sheep

libza: cape hippopotamus

libicorn: bornean orangutan

libiborn: caique

libnius: amazon weasel

librius: dwarf epaulettes fruit bat

libsci: wood pigeon

libsces: bismark crow

limino: grey fox

limini: dog

libcer: indian palm squirrel

libcen: indian field mouse

libus: hog-nosed skunk

libun: sunburned rat

scorrist: gray-bellied hawk

scorries: east siberian brown bear

scorgo: thornicroft’s giraffe

scorga: lesser flamingo

scorittanius: klipspringer

scorittarius: hairy-tailed mole

scorpio: arabian dolphin

scorpia: giant squid

scorlo: papuan eagle

scoro: snowy owl

scorra: snow sheep

scorza: west african hippopotamus

scoricorn: sumatran orangutan

scoriborn: lorikeet

scornius: mountain weasel

scorrius: split-nosed bat

scorsci: comoros olive pigeon

scorsces: white-necked crow

scormino: swift fox

scormini: tibetan wolf

scorcer: eastern grey squirrel

scorcen: ryukyu mouse

scorus: hooded skunk

scorun: aceh rat

sagirist: red-chested goshawk

sagiries: syrian brown bear

sagigo: pig

sagiga: chilean flamingo

sagiittanius: kudu

sagiittarius: eastern mole

sagipio: long-beaked dolphin

sagipia: colossal squid

sagilo: balck eagle

sagio: great horned owl

sagira: red kangaroo

sagiza: angola hippopotamus

sagiicorn: tapanuli orangutan

sagiiborn: parakeet

saginius: steppe polecat

sagirius: brown long-eared bat

sagisci: white-naped pigeon

sagisces: jungle crow

sagimino: plains bison

sagimini: japanese wolf

sagicer: colorado chipmunk

sagicen: cook’s mouse

sagius: striped skunk

sagiun: snake

capririst: besra

capriries: giant panda

caprigo: chicken

capriga: jame’s flamingo

capriittanius: lechwe

capriittarius: gansu mole

capripio: killer whale

capripia: humboldt squid

caprilo: spotted eagle

caprio: eagle owl

caprira: eastern grey kangaroo

capriza: north american ostrich

capriicorn: eastern gorilla

capriiborn: pianos parrot

caprinius: long-tailed weasel

capririus: mediterranean horseshoe bat

caprisci: stork

caprisces: fish crow

caprimino: wood bison

caprimini: indian wolf

capricer: grey-collard chipmun

capricen: cypriot mouse

caprius: spotted skunk

capriun: spider

aquarist: long-tailed hawk

aquaries: sloth bear

aquago: red junglefowl

aquaga: andean flamingo

aquittanius: springbok

aquittarius: long-tailed mole

aquapio: pilot whale

aquapia: japanese flying squid

aqualo: tawny eagle

aquo: fish owl

aquara: western grey kangaroo

aquaza: masai ostrich

aquicorn: western gorilla

aquiborn: cockatoo

aquanius: yellow-bellied weasel

aquarius: raccoon

aquasci: goose

aquasces: house crow

aquamino: european bison

aquamini: arctic wolf

aquacer: gray-footed chipmunk

aquacen: steppe mouse

aqus: fattail scorpion

aqun: alligator

pirist: chanting goshawk

piries: polar bear

pigo: cow

piga: american flamingo

piittanius: sable antelope

piittarius: japanese shrew mole

pipio: houglass dolphin

pipia: vampire squid

pilo: camel

pio: spotted wood owl

pira: antilopine kangaroo

piza: arabian ostrich

piicorn: chimpanzee

piiborn: conure

pinius: european mink

pirius: koalas

pisci: duck

pisces: palm crow

pimino: water buffalo

pimini: baffin island wolf

picer: uinta chipmunk

picen: meerkat

pius: pandinus

piun: crocodile