French literature: Refinement of the French language: … (1639; “Treatise on Poetry”) of Hippolyte-Jules Pilet de La Mesnardière and the Abbé d’Aubignac’s Pratique du théâtre (1657; “The Practice of Theatre”), both treatises instigated by Cardinal de Richelieu’s personal patronage, which strongly influenced the development of Classical doctrine.

mas̄navī, a series of distichs (couplets) in rhymed pairs (aa, bb, cc, and so on) that makes up a characteristic type of Persian verse, used chiefly for heroic, historical, and romantic epic poetry and didactic poetry. The form originated in the Middle Persian period (roughly from the 3rd century

isomerism: Stereoisomers of more complex molecules: …molecule C, called a “meso compound.” A meso compound is an achiral molecule that nonetheless contains a stereogenic atom.

Mesoamerican Indian, member of any of the indigenous peoples inhabiting Mexico and Central America (roughly between latitudes 14° N and 22° N). Mesoamerican Indian cultures have a common origin in the pre-Columbian civilizations of the area. The three largest linguistic groups are the Mayan, the

Mesoamerican Indian languages, group of more than 125 languages classified into some 10 language families (including language isolates) that are native to Mesoamerica. The term “Mesoamerica” refers to a culture area originally defined by a number of culture traits shared among the pre-Columbian

vitamin: Myo-inositol: The biological significance of myo-inositol has not yet been established with certainty. It is present in large amounts—principally as a constituent of phospholipids—in humans. Inositol is a carbohydrate that closely resembles glucose in structure; inositol can be converted to phytic acid, which is found…

coastal landforms: Tides: …micro-tidal (less than two metres), meso-tidal (two to four metres), and macro-tidal (more than four metres). Micro-tidal coasts constitute the largest percentage of the world’s coasts, but the other two categories also are widespread.

Mesoamerican architecture, building traditions of the indigenous cultures in parts of Mexico and Central America before the 16th-century Spanish conquest. For the later tradition, see Latin American architecture. The idea of constructing temple-pyramids appears to have taken hold early. La Venta,

Mesoamerican civilization, the complex of indigenous cultures that developed in parts of Mexico and Central America prior to Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century. In the organization of its kingdoms and empires, the sophistication of its monuments and cities, and the extent and

Mesoamerican Indian, member of any of the indigenous peoples inhabiting Mexico and Central America (roughly between latitudes 14° N and 22° N). Mesoamerican Indian cultures have a common origin in the pre-Columbian civilizations of the area. The three largest linguistic groups are the Mayan, the

Mesoamerican Indian languages, group of more than 125 languages classified into some 10 language families (including language isolates) that are native to Mesoamerica. The term “Mesoamerica” refers to a culture area originally defined by a number of culture traits shared among the pre-Columbian

hutia: Size ranges from the rat-sized dwarf hutia (Mesocapromys nanus), with a body length of 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches), to the raccoon-sized Desmarest’s Cuban hutia (Capromys pilorides), with a body 32 to 60 cm long and weight of up to 8.5 kg (19 pounds). The tail ranges…

angiosperm: Fruits: …endocarp; the middle layer, or mesocarp; and the outer layer, or exocarp. These regions may be fleshy or dry (sclerified) or any combination of the two, but they are classified as either one or the other.

orchid: Natural history: …elongate, sometimes fluted part, the mesochile; and a bucket-shaped epichile. The epichile is partially filled with water during the last few hours before the flower opens and for a short time afterward by two faucetlike organs located at the base of the column, which drip water. Male euglossine bees are…

climate classification: General considerations: …part, but there will exist mesoclimates within these regions associated with climatic processes occurring at a scale of tens to hundreds of kilometres that are created by elevation differences, slope aspect, bodies of water, differences in vegetation cover, urban areas, and the like. Mesoclimates, in turn, may be resolved into…

golden hamster, (Mesocricetus auratus), a species of hamster commonly kept as a pet. Like other hamsters, it has a stout body with short, stocky legs and short, wide feet with small, sharp claws. The head has small, furry ears and huge internal cheek pouches that open inside the lips and extend to

golden hamster: …of the genus Mesocricetus are Brandt’s hamster (M. brandti), found in southern Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel eastward through Syria to northwestern Iran; the Romanian hamster (M. newtoni) is exclusive to eastern Romania and Bulgaria; the Ciscaucasian hamster (M. raddei) inhabits the steppes along the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.

golden hamster: …Syria to northwestern Iran; the Romanian hamster (M. newtoni) is exclusive to eastern Romania and Bulgaria; the Ciscaucasian hamster (M. raddei) inhabits the steppes along the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.

golden hamster: …eastern Romania and Bulgaria; the Ciscaucasian hamster (M. raddei) inhabits the steppes along the northern slopes of the Caucasus Mountains.

tornado: Prediction and detection of tornadoes: …watch the formation of a mesocyclone (that is, a region of rotating air within a thunderstorm). On Doppler radar, the presence of a well-organized mesocyclone is indicated by a small region of concentrated shear in the wind. On one side of the mesocyclone the rotating winds flow toward the radar;…

mesoderm, the middle of the three germ layers, or masses of cells (lying between the ectoderm and endoderm), which appears early in the development of an animal embryo. In vertebrates it subsequently gives rise to muscle, connective tissue, cartilage, bone, notochord, blood, bone marrow, lymphoid

protozoan: Ecological and industrial importance of protozoans: …endosymbiotic algae, and one species, Mesodinium rubrum, has formed such a successful relationship with its red-pigmented algal symbiont that it has lost the ability to feed and relies entirely on symbiosis for its livelihood. Mesodinium often forms dense red blooms, or red tides, when it reaches high densities in water.…

mesite: …a true rail), also called Bensch’s monias (Monias, or Mesoenas, benschi), inhabits brushland. All three species build platform nests low in bushes.

mesite, any of several species of small, brownish ground-dwelling birds constituting the family Mesitornithidae (sometimes Mesoenatidae), order Gruiformes. They are about 30 cm (12 inches) long, have short wings and a thick tail, and inhabit Madagascar. They differ from all other gruiform birds in

mesofauna, in soil science, intermediate-sized animals (those greater than 40 microns in length, which is about three times the thickness of a human hair). Nematodes, mites, springtails, proturans, and pauropods are typical members of the mesofauna. These animals may feed upon microorganisms, other

gastropod: Classification: Suborder Mesogastropoda (Taenioglossa) Radula taenioglossate (with 7 denticles, or teeth) or reduced; most taxa herbivorous; a few families parasites or predators. Superfamily Cyclophoracea Land snails; particularly abundant in the West Indies and southern Asia to Melanesia. Superfamily Viviparacea

cnidarian: Tissues and muscles: Between these is sandwiched the mesoglea, a largely noncellular layer composed of a jellylike material permeated by a complex network of supporting fibres that may be microscopically thin or very thick. The fibres and jelly are elastic. In medusae, mesoglea comprises the bulk of the animal and forms a resilient…

Mesohippus, genus of extinct early and middle Oligocene horses (the Oligocene Epoch occurred from 33.9 to 23 million years ago) commonly found as fossils in the rocks of the Badlands region of South Dakota, U.S. Mesohippus was the first of the three-toed horses and, although only the size of a

sponge: Sexual reproduction: …in the amorphous substance (mesohyl) that fills the sponge. In the amphiblastula, the choanocytes are derived from the forward flagellated region; the other cells and the mesohyl are derived from the posterior half. Choanocytes create the water currents through sponges and capture food particles.

kurtosis: …thus have negative kurtosis, whereas mesokurtic distributions (such as the normal distribution) have a kurtosis of zero.

mesolite, mineral of the zeolite family, similar to natrolite

Mesolithic, ancient cultural stage that existed between the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), with its chipped stone tools, and the Neolithic (New Stone Age), with its polished stone tools. Most often used to describe archaeological assemblages from the Eastern Hemisphere, the Mesolithic is broadly

Mesolithic, ancient cultural stage that existed between the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), with its chipped stone tools, and the Neolithic (New Stone Age), with its polished stone tools. Most often used to describe archaeological assemblages from the Eastern Hemisphere, the Mesolithic is broadly

Aléxandros Mavrokordátos: …of a regional government at Missolonghi, in western Greece. During December 1821–January 1822 he presided over the first National Assembly, at Epidaurus, and led in the drafting of a constitution.

theory of resonance, in chemistry, theory by which the actual normal state of a molecule is represented not by a single valence-bond structure but by a combination of several alternative distinct structures. The molecule is then said to resonate among the several valence-bond structures or to have

mesomorph, a human somatotype (physical type) that is marked by greater than average muscular development, as determined by the since-discredited physique-classification system developed in the 1940s by American psychologist W.H. Sheldon. Sheldon linked mesomorphy to certain character

angiosperm: Leaves: Mesomorphic leaves are adapted to conditions of abundant water and relatively humid conditions; xeromorphic leaves are adapted to dry conditions with relatively low humidity; and hydromorphic leaves are adapted to aquatic situations, either submerged or in standing water. Mesomorphic leaves (the most common type) are…

protozoan: Annotated classification: Mesomycetozoa At least 1 life stage consisting of round cells, either flagellated or amoeboid. Some taxa are parasitic. Choanomonada (choanoflagellates) Phagotrophic. Collar of microvilli around the single posterior flagellum. Cells may be solitary or colonial. May develop theca or lorica consisting of cellulose or silica,…

meson, any member of a family of subatomic particles composed of a quark and an antiquark. Mesons are sensitive to the strong force, the fundamental interaction that binds the components of the nucleus by governing the behaviour of their constituent quarks. Predicted theoretically in 1935 by the

animal development: Reproductive organs: …exterior by way of the mesonephric duct. In males of lower vertebrates, the mesonephric duct thus serves as a channel both for urine and for sex cells. In amniotes the development of the metanephros as the urine excreting organ has freed the mesonephric duct to carry products associated only with…

mesonephros, permanent kidney of amphibians and most fish, developing posterior to and replacing the pronephros of the embryonic and larval stages. It is a paired organ consisting of a set of nephrons having capsules that filter blood from the glomerulus and tubules whose cells reabsorb water and

costumbrismo: …Mariano José de Larra and Ramón de Mesonero Romanos, both of whom wrote about Madrid, and Serafín Estébanez Calderón, who wrote about Andalusia. Significant costumbrista writers of the last half of the 19th century included Fernán Caballero and Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, both of whom wrote novels set in Andalusia,…

colossal squid, (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), a massive, elusive cephalopod species inhabiting cold, deep regions of the Southern Ocean at depths ranging from 20 to 2,000 meters (66 to 6,562 feet). Biologists consider the colossal squid either the largest or second largest invertebrate in the

Earth: The atmosphere of Earth: …above the surface, where the mesopause is defined. The minimum temperature attained there is extremely variable with season. Temperatures then rise with increasing height through the overlying layer known as the thermosphere. Also above about 80–90 km there is an increasing fraction of charged, or ionized, particles, which from this…

atmosphere: Stratosphere and mesosphere: The stratopause caps the top of the stratosphere, separating it from the mesosphere near 45–50 km (28–31 miles) in altitude and a pressure of 1 millibar (approximately equal to 0.75 mm of mercury at 0 °C, or 0.03 inch of mercury at 32 °F). In the…

marine ecosystem: Geography, oceanography, and topography: Below this zone lie the mesopelagic, ranging between 200 and 1,000 metres, the bathypelagic, from 1,000 to 4,000 metres, and the abyssalpelagic, which encompasses the deepest parts of the oceans from 4,000 metres to the recesses of the deep-sea trenches.

liquid crystal, substance that blends the structures and properties of the normally disparate liquid and crystalline solid states. Liquids can flow, for example, while solids cannot, and crystalline solids possess special symmetry properties that liquids lack. Ordinary solids melt into ordinary

bacteria: Temperature: Mesophilic bacteria are those in which optimum growth occurs between 20 and 45 °C (68 and 113 °F), although they usually can survive and grow in temperatures between 10 and 50 °C (50 and 122 °F). Animal pathogens are mesophiles.

parenchyma: mesophyll (internal layers) of leaves and the cortex (outer layers) and pith (innermost layers) of stems and roots; it also forms the soft tissues of fruits. Cells of this type are also contained in xylem and phloem

angiosperm: Leaves: Mesomorphic leaves are adapted to conditions of abundant water and relatively humid conditions; xeromorphic leaves are adapted to dry conditions with relatively low humidity; and hydromorphic leaves are adapted to aquatic situations, either submerged or in standing water. Mesomorphic leaves (the most common type) are…

beaked whale: Paleontology and classification: Genus Mesoplodon 15 species found worldwide, all possessing a single pair of teeth. Bahamonde’s beaked whale (M. bahamondi), first described in 1995, is known only on the basis of a damaged skull from the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile. In 2002 M. perrini…

beaked whale: Natural history: In the strap-toothed whale (M. layardii), these two tusklike teeth are remarkable in that they curve upward out of the mouth, holding the jaws partially shut. Shepherd’s beaked whale (Tasmacetus shepherdi) is unusual in having numerous small functional teeth.

beaked whale: Natural history: …feet) for the dwarf, or pygmy, beaked whale (Mesoplodon peruvianus) to nearly 13 metres (42.7 feet) for the giant bottlenose whale (Berardius bairdii), these mammals weigh between 1,000 and 14,000 kg (2,200 and 31,000 pounds). Colour is variable but usually consists of some combination of gray or black with white.…

Mesopotamia, narrow northeast–southwest-oriented geographic region of northeastern Argentina, comprising Misiones, Corrientes, and Entre Ríos provincias (provinces), bounded on the west by the Gran Chaco of Argentina, on the north by Paraguay, on the northeast by Brazil, and on the southeast by

history of Mesopotamia, history of the region in southwestern Asia where the world’s earliest civilization developed. The name comes from a Greek word meaning “between rivers,” referring to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but the region can be broadly defined to include the area

Mesopotamian art and architecture: …and architecture, the art and architecture of the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations.

Mesopotamian art and architecture, the art and architecture of the ancient Mesopotamian civilizations. The name Mesopotamia has been used with varying connotations by ancient writers. If, for convenience, it is to be considered synonymous with the modern state of Iraq, it can be seen in terms of

Persian deer, fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) of western Asia. The maral, an Asiatic red deer, also is often called Persian deer. See fallow

Ashurbanipal: Personality and significance of Ashurbanipal: …East (of which approximately 20,720 Assyrian tablets and fragments have been preserved in the British Museum). At royal command, scribes searched out and collected or copied texts of every genre from temple libraries. These were added to the basic collection of tablets culled from Ashur, Calah, and Nineveh itself. The…

Mesopotamian mythology, the myths, epics, hymns, lamentations, penitential psalms, incantations, wisdom literature, and handbooks dealing with rituals and omens of ancient Mesopotamia. A brief treatment of Mesopotamian mythology follows. For full treatment, see Mesopotamian religion. The literature

Mesopotamian religion, beliefs and practices of the Sumerians and Akkadians, and their successors, the Babylonians and Assyrians, who inhabited ancient Mesopotamia (now in Iraq) in the millennia before the Christian era. These religious beliefs and practices form a single stream of tradition.

mesopredator release: Mesopredators, such as coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and raccoons (Procyon lotor), are typically outcompeted by top carnivores, such as wolves (Canis lupus) and cougars (Puma concolor). for food and other resources. Because top carnivores are

mesopredator release, in ecology, a phenomenon in which populations of medium-sized predators rapidly increase in ecosystems after the removal of larger, top carnivores. Such rapid increases in mesopredator populations can force sudden changes in the structure of ecosystems as these animals assume

Precambrian: Microfossils and stromatolites: …increasingly oxygen-rich atmosphere of the early Proterozoic (the Proterozoic Eon extended from 2.5 billion to 541 million years ago). The eukaryotes were capable of cell division, which allowed DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the genetic coding material, to be passed on to succeeding generations.

mesoregionalism: …to inaugurate, consolidate, and develop mesoregions. As with the broader debate about regionalism in the global political economy, a key question is the extent to which mesoregions emerge through deliberate collective decisions versus the degree to which they reflect the de facto growth of transnational economic spaces.

mesoregionalism, process of cooperation and integration in the development of intermediary regions, or “regions within regions.” The prefix meso is used to describe the middle or intermediate part of a structure or phenomenon. Applied to regionalism, the idea and classification of mesoregionalism

reptile: Annotated classification: †Order Mesosauria (mesosaurs) Lower Permian. One family, three genera. Aquatic reptiles with slender elongate jaws filled with long pointed teeth. Tail as long as or longer than body and flattened side to side; limbs well developed, hind feet enlarged and paddlelike. Total length to about 1…

Mesosaurus, (genus Mesosaurus), early aquatic relative of reptiles, found as fossils from the Early Permian Period (299 million to 271 million years ago) in South Africa and South America. Mesosaurus lived in freshwater lakes and ponds. Elongated and slim, it measured about 1 metre (3.3 feet) long.

climate: Scale classes: Known as the mesoscale, this class is characterized by spatial dimensions of ten to a few hundred kilometres and lifetimes of a day or less. Because of the shorter time scale and because the other forces may be much larger, the effect of the Coriolis force in mesoscale…

thunderstorm: Multiple-cell thunderstorms and mesoscale convective systems: …of storms is called a mesoscale convective system (MCS). Severe multiple-cell thunderstorms and supercell storms are frequently associated with MCSs. Precipitation produced by these systems typically includes rainfall from convective clouds and from stratiform clouds (cloud layers with a large horizontal extent). Stratiform precipitation is primarily due to the remnants…

weather forecasting: Numerical weather prediction (NWP) models: …has been the construction of mesoscale numerical prediction models. The prefix meso- means “middle” and here refers to middle-sized features in the atmosphere, between large cyclonic storms and individual clouds. Fronts, clusters of thunderstorms, sea breezes, hurricane bands, and jet streams are mesoscale structures, and their evolution and behaviour are…

mesoscaphe, diving vessel built by the Swiss scientist Jacques Piccard that suspended itself automatically at predetermined depths. The first mesoscaphe was built for the 1964 Swiss National Exhibition in Lausanne and designed as a tourist submarine for 40 passengers. Although it could descend to

stony iron meteorite: The other common type, the mesosiderites (formerly called siderolites), are impact breccias. They are probably related to the basaltic achondrite group of stony meteorites, but they contain an unusually large quantity of interspersed metal. The source of the metal is not known for certain, but it may be from the…

arachnid: External features: …abdomen is subdivided into the mesosoma, or preabdomen, and the metasoma, or postabdomen, which is mobile and more slender. Similar arrangements are found among whip scorpions, schizomids, and ricinuleids. Among the daddy longlegs the division between the two parts is indistinct, and among most of the mites and ticks the…

beard worm: Form and function: …regions are called protosome and mesosome; the long trunk section is called the metasome. Each segment has its own coelom. The small protosome bears tentacles. The mesosome contains a structure known as a bridle, also called a frenulum, a pair of oblique cuticular ridges that extend backward to meet in…

mesosphere, region of the upper atmosphere between about 50 and 80 km (30 and 50 miles) above the surface of the Earth. The base of the mesosphere is defined as the temperature maximum existing at the top of the stratosphere, with the boundary between the two regions usually called the stratopause.

sternum: …and first ribs; (2) the mesosternum, often divided into a series of segments, the sternebrae, to which the remaining true ribs are attached; and (3) the posterior segment, called the xiphisternum. In humans the sternum is elongated and flat; it may be felt from the base of the neck to…

acarid: Annotated classification: Order Mesostigmata Generally with a number of sclerotized plates; 0.2–2 mm in size; eyes absent; pair of stigmata between coxae of 2nd, 3rd, or 4th pair of legs; usually associated with elongated peritremes; palpal apotele present; tritosternum usually well developed but reduced to absent in some…

crocodile: Annotated classification: †Suborder Mesosuchia Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous; choanae in posterior part of palatine bones. †Suborder Sebecosuchia Upper Cretaceous to Miocene; skull laterally flattened; choanae in depression in anterior part of pterygoids. Suborder Eusuchia Upper Jurassic to

crocodile: Annotated classification: †Suborder Mesosuchia Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous; choanae in posterior part of palatine bones. †Suborder Sebecosuchia Upper Cretaceous to Miocene; skull laterally flattened; choanae in depression in anterior part of pterygoids. Suborder Eusuchia Upper Jurassic to

spider: Annotated classification: Suborder Mesothelae (segmented spiders) About 100 species in 1 family, Liphistiidae, found from Japan to Southeast Asia. Inhabit trapdoor tubes in ground; remnants of abdominal segmentation clearly visible dorsally from 7th segment (pedicel) to 18th; 8 spinnerets at middle of abdomen; male pedipalps relatively complicated; epigynum…

mesothelioma, tumour that arises from the sheet of cells known as the mesothelium, which lines body cavities and forms the tissue layers referred to as the pleura and the peritoneum. The pleura is located in the chest cavity, either lining the chest wall (parietal pleura) or covering the lung

river: Variation of stream regime: In the mesothermal class some regimes resemble those of tropical and equatorial areas, with single or double summer maxima corresponding to heavy seasonal rainfall, while others include sustained flow with slight warm-season minima. Where midlatitude climates include dry summers, streamflow decreases markedly and may cease altogether in…

lepidopteran: Thorax: The much larger mesothorax bears the second pair of legs, a second pair of spiracles, and the pair of forewings. The metathorax bears the third pair of legs and the pair of hind wings. In many moths the metathorax bears a pair of complex auditory organs (tympana). In…

meson, any member of a family of subatomic particles composed of a quark and an antiquark. Mesons are sensitive to the strong force, the fundamental interaction that binds the components of the nucleus by governing the behaviour of their constituent quarks. Predicted theoretically in 1935 by the

inland water ecosystem: Biological productivity: Mesotrophic lakes are lakes of intermediate productivity: net primary production is between 250 and 1,000 milligrams of carbon per square metre per day. Models that relate levels of lake productivity to levels of nutrient input or loading have been useful in controlling eutrophication in many…

felsic and mafic rocks: …and 65 percent silica are intermediate; those with between 45 and 55 percent silica are mafic; and those with less than 45 percent are ultramafic. Compilations of many rock analyses show that rhyolite and granite are felsic, with an average silica content of about 72 percent; syenite, diorite, and monzonite…

water treader, any insect of the approximately 30 species of the family Mesoveliidae (order Heteroptera). These small, slender insects are yellowish or greenish in colour and are 5 millimetres (0.2 inch) or less in length. Mesoveliids are predaceous and are usually seen on floating vegetation or on

mesozoan, any of approximately 50 species of small, ciliated, multicellular animals that parasitize other marine invertebrates belonging to the phyla Rhombozoa and Orthonectida. These wormlike organisms lack digestive, respiratory, nervous, and excretory systems; their bodies consist of two layers

Mesozoic Era, second of Earth’s three major geologic eras of Phanerozoic time. Its name is derived from the Greek term for “middle life.” The Mesozoic Era began 252.2 million years ago, following the conclusion of the Paleozoic Era, and ended 66 million years ago, at the dawn of the Cenozoic Era.

North America: Mesozoic and Cenozoic orogenic belts: The youngest mountain ranges (the Cordilleras) formed along the western margin of the continent and around the Caribbean Sea. The development of the Cordilleras occurred mainly after the Atlantic Ocean began to open and North America started drifting westward over…

orb weaver: The oldest known orb weaver, Mesozygiella dunlopi, was described in 2006 from fossils discovered in Álava, Spain. The species was dated to the Early Cretaceous Epoch (about 145.5 million to 99.6 million years ago).

medlar, (genus Mespilus), either of two species of the genus Mespilus of the rose family (Rosaceae). The common medlar (M. germanica) is a small, much-branched, deciduous, spinous tree known for its edible fruits. The plant is native to Europe, from the Netherlands southward, and to southwestern

medlar: Stern’s medlar (M. canescens) was discovered in 1990 in Arkansas, though its taxonomy has been controversial. Stern’s medlar reaches heights of 4.5–6 metres (15–20 feet). It is a deciduous tree or shrub that bears showy white flowers. The fruit is a glossy red pome and…

medlar: The common medlar (M. germanica) is a small, much-branched, deciduous, spinous tree known for its edible fruits. The plant is native to Europe, from the Netherlands southward, and to southwestern Asia. The flowers are white or pink-tinged, with five petals, and produce a brown globular fruit…

Fox, an Algonquian-speaking tribe of North American Indians who called themselves Meshkwakihug, the “Red-Earth People.” When they first met French traders in 1667, the tribe lived in the forest zone of what is now northeastern Wisconsin. Tribes to their east referred to them as “foxes,” a custom

Iowa: Early history: …buy back a small reservation—the Mesquakie Settlement—near Tama in central Iowa, the only reservation in the state today.)

Mesquite, city, Dallas county, northeastern Texas, U.S., adjacent to the city of Dallas (west). It was established in 1873 when the Texas and Pacific Railway acquired land for the town site (named for the mesquite shrubs that once covered the area), built a depot, and offered lots for sale. Until

mesquite, (genus Prosopis), genus of spiny deep-rooted shrubs or small trees in the pea family (Fabaceae). They form extensive thickets in areas from South America into the southwestern United States. They are considered pests and have been eradicated in some places. The wood of the mesquite,

St. Mesrop Mashtots ; Western feast day, Thursday following 4th Sunday after Pentecost, and Monday following 3rd Sunday after the Assumption; Armenian feast day, February 19) was a monk, theologian, and linguist who, according to tradition, invented the Armenian script in 405 and helped establish