These 9 listings are so strange that each appears in only one of the 7 encyclopedias we compared. They include such classics as Shrew Mole, Shrewsbury, Shrike.
a genus of insectivorous mammals, belonging to the family of Soricidæ or shrew mice, but also by some zoölogists placed in the Talpidæ or mole family. It is found in North America, usually near rivers and streams, and burrows after the fashion of the common mole.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
municipal and England, capia parliamentary borough of situated on a slightly tal of Shropshire, by a bend of elevated peninsula formed Birmingthe Severn, 42 miles N. W. of some handsome modham. It consists of houses ern houses and many old timbered . Several of very picturesque appearance and connect the bridges cross the Severn . Among objects town with its suburbs the remains of deserving of notice are castle; the the old walls; the ruins of the attached Church of Holy Cross, originally abbey, magnificent Benedictine to founded in 1083; the grammar school, public schools, a ranking high among in 1551, and founded by Edward VI. at Kingsland removed to new buildings the time in 1882; the market house, of statues of Lords of Queen Elizabeth; chief manufac- Clive and Hill, etc. The , the spinning tures are glass staining yarn, iron founding, of flax and linen of brawn, and brewing, the preparation the well-known "Shrewsthe making of the famous battle bury cakes." In 1403 defeat of Hotspur and which ended in the his ally, by Henry the Earl of Douglas, in the vicinity. Pop IV. was fought . about 30,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a family of birds comprising about two hundred, chiefly Old World species. Two are found in America. The northern shrike, or butcher-bird, clad in gray, with black wings and tail and white under parts, breeds in the far north and winters southward as far as Virginia. It is about ten inches long and has a stout, hooked, hawk-like bill. Its habit is to sit aloft on a dead branch, watching for grasshoppers, mice, and small birds. It is a special foe of the English sparrow. The shrike is noticeable for a habit of hanging its food till needed on a thorn, in the fork of a twig, or on the barb of a wire fence. The loggerhead shrike with black upper parts is an inch shorter and breeds from the Canadian line southward. Like the preceding species, it combines the habits of a hawk and a flycatcher. It nests in thorny hedges and thickets at the height of one's head or higher. Bradford Torrey offers the following observation with evident satisfaction: The bravado of the butcher-bird is great, but it is not unlimited. I saw him, one day, shuffling along a branch in a very nervous, unshrikely fashion, and was at a loss to account for his unusual demeanor till I caught sight of a low-flying hawk sweeping over the tree. Every creature, no matter how brave, has some other creature to be afraid of: otherwise, how would the world get on? Shrike or butcher-bird
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
in ornithology, a popular name for any individual of the Laniidæ, three cenapplied specially for the last BULL-HEADED SHRIKE turies to Lanius excubitor, the great gray male is shrike. The length of the adult on upper about 10 inches: pearl gray part of body; chin, breast, and abdomen black, variegated, white; tail feathers ; a black band and tipped with white The lesser gray crosses the forehead. nine shrike (L. minor), from eight to winter visitor. inches, is an occasional colluris), like The red-backed shrike (L. the nine L. septentrionalis, is often called or two other small killer, and with one placed in a genus shrikes is sometimes insects and Enneoctonus. Shrikes feed on habit small birds, and have a remarkable thorns in the of impaling their prey on , which may neighborhood of their nests They kill and thus be easily discovered. they do not eat impale many insects that See BUTCHER BIRD.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a case, box, or reliquary in remains of saints which the bones or other were deposited. They were often richly stones ornamented with gold, precious , generand elaborate carvings, and were of the church. ally placed near the altar
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
or SALOP, a county adjoining Wales of western England, . . about Area, 1,346 square miles. Pop is the Sev- 250,000. The principal river direction ern, flowing in a southeasterly distance of some across the county for a throughout its 70 miles. It is navigable N. E., the entire course. In the N. and worked extengenerally level country is . In the sively for agricultural purposes is hilly, S. and S. W., where the county altitude of 1,800 rising at times to an principal infeet, cattle breeding is the sheep is dustry. A peculiarly horned the county. well known as the product of mineral The county also has extensive deposits, consisting of coal, iron, copper, worked successfully and lead, which are important iron inand form the basis of dustries. Capital, Shrewsbury. See MARDI SHROVE TUESDAY. GRAS.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
in England a term meaning the penitential act of confession to a priest. It is used only in compounds. Of these Shrove-tide or time of confession is the season preceding Lent. It is a season of merry-making as well. Shrove-Tuesday is the last Tuesday before Lent, a day of confession. A Shrove-cake was a pancake made for Shrove-tide festivities.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
in botany, a plant with woody stem and branches like a tree, but of smaller size, not generally exceeding 20 feet in height, and branching near the root, so as to have no main stem of considerable height. When a shrub is of small size and much branched, it is often called a bush. Also a liquor composed juice and of acid, particularly lemon sugar, with spirit to preserve it.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) ROBERT WILSON, an American author, born in New York in 1850. He was educated at Cornell University, and in 1876 received the degree of M.D. from Columbian (now George Washington) University. During the Civil War he served as a midshipman. In 1876 he was commissioned 1st lieutenant, medical department, United States Army, retiring in 1891 with the rank of major. From 1876 to 1881 he served as surgeon during the Indian wars. In 1882 he became curator of the Army Medical Museum, Washington. He was a member of many domestic and foreign scientific societies. His numerous publications include, besides some 1,300 articles on medicine, science, travel, etc., "Scientific Taxidermy for Museums" (1894); "The Negro" (1907); "Osteology of Birds" (1909), etc.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia