abstract: A way of presenting something that differs from its realistic form, sometimes to express a feeling or idea.

accession number: A number given to an object to show when it was brought into a Museum collection.

aesthetic: Relating to beauty and to what is beautiful.

algae: A type of plant that has no roots, veins or flowers. Algae contain chlorophyll and are an important source of food for aquatic animals.

amphibian: One of the class of animals that are cold-blooded and have no scales. Amphibians usually live in or near the water.

antennae: Two parts of the insect's body, attached to the head. Antennae are used for smelling, hearing, tasting, or feeling.

Arachnida: The class of invertebrates that includes spiders, scorpions, and ticks. Arachnids differ from insects in that they have only two body parts, instead of three; they have no antennae and no wings; and they have four pairs of legs, instead of three.

Aranidae: The family of arachnids that spin webs, such as spiders.

arboreal: Animals that spend most of their time in trees.

artifacts: Objects that give us information about another culture or time.

archaeology: The scientific study of past human lives and activities through material objects.

artisan: Someone trained in a particular skill or craft.

Aves: Birds; the class of animals that have wings and feathers, are warm-blooded, and lay eggs.

bacteria: A microscopic, single-cell plant. Bacteria exists in water, soil, organic matter or living plants and animals.

bibliography: A list of books and other source materials about a particular subject or issue of interest.

borough: One of the five geographical parts into which New York City is divided.

breed: To have babies. divided.

call number: Number assigned to a library book, indicating the proper location of that book on the library's shelves.

camouflage: The way something blends in with its surroundings in order to become less noticeable.

cartilage: A material that makes up part of the body of animals. Cartilage is not as hard as bone, and is more flexible. The human nose is made mostly of cartilage.

Castoridae: The family of animals that mark their territory with "castors," small piles of mud mixed with scent from the animals' castor glands. The beaver is a part of this family.

ceramic: An object made from a non-metallic mineral like clay and hardened by firing at a high temperature.

chitin: the hard surface that covers insects and other animals that have exoskeletons. It is similar to a human fingernail.

chordata: All animals with a spinal chord.

circa: A word used to define dates that are approximate: for example, "born circa 1900" is used in place of an exact date when more specific information is not available.

clapboards: Long narrow boards with one edge thicker than the other, overlapped to cover the outer walls of frame houses.

class: A group of people, animals or things that are similar in some way. Mammals are a class of vertebrates that have similar characteristics.

classification: The organization of a large group of things into smaller categories

Coleoptera: The order made up of beetles. Coleoptera means "sheath wing;" beetles' front wings partially cover up their hindwings.

compound eyes: Eyes made up of many parts. They see blurry images, but are better at sensing movement than simple eyes.

curator: Someone who is in charge of collecting, conserving, and interpreting objects for exhibit at a museum, zoo, or other place of exhibition.

Delftware: A kind of ceramic imported from Holland, made in the city of Delft.

Diptera: The order made up of flies. Diptera means "two-wings;" flies only use two wings to fly.

dung: Animal manure.

emboss: To create raised surfaces on an object.

endoskeleton: An internal skeleton consisting mainly of cartilege and bone.

exoskeleton: An external, hard, supporting structure that covers insects and crustaceans (fish with hard shells such as lobsters).

exterior: Outside.

facade: The front of a building.

family: A group of animals or plants that are similar to one another in many ways.

feline: Relating to or resembling a cat.

femur: The thighbone in humans or corresponding part in insects.

fibula: The outer bone of the lower leg (next to the tibula) of most vertebrates.

Formicidae: The family of ants; insects that produce formic acid, a chemical once used to make dye.

fungus: Plants that exist off of other plants such as molds, mildew rush, yeast, bacteria and slime. Fungi have no chlorophyll.

furnishings: Items used to decorate an interior space and make it comfortable, including furniture, tableware, linens, and decorative objects.

fused: Joined.

galleries: Rooms of a museum where artwork or artifacts are displayed.

gastropod: This is the largest class of mollusks, and includes snails and slugs.

genus: A group of animals or plants that are very similar, but cannot mate.

gills: Organs allowing a fish to get oxygen from water. A fish's gills are located on both sides of its body, near the front.

grist mill: A mill used for grinding grain.

habitat: The natural home of a plant or animal.

H-bents: A series of H-shaped structures, forming a framework that supports the walls of a Dutch farm house.

habitat: The natural home of a plant or animal.

hearth: The floor of a fireplace or the area immediately in front of a fireplace.

Hymenoptera: The order made up of wasps, bees and ants. Hymenoptera means "membrane wing;" bees and wasps have very thin, membrane-like wings.

immigrant: someone who moves to another country.

industrialism: The social and economic concept used to identify a society based on industry or technology versus one based on farming.

insect: An invertebrate animal with an exoskeleton made of three main parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. Insects also have six legs, a pair of antennae and wings.

interior: Inside.

invertebrate: An animal that does not have a backbone.

kas: A large cupboard traditionally used in Dutch homes to hold linens and clothing.

kingdom: The most general classification group of living things. There are five kingdoms, into which all living things are divided: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Monera.

knee braces: Short, diagonal supports placed in the upper corners of a house's framework, to help hold up the roof.

landmark: A monument or structure of historic importance.

Lepidoptera: The order made up of moths and butterflies. Lepidoptera means "scale-wing;" their wings are covered in overlapping scales.

lodge: The home of beavers, built from large piles of sticks.

mammal: One of the class of animals that are warm-blooded and (in most cases) have fur or hair on their bodies. Female mammals feed their babies with milk they produce from glands in their bodies.

mandibles: The jaws of some animals. This term usually refers to the jaws of insects.

marsh: An area of low, wet ground, usually with reeds and grasses growing in it.

mate: The male or female of a couple needed for reproduction

mimic: A person or animal that imitates another; or an animal that closely resembles another, usually poisonous, animal. Predators stay away from mimics, thinking they are the poisonous animals they look like.

Mimidae: A family of birds native to North and South America, that can imitate the songs of other birds.

mollusks: A member of a phylum of animals that usually have outer shells and a large muscular foot for digging, swimming, or crawling. Snails, slugs, and clams are examples of mollusks.

nogging: Brick material filled into the walls of a wood-framed house, to keep the house warm.

orb weavers: Spiders that spin round, wagon-wheel-shaped webs.

order: A group of animals or plants that have a few things in common.

Orthoptera: The order made up of grasshoppers and crickets. Orthoptera means "straight-wing."

Osteichthyes: The class of bony fish; animals that are cold-blooded, live in water, and have gills that they breathe through.

Phasmida: The order made up of stick and leaf insects. Phasmid means "illusion;" these insects camouflage themselves among plants.

phylum: The second most general classification group of living things.

polychrome: Having many colors.

predators: Animals that kill other animals for food.

prey: Animals that are killed and eaten by other animals.

Proboscidea: The order of animals that are large, with long, trunk-like noses, flat-soled feet, and long leg bones.

rafters: Beams that form the framework of a roof.

reptile: One of the class of animals that are cold-blooded and covered with scales. Most reptiles lay eggs.

rootlet: A small root; the part of a plant that grows down into the ground to absorb water and minerals, as well as to hold the plant in the ground.

ruins: The remains of something that has become partly or mostly destroyed.

shingle: A thin, oblong piece of material such as wood that is laid in overlapping rows to cover the roofs and sides of houses.

skeleton: A hard framework, internal or external, supporting or protecting the soft tissues and organs of a human, animal or plant.

snipe: A type of shore bird.

solitary: Living or being alone.

species: A group of animals and plants that have many things in common, and are different in at least one other way from all others.

sternum: The breastbone of an animal.

structure: The way in which the parts of a thing are arranged or put together to form the whole.

stylet: A long, thin, hollow, needle-like formation.

suspension bridge: A bridge held up by steel cables that are suspended from towers and anchored on both ends.

textile: Cloth made by weaving.

thorax: The part of an insect between the head and the abdomen; this includes the wings and the legs.

tibula: the inner bone of the lower leg (next to the fibula) of most vertebrates

tract: An area of land.

venom: Poisonous fluid produced by certain snakes, spiders and insects and injected by a bite or sting.

vertebrate: An animal that has a backbone.

Vespidae: A family of wasps. Wasps in this family usually fold their wings lengthwise when they are at rest. "Vespid" means wasp in Latin.

zoology: The study of animals.