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Masked booby

The masked booby (Sula dactylatra) is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. First described by the French naturalist René Lesson in 1831, the species is one of six in the genus Sula. It has a long pointed yellowish bill, long neck, aerodynamic body, long slender wings and pointed tail. The adult is bright white with black wings, a black tail and a dark face mask; at 75 to 85 cm (30 to 33 in) long, it is the largest species of booby. The sexes have similar plumage. The species is not threatened; it ranges across tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific. Nesting takes place in colonies, generally on islands and atolls far from the mainland and close to the deep water required for foraging. Potential and mated pairs engage in courtship and greeting displays. The female lays two chalky white eggs in a shallow depression on flat ground away from vegetation. These birds are spectacular high-speed plunge divers, preying mainly on flying fish. (Full article...)

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December 31: Saint Sylvester's Day (Western Christianity)

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Philip IV of Spain

Philip IV (1605–1665) was King of Spain from 1621 until his death, and also King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. He was a member of the House of Habsburg and the eldest son of Philip III. Much of Philip IV's reign was dominated by the Thirty Years' War, and despite some successes his legacy is characterized by political and military adversity and the ongoing 17th-century decline of Spain as a great power. He is also remembered for his patronage of the arts. This oil-on-canvas portrait of Philip was created by the Spanish Golden Age painter Diego Velázquez, who was the leading artist in the king's court. The work is now in the Frick Collection in New York.

Painting credit: Diego Velázquez

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