Nechako \ni-'cha-ko\ River River, central British Columbia, Canada. The major tributary of the Fraser River, it flows east for nearly 150 mi (240 km). The Stuart River, a tributary 258 mi (415 km) long, joins it between Fort Fraser and Prince George, where it parallels the Canadian National Railway. In 1952 the Nechako was bisected by Kenney Dam, which created a reservoir whose overflow generates electricity.
Neckar River Vne-kar\ River, southwestern Germany. It rises in the Black Forest near the headwaters of the Danube River and is 228 mi (367
km) long. It flows north and northeast, passing Stuttgart. Its picturesque valley becomes broader and deeper, passing hills crowned by feudal castles. It flows past Heidelberg and enters the Rhine River at Mannheim.
Necker \na-'ker, 'ne-korV, Jacques (b. Sept. 30, 1732, Geneva, Switz.—d. April 9, 1804, Coppet) Swiss-born French financier and director-general of finance under Louis XVI. He became a banker in Paris, and, after becoming wealthy from speculating during the Seven Years’ War, he was appointed minister of Geneva in Paris (1768). He retired from banking in 1772 and became France’s director-general of finance in 1777. Despite his cautious reforms, he was forced to resign in 1781 over oppo¬ sition to his scheme to help finance the American Revolution. He was recalled in 1788 to rescue the almost bankrupt France, and he proposed financial and political reforms that included a limited constitutional mon¬ archy. Opposition from the royal court led to Necker’s dismissal on July 11, 1789, an event that provoked the storming of the Bastille. After serv¬ ing again briefly (1789-90), he retired to Geneva. Germaine de Stael was his daughter.
necropolis \ni-'kra-p3-bs\ (Greek: “city of the dead”) Extensive and elaborate burial place serving an ancient city. The locations of these cem¬ eteries varied. Many in Egypt, such as the necropolis of western Thebes, were situated across the Nile River opposite the cities. In Greece and Rome a necropolis often lined the roads leading out of town. A necrop¬ olis was discovered in the 1940s under St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.
nectarine Smooth-skinned peach (Prunus persica ‘nectarina’), grown throughout warmer temperate regions. They result when some peaches self-pollinate or are crossed so that they express a genetic factor for smooth skin. Nectarines are com¬ monly eaten fresh or cooked in des¬ serts and jams; they are a good source of vitamins A and C.
Needham, John Turberville
(b. Sept. 10, 1713, London, Eng.—d.
Dec. 30, 1781, Brussels, Belg.) Brit¬ ish naturalist. He was a Roman Catholic priest, whose reading about microscopic organisms led him to study natural history in London and Paris (1746-49). He became a strong supporter of the theory that life arose from inorganic matter (spontaneous generation) and that life processes cannot be explained by the laws of chemistry and physics (vitalism). In 1750 he presented his theory of spontaneous generation and attempted to offer scientific evidence supporting it.
needle Basic implement used in sewing or embroidering and, in vari¬ ant forms, for knitting and crocheting. The sewing needle is small, slen¬ der, and rodlike. One end is sharply pointed to make passing it through fabric easy; the other end has a slot (called an eye) to carry a thread. Mod¬ ern sewing needles are made of steel. Crocheting needles are eyeless and have a hook on one end; they are usually of steel or plastic. Knitting needles are long, made of various materials, and bluntly pointed at one or both ends, sometimes with a knob at the end opposite the point.
needlefish Any of about 60 species (family Belonidae) of primarily marine, edible, carnivorous fishes found throughout temperate and tropi¬ cal waters. Needlefish are adept jumpers and have a long, slender jaw with sharp teeth. They are long, slim, and silvery, with a blue or green back. The largest species grows to 4 ft (1.2 m) long. The garfish (Belone belone) occurs in Europe, and the houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus ) is found everywhere in the tropics.
needlepoint Type of embroidery in which the stitches are counted and worked with a needle over the threads, or mesh, of a canvas foundation. It was known as canvas work until the early 19th century. If the canvas has 16 or more mesh holes per linear inch, the embroidery is called petit point; most needlepoint was petit point in the 16th-18th century. Needlepoint as it is known today originated in the 17th century, when the fashion for fur¬ niture upholstered with embroidered fabrics prompted the development of a more durable material to serve as the embroidery’s foundation. Wool is generally used for needlepoint, silk yarn less often. Needlepoint kits, con-
Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nectar¬ ina)
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taining canvas stamped with a design and all the materials needed for the project, were sold as early as the mid-18th century. See also bargello.
Nefertiti \,ne-f3r-'te-te\ (fl. 14th century bc) Queen of Egypt and wife of Akhenaton (r. 1353-36 bc). She is known from her portrait bust found at Tell el-Amarna, the king’s new capital. She may have been an Asian princess from Mitanni. She appears with Akhenaton in reliefs at Tell el-Amama and followed his new cult of the sun god Aton. Of her six daughters, two became queens of Egypt. In the 12th year of Akhenaton’s reign, Nefertiti either retired after losing favour or died.
Negev Vne-,gev\ or Ha-Negev
Desert region, southern Israel.
Bounded by the Sinai Peninsula and the Jordan Rift Valley, it has an area of about 4,700 sq mi (12,200 sq km).
It was a pastoral region in biblical times and an important source of grain for the Roman Empire. After the Arab conquest of Palestine (7th century ad), it was left desolate, and for more than 1,200 years it had only a small population of Bedouin. Mod¬ ern agricultural development began with three KiBBUTZim in 1943; others were founded after World War II (1939—45), when irrigation projects were initiated. Assigned to Israel in the partition of Palestine in 1948, it was the scene of clashes between Israeli and Egyptian forces in 1948—
It is the site of many preplanned Israeli settlements, including the port city of Elat, Israel’s outlet to the Red Sea. Beersheba is an important administrative centre. The region produces grain, fruit, and vegetables; mineral resources include potash, bromine, and copper.
negligence In law, failure to exercise the degree of care expected of a person of ordinary prudence in protecting others from a risk of harm. It may render one civilly and sometimes criminally liable for resulting injuries. The doctrine of negligence does not require the elimination of all risk, but rather only foreseeable and unreasonable risk. Thus a higher standard applies to explosives manufacturers than to manufacturers of kitchen matches. The plaintiff must ordinarily prove the defendant’s negligence with a preponderance of evidence. See also contributory negligence.
negotiable instrument Transferable document (e.g., a bank note, check, or draft) containing an unconditional promise or order to pay a specified amount to its holder upon demand or at a specified time. In the U.S., the Uniform Commercial Code governs negotiable instruments.
Negritude \na-gre-'tmd\ Literary movement of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. It began among French-speaking African and Caribbean writers liv¬ ing in Paris as a protest against French colonial rule and the policy of assimilation. Its leading figures— Leopold Senghor of Senegal, Aime Cesaire of Martinique, and Leon Damas (1912-78) of French Guiana—began to examine Western values critically and to reassess African culture. The group believed that the value and dignity of African traditions and peoples must be asserted, that Africans must look to their own heritage for val¬ ues and traditions, and that writers should use African subject matter and poetic traditions. The movement faded in the early 1960s after its objec¬ tives had been achieved in most African countries.