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Mountain avens is the common name for dwarf, trailing or mat-forming shrubs in genus Dryas of the rose family (Rosaceae).

Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa), most primitive living member of order rodentia. Unlike true beaver, mountain beaver has no close living relative.

The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) is an even-toed, hoofed mammal of the cattle family (Bovidae), derived during the ice ages from the primitive Asiatic goat-antelopes.

The mountain sheep is a highly successful, medium-sized, even-toed mammal (see Artiodactyla) of the cattle family (Bovidae), genus Ovis.

Mouse, common name for several rodents of suborder Myomorpha, 13 species of which are found in Canada.

The term murre refers to 2 species, common murre (Uria aalge) and thick-billed murre (U. lomvia), the largest extant members of the auk family.

Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), large, predaceous, soft-rayed freshwater fish occurring naturally only in eastern North America.

Muskox (Ovibos moschatus), shaggy, horned Artiodactyl of the cattle family (Bovidae); occurs naturally only in Canadian arctic tundra (mainland and Arctic Archipelago), Alaska and in Greenland.

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), fairly large rodent common throughout much of North America

The mussel is a bivalve (hinged shell) mollusc of either the marine order Mytiloida or the freshwater superfamily Unionacea.

See OILSEED CROPS; VEGETABLE; CONDIMENT CROPS.

Associations between PLANT roots and FUNGI are mycorrhizae and are thought to occur on roots of 95% of all SEED PLANTS. They are probably essential to the survival in nature of both partners. The plant derives an enhanced ability to absorb essential minerals and greater resistance to root diseases.

The narwhal, perhaps best known for its spiralled tusk, is a whale living in Canada’s arctic waters.

Canada’s national parks are protected areas established under federal legislation to preserve Canada’s natural heritage. They are administered by Parks Canada, a government agency that evolved from the world’s first national parks service, the Dominion Parks Branch, established in 1911. The National Parks System Plan, developed in 1970, divided Canada into 39 natural regions and set the goal of representing each region with at least one national park. Canada now has 48 national parks and national park reserves in 30 of these regions. In total, the parks cover more than 340,000 km2, which is over 3 per cent of Canada’s landmass. They protect important land and marine habitats, geographical features and sites of cultural significance. National parks also benefit local economies and the tourism industry in Canada. (This is the full-length entry about National Parks of Canada. For a plain-language summary, please see National Parks of Canada (Plain-Language Summary).)

This article was originally published in Maclean’s magazine on June 2, 2003. Partner content is not updated. THIS IS MY medicine cabinet," says Karl Schibli, his ice-blue eyes widening with the excitement of someone about to let a neophyte in on what he already knows. The object of Schibli's focused attention is a red Coleman picnic cooler on a shelf in his barn near Waterford, Ont.