+.PP
+The \fBTERMINFO\fP variable can contain a terminal description instead
+of the pathname of a terminal database.
+If this variable begins with \*(``hex:\*('' or \*(``b64:\*(''
+then \fBncurses\fP reads a terminal description from
+hexadecimal- or base64-encoded data,
+and if that description matches the name sought, will use that.
+This encoded data can be set using the \*(``\-Q\*('' option of
+\fB@TIC@\fR or \fB@INFOCMP@\fR.
+.PP
+The preceding addresses the usual configuration of \fBncurses\fP,
+which uses terminal descriptions prepared in \fIterminfo\fP format.
+While \fItermcap\fP is less expressive,
+\fBncurses\fP can also be configured to read \fItermcap\fP descriptions.
+In that configuration, it checks the \fBTERMCAP\fP and \fBTERMPATH\fP
+variables (for content and search path, respectively)
+after the system terminal database.