Physical Geography

A´bies. Lat. A fir-tree. Specific name of a tree.

Abyssi´nica. Lat. Abyssinian; belonging or relating to Abyssinia.

Aca´cia. Gr. ake, a point, and akios, not subject to worms: a thorny tree. A genus of the family Leguminósæ and order Mimósæ. About 300 species are enumerated; many of them yield gum.

Aca´cia ara´bica. Arabian acacia.

Aca´cias. Trees belonging to the genus acacia.

A´cid. A term given by chemists to those compound bodies which unite with salifiable bases to form salts: for example, a compound of sulphur and oxygen, called sulphuric acid, unites with magnesia and forms a salt named sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom salts.

Aci´dulous. Sourish; possessing acid properties.

Acrocho´rdi. Lat.: plural of acrochordus.

Acrocho´rdus. From the Greek akrochordon, a wart. A genus of non-venemous ophidians, whose bodies are entirely covered by scales resembling warts: these scales, or rather squamous tubercles, are small, numerous, rhomboidal, and surmounted by a small horn or point, more or less sharp.

Adanso´nia. A genus of plants named in honor of Michel Adanson, a famous French botanist, born in 1727. Adanso´nia digita´ta. Sour gourd. Monkeys’ bread or Baobab tree of Senegal, which is considered the largest or rather the broadest tree in the world. “Several measured by Adanson, were from sixty-eight to seventy-eight feet in circumference, but not extraordinarily high. The trunks were from twelve to fifteen feet high, before they divided into many horizontal branches, which touched the ground at their extremities; these were from forty-five to fifty-five feet long, and were so large that each branch was equal to a monstrous tree; and where the water of a neighboring river had washed away the earth, so as to leave the roots of one of these trees bare and open to the sight, they measured 110 feet long, without including those parts of the roots which remained covered. It yields a fruit which resembles a gourd, and which serves for vessels of various uses; the bark furnishes a coarse thread, which they form into ropes, and into cloth with which the natives cover their middle from the girdle to the knees; the small leaves supply them with food in time of scarcity, while the large ones are used for covering their houses, or, by burning, for the manufacture of good soap. At Sierra Leone this tree does not grow larger than an orchard apple tree.” Loudon.

A´dit. Lat. adeo, I approach. A horizontal shaft or passage in a mine, either for access, or for carrying off water.

Africa´nus. Lat. African; belonging or relating to Africa.

Agallo´chum. From the Gr. aggalomai, to become splendid. A resinous, aromatic wood, burned by the Chinese and Japanese for the sake of its agreeable odour, from the Excæca´ria aggallo´cha. Aloes wood.

A´gamous. From the Gr. a, privative, and gamos, marriage. Having no sex.

A´gate. A name given to all varieties of quartz which have not a vitreous aspect; are compact, semi-transparent, and whose fracture resembles that of wax. Agates are of various colors and admit of a fine polish. According to Theophrastes and Pliny, the name comes from the river Achates in Sicily, now the Drillo, on the banks of which the first agates were found.

Agla´ia. From the Gr. Aglaia, beauty, elegance. A genus of plants, trees or shrubs, of which there are five or six species in the Island of Java. The odora´ta is one.

A´gua. Spanish. Water.

Aira. From the Gr. aira, a tare, cockle weed. A genus of the family of Gramíneæ, or grasses, of the tribe of Avenáceæ. Hair-grass. A. antarctica. Antarctic hair-grass.

Air-plants. A name given to certain parasitic plants which were supposed to be nourished by the air alone, without contact with the soil. There are some species which will live many months suspended by a string in a warm apartment.

Albi´no. Spanish. From the Lat. albus, white. Applied to individuals of the human race, (and extended also to some other animals), who have white hair; the iris, pinkish or very pale; and the eyes unable to bear much light. Albinos are most frequent in the negro race; but it does not seem to be true that there are tribes of Albinos in any part of the world.

Al´bumen. From the Lat. albus, white. A chemical term, applied to an immediate organic principle, which constitutes the chief part of the white of egg. Animal and vegetable albumen are nearly the same in composition.

Al´caline. Having properties of an alkali.

Alchemi´llas or Alchemi´lla. Arabic. A genus of plants of the family Rosáceæ. The A. vulgaris, common ladies’ mantle.

A´lga. Lat. Sea-weed.

A´lgæ. Plural of alga. Name of a sub-class of crytógamous plants, which is subdivided into three families: the Phy´ceæ, or submerged sea-weeds; the Lichens, or emerged sea-weed, and the Byssa´ceæ, or amphibious sea-weeds. The algæ or sea-weeds are ágamous plants which live in the air, on the surface or at the bottom of fresh or salt water; they are remarkable for their cellular or filamentous structure into which no vessels enter.

Alha´gi. Arabic. Genus of plants of the family of Leguminósæ. The alhagi maurorum grows in the deserts of Egypt; a sweet, gummy substance exudes from the bark in form of small yellowish grains, which, it appears, was the manna the Hebrews ate while in the deserts of Arabia Petria.

Al´kali or AL´CALI. A chemical term formerly applied to potash and soda: it now embraces the oxides of potassium, sodium, lithium, barium, strontium and calcium, metals which decompose water at ordinary temperatures and absorb, that is, combine with its oxygen, giving out heat and flame.

A´loe. Name of a genus of plants which includes very many species. The inspissated juice of several of these species constitutes the varieties of the medicine called Soccotrine, Barbadoes aloes, &c.

Allu´vial. Of the nature of alluvium.

Alu´minum or Alumi´nium. From alu´men, alum. The mettaloid which forms the basis of alum; of alumina or pure argil.

Amary´llis. From the Gr. amarusso, to be resplendent. A nymph in ancient mythology. Name of a genus of plants, forming the type of the family of Amaryllídeæ, composed of about sixty species. Generally they are bulbous plants, remarkable for the size and beauty of their flowers.

Amblyrhi´nchus. From the Gr. amblus, obtuse, and rugchos, snout. Name of a genus of iguanian reptiles.

A´methyst. From the Gr. amithustos, not drunk. The ancients gave this name to a stone in which the wine red colour was tempered with violet. A violet variety of hyaline quartz.

Ammo´nia. A colourlous gas of a peculiar, pungent odour. It causes death when respired; and its strong alcaline reaction distinguishes it from all other elastic fluids. It is liberated from all its chemical combinations by the alkalis. Spirits of hartshorn is a solution of this gas.

Ammoni´acal. Of the nature of ammonia.

Am´monite. From the Lat. Ammon, a name of Jupiter. A fossil so called from a supposed resemblance to the horns engraven on the heads of Jupiter Ammon. In certain parts of England called snake-stones. Ammonites are fossil shells, rolled upon the same plane, consisting of a series of separate chambers, like the nautilus.

Amor´phous. From the Gr. a, privative, and morphe, form. Without definite or regular shape.

Ampe´lidæ. Lat. (ampelis), name of a family of birds in the tribe of dentiróstres.

Ampeli´deæ. From the Gr. ampelos, a vine. Name of the family of Phanerógamous plants, which includes the vine.

Amphi´bious. From the Gr. amphibios, two-lived. Having the faculty of living in two elements.

Amphiu´ma. From the Gr. amphi, both, on all sides, and uma, that which has been moistened. A genus of Batrachians in which lungs but no bronchiæ exist through life. Amphiu´ma menop´oma. A kind of Batrachian which resembles the Salamander. It is found in Louisiana.

A´mplitude. In astronomy denotes the angular distance of a celestial body, at the time it rises or sets, from the east or west points of the horizon. It is sometimes used to designate the horizontal distance a projectile reaches when thrown from a gun.

Amy´ris. From the Gr. amuros, not perfumed. A genus of phanerógamous plants, which is the type of the family of Amyri´deæ which is allied to the family of turpentines. Amy´ris gileade´nsis. The Balm of Gilead. Amy´ris kataf. The myrrh tree. Amy´ris opoba´lsamum. The opobalsam, or balsam of Mecca.

Ana´nas. Portuguese. Pine-apple. Genus of the family Bromeliáceæ, and type of the tribe Ananáceæ.

Andro´meda. Mythological name of a constellation. Genus of the family Ericáceæ, and type of the tribe Andromédeæ or Andromedas.

Ange´lica archenge´lica. Garden Angelica. Root and seeds used in medicine as an aromatic stimulant.

Angui´nus. Lat. Of the nature of a snake; belonging or relating to a snake.

Ane´roid Baro´meter. Consists of a cylinder of copper with a very thin and corrugated end, partially exhausted of air and hermetically sealed. The effect of the varying pressure of the atmosphere on the thin end is magnified by a system of levers, so as to affect the index of a dial like that of a watch or clock. This is a French invention, but was patented in England, in the year 1844. See Barómeter.

Anima´lcula. Lat. Animalcule.

Anima´lculæ. Lat. plural of Animálcula.

Anima´lcule. A diminutive animal. A term used to designate animals so small that they cannot be seen by the unassisted eye.

Anisa´tum. Lat. Belonging or relating to aniseed. Specific name of the tree which produces star-aniseed.

Ano´lis. A kind of Saurian, called anoli in the Antilles. Also called, long-toed lizard, or dactyloa.

An´nual. From the Lat. annus, a year. Yearly. A plant which rises from the seed, reaches perfection, and perishes within a year, is termed an annual.

Anta´rctica. Lat. Antarctic.

Antelope monta´na. Mountain Antelope. A. rupicapra. Chamois. A. cervicapra. Common antelope. A. dorcas. Gazelle. A. gazella. Algazel. A. mhorr. Mhorr.

A´nther. From the Gr. anthera, a flowery herb. In botany: the essential part of the stamen. The small yellowish body, compared to a diminutive leaf folded on itself, which crowns the stamen, and in which the pollen is formed.

Antiquo´rum. Lat. Of the ancients.

A´phis. Gr. A plant-louse; a vine-fretter.

A´phides. Plural of aphis.

Apocy´neæ. From the Gr. apo, far from, and knon, dog. Having the virtue of driving away dogs, the plant which kills dogs. Botanical name of a family of plants of which the genus apo´cynum is the type.

A´ptenody´tes. From the Gr. apten, without wings, and dutes, diver. A genus of birds. A´ptenody´tes patagonica. A species of Penguin.

A´pteryx. From the Gr. apteros, without wings. Name of a genus of birds.

Aqueous rocks. Are those formed by deposits from water.

Aquila. Lat. An eagle. Aquila albicilla. The fishing eagle.

Arauca´ria. From Arauco. Name of a department or district of Chile where the first species was seen. Name of a genus of the family of conifers. Arauca´ria excelsa. The Norfolk Island pine.

Arbu´tus. Lat. A shrub. A genus of plants.

Arctoce´phalus. From the Gr. arktos, a bear, kephale, head. Name of a genus of mammals.

Arde´a. Lat. A Heron. Name of a genus of birds. Arde´a helias. The Sun Bird.

A´rea of subsidence. A geological expression used to designate a space which has settled.

Are´ca. Cabbage-tree. A genus of plants of the family of Palmæ. Are´ca catechu. The medicinal or betel-nut palm.

Arena´ceous. From the Lat. arena, sand. Sandy; of the nature of sand.

Argen´teum. Lat. Silvery; relating to silver.

Argenti´ferous. From the Lat. argentum, silver, and fero, I bear. Containing silver.

Argilla´ceous. From the Lat. argilla, clay or argil. Of the nature of clay.

Argonau´ta. Lat. From the Gr. argo, name of a vessel, and nautes, a navigator. Name of a genus of cephalopódous mollusks.

Armadi´llo. Spanish. Diminutive of armado, armed. Name of a mammal of the family of edentáta or edentates.

Aroma´ticus. Lat. Aromatic; spicy.

Ar´senic. A metal of a shining, steel gray colour. Heated in contact with atmospheric air, it rapidly absorbs oxygen, and forms arsenious acid, which is the poison commonly called arsenic, or rat’s bane. Arsenic is found in its metallic state, in the form oxide or arsenious acid, or white arsenic; and combined with sulphur, forming orpiment, and realgar.

Arte´sian. From Artois, name of a province of France where especial attention has been given to a means of obtaining water, which consists in boring vertical perforations of small diameter in the exterior crust of the earth, frequently of great depth. These are termed Artesian wells.

Articula´ta. Lat. From articulus, a joint or articulation. Having joints or articulations.

Ascle´pias. A name of Esculapius. A genus of phanerógamous plants. Ascle´pias giga´ntea. Mudar of the Hindoos. The milky juice is very caustic; the bark of the root as well as the juice are used in medicine by the Asiatics.

Asphode´leæ. Name of a family of phanerógamous plants.

Assi´milate. From the Lat. ad, and similare, to render similar. Assimilation is the act by which living bodies appropriate and transform into their own substance, matters with which they may be placed in contact. In man, assimilation is a function of nutrition.

Asple´niifo´lia. Compound of asplenium, a genus of ferns, and folia, leaves. Having leaves resembling those of the asplénium.

A´ster. From the Gr. aster, a star. A name given to the plant by the Greeks in allusion to the radiate form of the flowers. Name of a genus of plants which forms the type of the asteroides or asters—literally, star-flowers.

Astra´gali. Lat. plural of Astragalus.

Astra´galus. Lat. Name of a genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of leguminósæ.

Atoll. A chaplet or ring of coral, enclosing a lagoon or portion of the ocean in its centre.

Auche´nia. From the Gr. auchenios, belonging to the head or neck. Lat. name of a genus of mammals, the Llama. Also, a genus of coleópterous insects.

Auri´cula. Lat. Little ear. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Primuláceæ.

Auri´ferous. From the Lat. aurum, gold, and fero, I bear. Gold-bearing containing gold.

Aurochs. An alteration of the German Auerochs, wild-bull. Their race is now almost extinct; a few individuals are found in the forests of Lithuania, &c.

Aza´læa. From the Gr. azalea, burned. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Ericáceæ.

Aze´darach. From the Arab. Azadaracht, a name given by Avicenna to a plant.

Baccife´rum. Lat. Compound of bacca, a berry, and fero, I bear. Berry-bearing. Specific name of a plant.

Balance of torsion, or TORSION BALANCE. A machine invented by Coulomb for measuring the intensities of electric or magnetic forces, by establishing an equilibrium between them and the force of torsion.

Balæ´na. Lat. A whale. Name of a genus of mammals, belonging to the order Cetácea. Balæ´na mystece´tus. The common whale. Balæ´nu gibbosa. A kind of whale which has five or six protuberances on its back.

Ban´ksia. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Proteáceæ.

Bao´bab. See Adansonia.

Ba´rium. From the Gr. barus, heavy. A metal obtained from barytes by Sir H. Davy.

Barometer. From the Gr. baros, weight, and metron, a measure. An instrument for measuring the weight of atmospheric air.

Barringto´nia. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Myrtáceæ, and the type of the tribe of Barringtóniæ.

Ba´salt. An Ethiopian word. A black or bluish gray rock, harder than glass, very tenacious, and consequently difficult to break: it is homogenous in appearance although essentially composed of pyroxene and feldspar, with a large proportion of oxide of iron or titanium. Basalt is considered by all geologists to be a product of igneous formation.

Basa´ltic. Belonging or relating to basalt.

Batra´hcian. From the Gr. batrachos, a frog. The name given by naturalists to those reptiles which resemble frogs in their organization. Batrahcians form the fourth order in the class of Reptiles.

Beaufo´rtia. Name of a genus of the family of Myrtáceæ, named in honor of Mary, the Duchess of Beaufort, who encouraged the study of Botany.

Belem´nites. From the Gr. belemnon, a dart. A genus of fossil dibranchiate cephalopods, the shells of which are chambered and perforated by a siphon, but internal. They are long, straight and conical; and commonly called “thunder stones.”

Benjami´na. Lat. Benjamin. A genus of plants; also the specific name of a plant.

Berni´cla. Generic name of a kind of goose, having a short beak. Berni´cla cyana´ptera. The goose of Shoa.

Ber´yl. A mineral allied to the emerald. It is transparent, of a pale green colour, and in Brazil it is sometimes sold under the name of emerald.

Bete´l. The leaf of the betel or Siriboa pepper.

Be´tula. Lat. Birch. Name of a genus of plants. Be´tula nana. Dwarf birch.

Betulöides. From betula, a birch-tree, the Gr. eidos, resemblance. Specific name of a plant.

Bigno´nia. A genus of plants named in honor of the Abbey Bignon, the Librarian of Louis XIV.

Bis´muth. From the Germ. Wismuth. A brittle, yellowish white metal.

Bi´tumen. A combustible mineral, composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Bixa Orleana. A plant which produces a colouring matter, called annotto.

Boa. Name of a genus of non-venemous reptiles.

Bohea. Specific name of a tea-plant.

Bombax. From bombux, one of the Greek names of cotton. A genus of plants of the family Malváceæ. Bombax heptaphyllum. A kind of cotton-tree. Bombax ceiba. The cotton-wood tree, much valued for making canoes.

Bonduc. A synonym of the Guilandina. Specific name of a plant.

Bora´cic acid. An acid obtained from borax, consisting of boron and oxygen.

Bora´ssus. From the Gr. borassos, a date. A genus of the family of Palms. Borassus flabelliformus. The fan-leaved palm.

Bo´rate. The salt resulting from a combination of boracic acid and a salifiable base, as the borate of soda.

Bo´rax. Tinkal. A natural compound of soda and boracic acid.

Boron. A simple or undecomposable substance, the basis of boracic acid and borax.

Bori´chthys. From the Fr. borgne, one-eyed or blind, and the Gr. ichthus, a fish.

Borragi´niæ. Name given by Jussieu to a group of plants.

Borrer´ia. From Borrera, name of a man. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Rubiáceæ.

Boswe´llia. A genus named in honor of Dr. John Boswell. Boswellia serrata. The olibanum tree.

Botany. From the Gr. botane, plant. The branch of natural history which embraces the knowledge and study of plants.

Botanic. Belonging or relating to botany.

Bos. Lat. An ox. A genus of ruminating mammals, embracing several species. Bos aurus. The Urus. Bos caffer. Cape buffalo. Bos bubalus. Common buffalo. Bos Americanus. The Bison. Bos moschatus. The Musk ox. Bos gruniens. The Yak.

Boulders, or Bowlders. Rounded masses of stone lying upon the surface or loosely imbedded in the soil.

Boulder formation, or Erratic block formation. A geological term applied to a part of the diluvial drift. See Ruschenberger’s Natural History.

Brac´teæ. Lat. Bracts. Floral leaves, different in colour from other leaves.

Bras´sica. Lat. Cabbage.

Breccia. Italian. A rock composed of an agglutination of angular fragments. When the fragments are rolled pebbles, it constitutes a conglomerate rock, called pudding stone.

Brevise´tum. Lat. Brevis, short, and setum, a bristle. A specific name.

Brexia. From the Gr. brexis, rain: in allusion to the protection from rain afforded by its ample foliage. A genus of plants of the family of Brexiáceæ.

Bubo. Lat. An owl. A specific as well as generic name. Bubo maximus. A kind of owl.

Bu´fo. Lat. A toad. Bufo Agua. A Brazilian toad.

Bupha´ga. Lat. From the Gr. bous, an ox, and phago, I eat. A genus of birds, which includes the African beef-eater.

Bursa. Lat. A sack, a purse or pouch.

Bu´tea. A genus of the family of Papillionáceæ, named in honor of John, Count of Bute, a cultivator of botanic science. Butea frondosa yields a gum (butea) which has been confounded with Kino.

Cac´ti. Lat. Plural of cactus.

Cac´tus. From the Gr. kaktos, spiny plant. Name of a genus of the family of Cactáceæ. Cactus coccine´llifer. The cochineal cactus. Cactus opuntia. Indian fig.

Caca´lia. Name of a genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Compósitæ. Several species are useful as condiments.

Cachalot, or Cachelot. Fr. Name of the spermaceti whale. Used to designate a variety of the order of cetáceans, which has teeth in both jaws.

Coccine´llifer. From coccinella (the diminutive of the Lat. coccinus, crimson,) a genus of coleopterous insects, and fero, I bear. A specific name.

Cad´mium. A white metal, much like tin. Its ores are associated with those of zinc. Discovered in 1818.

Ca´ducous. From the Lat. cado, I fall. In Botany when a part is temporary, and soon disappears or falls off, it is said to be caducous.

Cæci´liæ. From the Lat. cæcus, blind. A tribe of Batrachians.

Cæespito´sa. Lat. From cæspes, turf or sod. Belonging or relating to turf.

Cafeine. Fr. In chemistry the name of the proximate principle of coffee.

Ca´lamus. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Palms. Ca´lamus draco. An East Indian plant which yields an astringent substance called Dragon’s blood. Ca´lamus rotan The rattan plant.

Calca´reous. From the Lat. calx, calcis, lime. Belonging to or relating to lime. Calcareous rocks are those of which lime forms a principal part.

Calceola´ria. From the Lat. calceolus, a little shoe. A remarkable genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Scrophulariáceæ.

Cal´cium. From the Lat. calx, calcis, lime. A metal discovered by Sir H. Davy in 1807, which united with oxygen forms oxide of calcium or lime.

Callitri´che. From the Gr. kallithrix, having luxuriant hair. A genus of aquatic plants. Also the name of a genus of American monkeys.

Calo´ric. From the Lat. caleo, I am warm. The term used by chemists to designate the matter of heat.

Calori´fic. Belonging or relating to caloric.

Calyca´nthus. From the Gr. kalux, a calyx, and anthos, flower. A genus of the family of Calycantháceæ.

Calyp´tomene. From the Gr. kaluptos, concealed, and meno, I remain. Name of a genus of birds.

Cam´brian system. From Cambria in Wales. A name given by geologists to the lowest sedimentary rocks, characterized by fossil remains of animals, lowest in the scale of organization, such as corallines, &c. It is also called the Schistose system, on account of its slaty nature.

Camel´lia. A genus of the family of Aurantiáceæ, named in honor of Kamel, a botanist. It contains the tea plants. Came´llia sasanqua. Lady Bank’s Camellia. Came´llia odorifera. Sweet smelling Camellia.

Campa´nula. From the Lat. campana, a bell, from the shape of its corolla. A genus of phanerógamous plants of the family of Campanuláceæ, of which it is the type. 182 species are described.

Camphorósma. From the Lat. camphora, camphor, and the Gr. osme, odour. A genus of plants of the family of Chenopodáceæ.

Campho´ra. Lat. Camphor. Belonging or relating to camphor.

Canarie´nsis. Lat. Belonging or relating to the Canary islands.

Candela´brum. Lat. A candlestick.

Ca´nine. From the Lat. canis, a dog. Teeth which resemble those of a dog are so called; the canine teeth of the upper jaw in man are commonly called the eye-teeth.

Caou´tchouc. Gum elastic; India-rubber, a substance obtained from the Jatropha elastica, the Ficus indica and the Urceola elastica.

Cape´nsis. Lat. Belonging or relating to the Cape of Good Hope.

Caraga´na. A genus of plants of the family of Papilionáceæ.

Car´bon. From the Lat. carbo, charcoal. A chemical element or undecomposed body. The diamond is pure carbon. It is the basis of anthracite, and of all the varieties of mineral coal, and is one of the principal constituents of all organic bodies.

Carbo´nic acid. A compound of carbon and oxygen.

Car´bonate. Any compound of carbonic acid and a salifiable base, as carbonate of lime, carbonate of soda.

Carboni´ferous. From the Lat. carbo, coal, fero, I bear, coal-bearing; containing carbon. In geology the term is applied to those strata which contain coal, and to the period when the coal measures were formed.

Cardamine. Gr. Name of a plant. A genus of the family of crucíferæ. Lady’s smock. Cardamine hirsuta. Hairy Cardamine.

Cardui. Lat. Genitive case of carduus, a thistle. Specific name of a butterfly.

Carni´vora. From the Lat. caro, carnis, flesh, and voro, I eat. Name of a family of Mammals.

Cartila´ginous fishes. A term used to designate that division of the class of fishes which includes only those having cartilaginous instead of bony skeletons.

Caryo´phyllus. Lat. A garden pink. A genus of plants of the family of caryophy´lleæ. Caryo´phyllus aroma´ticus. The clove-tree.

Caryo´ta. A genus of Palms of equatorial Asia. The caryota urens derives its specific name from a burning sensation its fruit imparts when eaten.

Ca´spia. Lat. Belonging or relating to the Caspian Sea.

Cas´sia. From the Gr. kassia, cinnamon. A genus of plants of the family of Papilionáceæ. The genus contains more than 300 species.

Ca´stanospe´rrnum. From the Gr. kastanon, chestnut, and sperma, fruit. A genus of the family of Papilionáceæ.

Casuari´næ. A family of plants separated from that of the cónifers. The casuari´næ are found in New Holland, and in India, and are remarkable for the absence of leaves.

Cata´lpa. A genus of plants of the family of the Bignoniáceæ.

Cat´echu. An astringent extract, used in medicine.

Cat’s eye. A beautiful silicious mineral, penetrated by fibres of asbestos, which, when polished, reflects an effulgent, pearly light, much resembling the mutable reflections from the eye of a cat.

Caule´rpa. From the Gr. kaulos, a stem, and erpo, I creep. A genus of algæ of the family of Zoosper´meæ. There are about 35 species of caulérpa, which inhabit equatorial seas. The caule´rpa proli´fera belongs to the Mediterranean.

Ca´via. Genus of mammals of the family of rodents, including the guinea-pig.

Ce´bus. Lat. Name of a genus of monkeys; the marmoset.

Cecro´pis. A genus of birds.

Cedre´la. Genus of plants of the family of Cedreláceæ.

Cei´ba. Synonym of Bombax, cotton. Specific name of a kind of cotton.

Centa´urea. A genus of plants of the family of Synanthéreæ Cyanáreæ and type of the tribe of Centaúrieæ.

Cerati´tes. From the Gr. keratetes, horned. A generic name of certain insects.

Cerato´des. From the Gr. keratodes, formed of horns. A genus of mollusks.

Cer´eal. From the Lat. Ceres, corn. Applied to grasses which produce the bread corns; as wheat, rye, barley, oats, rice, &c.

Cerea´lia. Lat. Name of a tribe of grasses.

Cereo´psis. From the Gr. keros, wax, and opsis, aspect. A genus of birds of the order of palmípedes and family of lamelliróstres. It is marked by a wax-like membrane on the beak. Cereopsis striata. A kind of goose.

Ce´rium. Named after the planet Ceres. A white brittle metal discovered in 1803, by Hisinger and Berzelius.

Cer´thia. Latin. Name of a genus of passerine birds, commonly called creepers.

Cer´vus. Latin. A stag. A genus of mammals.

Ceta´cea. From the Gr. ketos, a whale. A genus of pisciform mammals that have fins in place of feet, and inhabit the sea. Name of an order of aquatic mammals.

Chalk. Earthy carbonate of lime.

Chambered shells. A term used to designate those shells of mollusks which are divided internally into cells or chambers by partitions.

Cham´ærops. From the Gr. chamai, on the ground, and rops, a brush. Name of a genus of palms. Chamærops humilis. The dwarf fan palm.

Cheiro´ptera. From the Gr. cheir, hand, and pteron, a wing; signifying the hand has become a wing. Name of a family of mammals, including the bats.

Cheiros´temon. From the Gr. cheir, hand, and stemon, filament. A genus of plants of the family of Sterculiáceæ, and tribe of bombáceæ.

Chelo´nian. From the Gr. chelone, a tortoise. Applied to reptiles resembling tortoises.

Chel´ydæ. From the Gr. chelus, a tortoise. A tribe of reptiles of the family Emy´des.

Chlam´yphore. From the Gr. chlamus, a cloak, and phero, I bear. A genus of mammals of the tribe of armadillos.

Chlena´ceæ. From the Gr. chlaina, a cloak. A tribe of plants, native in Madagascar.

Chloa´nthes. From the Gr. chloros, greenish yellow, and anthos, flower. A genus of plants of the family of chloantháceæ.

Chlori´tic. From the Gr. chloros, green. Belonging or relating to chlorite, an earthy mineral found in the cavities of slate rocks.

Chrome, Chro´mium. From the Gr. chroma, colour. A whitish brittle metal, discovered by Vauquelin in 1797. In union with oxygen it forms chromic acid.

Cichora´ceæ. From the Gr. kichore, chichory. A tribe of plants of the family of Compósitæ.

Ci´rri. Plural of cirrus.

Ci´rro-cumulus. A sondercloud; a kind of cloud. The cirro-cumulus is intermediate between the cirrus and cumulus, and is composed of small well defined masses closely arranged.

Ci´rro-stratus. A wanecloud. The cirro-stratus, intermediate between the cirrus and stratus, consists of horizontal masses separated into groups, with which the sky is sometimes so mottled as to suggest the idea of resemblance to the back of a mackerel.

Ci´rrus. Lat. A tendril. A kind of cloud. Applied to certain appendages of animals; as the beard from the end and sides of the mouth of certain fishes. The cirrus cloud consists of fibres or curling streaks which diverge in all directions. It occupies the highest region, and is frequently the first cloud which is seen after a continuance of clear weather.

Ci´stus. A genus of plants of the family of cistáceæ.

Cla´rkia. Proper name. A genus of plants of the tribe of epilóbiæ.

Clay-slate. A rock which resembles clay or shale, but is generally distinguished by its structure; the particles having been re-arranged, and exhibiting what is called slaty cleavage. It is one of the metamorphic rocks.

Clayto´nia. A genus of plants of the family of Portuláceæ-calandríneæ.

Cleavage. The mechanical division, the laminæ of rocks and minerals, to show the constant direction in which they may be separated.

Clerode´ndron. From the Gr. kleros, accident, and dendron, tree. In allusion to its accidental effects in medicine. A genus of plants of the family of Verbenáceæ-Lantáneæ.

Coal measures. The geological formation in which coal is found.

Co´balt. From the Germ. kobold, a devil, A brittle metal of a reddish gray colour. Its ores are always associated with arsenic.

Cobra capello. Portu. cobra, snake, and capello, a cawl or hood. Hood snake, a venomous serpent.

Coca. Quechua or aboriginal Peruvian word. Specific name of the genus Erythróxylum.

Coccine´lla. From the Gr. kokkinos, scarlet. A genus of coleopt´erous insects: commonly called Lady birds.

Coc´cus. From the Gr. kokkos, a seed which dyes scarlet. A genus of insects of the order Hemíp´tera. Coccus lacca. A species of cochineal insect. Coccus ilicus. Green oak cochineal.

Co´cos. Gr. A genus of palms; the cocoanut. Cocos olera´cia. The oil cocoanut.

Codi´um. From the Gr. kodion, a fleece. A genus of plants of the tribe siphóneæ. Codium bursa and Codium flabelliforme are species.

Colo´bus. From the Gr. kolobos, mutilated. A genus of monkeys which belong to the old world. Colobus comosus. A hairy monkey.

Colu´briform. From the Lat. coluber, a serpent, an adder, and forma, shape. Adder-shape.

Colum´ba. Lat. A pigeon. A genus of birds. Columba migrato´ria. Wild pigeon.

Colum´bium. A metal discovered in a mineral found in Massachusetts by Mr. Hachett, in 1801.

Colu´mnar. In the form of columns.

Combu´stion. The combination of two bodies accompanied by the extrication of heat and light. When a body rapidly combines with oxygen, for example, with a disengagement of heat and light, it is said to undergo combustion.

Comparative Anatomy. The comparative study of the various parts of the bodies of different animals.

Compo´site. A family of monopetalous plants.

Conductor. Those substances which possess the property of transferring caloric or heat, and electricity, are termed conductors of heat or caloric, and conductors of electricity.

Confe´rvæ. Tribe of plants of the family of Zóospérmeæ. It includes many sea-weeds.

Con´gener. From the Lat. con, with, and genus, race. Species belonging to the same genus, are termed congeners.

Conglo´merate. From the Lat. conglomero, I heap together. Any rock composed of pebbles cemented together by another mineral substance, either calcareous, silicious or argillaceous.

Co´nifer. From the Lat. conus, a cone, and fero, I bear. A tree or plant which bears cones, such as pines, fir-trees, &c.

Coni´feræ. A family of plants which includes the conifers.

Co´ral. From the Gr. koreo, I ornament, and als, the sea. The hard calcareous support formed by certain polypi.

Cora´lline. Belonging or relating to coral.

Coralli´neæ. The corallines, a tribe of calciferous polypi.

Coreo´psis. From the Gr. koris, a bug, and opsis, aspect. A genus of plants.

Cor´dia. A genus of plants of the family of Cordiáceæ. It contains about 150 species.

Coria´ceous. From the Lat. corium, the hide of a beast. Leathery.

Coro´na. Lat. A crown. A genus of plants.

Coro´næ. Plural of corona.

Coru´ndum. A crystallized or massive mineral of extreme hardness, almost opaque, and of a reddish colour. It is allied to the sapphire, and is composed of nearly pure alúmina.

Cot´tus. A genus of fishes.

Coty´ledon. From the Gr. katuledon, a seed-lobe.

Cotyle´donous. Belonging or relating to a cotyledon or seed lobe.

Cra´ter. Lat. A great cup or bowl. The mouth of a volcano.

Crate´riform. In form of a crater.

Crateri´ferous. Containing craters.

Creta´ceous. From the Lat. creta, chalk. Of the nature of chalk, relating to chalk.

Crinoi´deæ. From the Gr. krinon, a lily, and eidos, resemblance. A family of radiate animals.

Crop out. When a rock, in place, emerges on the surface of the earth, it is said to crop out.

Cro´ton. A genus of plants of the family of Euphorbiáceæ.

Crucife´ræ. From the Lat. crux, crucis, a cross, and fero, I bear. A family of plants which have flowers in form of a Maltese cross.

Cru´ciform. In shape of a cross.

Crusta´cea. From the Lat. crusta, a crust. A class of articulated animals.

Crusta´cean. An animal of the class of crustacea; a crab.

Cryptoga´mia. From the Gr. kruptos, concealed, and gamos, marriage. A class of plants, which are propagated without apparent seeds.

Cryto´gamous. Belonging or relating to crytogámia.

Crypto´nyx. From the Gr. kruptos, concealed, and onux, a nail. A genus of birds; also, a genus of insects.

Cryst´al. From the Gr. krustallos, ice. This term was originally applied to those beautiful transparent varieties of silica or quartz known under the name of rock-crystal. When substances pass from the fluid to the solid state, they frequently assume those regular forms which are generally termed crystals. A crystal is any inorganic solid of homogeneous structure, bounded by natural planes and right lines, symmetrically arranged.

Crys´talline. Relating to, or resembling crystals.

Crystalliza´tion. The process by which crystals are formed.

Cucife´ra Thebai´ca. A palm of Egypt which grows to the height of 20 feet. Also known as the genus Hyphæne, from the Gr. Huphaino, I entwine. A fan-leaf palm of the tribe of Borassíneæ.

Cu´culus. Lat. A cuckoo. A genus of passerine birds.

Cu´lex. Lat. A gnat. A genus of insects of the family of Dip´tera, and type of the tribe of Culícides: culex pipiens, the common gnat.

Cu´muli. Plural of cumulus.

Cu´mulo-stra´tus. Twain cloud: it partakes of the appearance of the cumulus and stratus.

Cu´mulus. A form of cloud. A convex aggregate of watery particles, increasing upwards from a horizontal base, and assuming more or less of a conical figure.

Cur´videns. Lat. Curvus, bent, and dens, tooth. Having a bent tooth.

Cuspa´ria. A genus of plants, named after the tree which yields the Angustura bark.

Cyanap´tera. From the Gr. kuanos, blue, and pteron, wing. A specific name.

Cyaneroi´des. From the Gr. kuanos, blue, and eidos, resemblance. A family of medusæ.

Cy´cas. A genus of plants, the type of the family cycádeæ. Cycas revoluta. Narrow-leaved cycas.

Cyca´deæ. A family of plants allied to the cónifers.

Cycada´ceous. Belonging or relating to the cycádeæ.

Cy´clas. From the Gr. kuklos, a circle. A genus of gasteropods.

Cygnus. Lat. A swan. A genus of birds. Cygnus musicus. The whistling swan.

Cynoce´phalus. From the Gr. kuon, a dog, and kephale, head. A genus of mammals. Dog headed monkey or baboon.

Cypera´ceæ. Name of a family of herbaceous plants.

Cyp´ræa. From the Gr. kupris, Venus. A cowry. A genus of mollusks. Cypræa moneta. The money cowry.

Cypri´nidæ. From the Gr. kuprinos, a carp. Name of a family of fishes.

Cystosei´riæ. From the Gr. kustis, a vesicle, and seira, a chain. A tribe of sea-weeds.

Dac´tylis. From the Gr. daktulos, a finger. A genus of the family of Gramíneæ. Dactylis cæspitosa. Tussock grass.

Dahlia. After Dahl, a Swedish botanist. Genus of plants of the family of Compósitæ.

Dalbe´rgia. After Dalberg, a Swedish botanist. A genus of plants of the family of Papilionáceæ, and of the tribe of Dalbergiæ.

Daman. Alteration of the Arabic word Ghannem, the name of an animal. Specific name of a mammal.

Danais. Genus of plants of the family of Rubiáceæ.

Daph´ne. A genus of plants of the family Daphnáceæ.

Darwi´nii. The name of Darwin latinized. Belonging or relating to Darwin.

Dasy´uridæ. From the Gr. dasus, thick, hairy, and oura, tail. A family of mammals.

Debris. Fr. Wreck, ruins, remains. In geology the term is applied to large fragments, to distinguish them from detritus, or those which are pulverized.

Deci´duous. From the Lat. decido, I fall off. Applied to plants whose leaves fall off in autumn, to distinguish them from evergreens.

Dec´lination of any celestial body, is the angular distance of the body, north or south, from the equator.

Deinothe´rium. From the Gr. deinos, terrible, and thereion, wild beast. A genus of fossil pachyderms.

Delesse´riæ. Proper name. Tribe of plants of the family of Flori´deæ.

Delphi´nus. Lat. Dolphin. A genus of aquatic mammals.

Del´ta. The Gr. letter Δ. The triangular deposits, shoals or islands, at the mouths of rivers are called deltas.

Del´toid. From the Gr. letter Δ and eidos, resemblance. Resembling the letter delta.

Denuda´tion. From the Lat. denudo, I strip. A removal of a part of the land, so as to lay bare the inferior strata.

Deoda´r. A kind of pine tree.

De´position. From the Lat. depono, I let fall. In geology the falling to the bottom of matters suspended or dissolved in water.

Devonian system. So called because it is largely developed in Devonshire, England. It is synonymous with the old red sand formation. It is composed at first of pudding stone, and then passes into sandstone, with which it alternates at different places.

De´tinens. Lat. Detaining; that which has the power to detain.

De´tritus. A geological term applied to deposits composed of various substances which have been comminuted by attrition. The larger fragments are usually termed debris; those which are pulverized, as it were, constitute detritus. Sand is the detritus of silicious rocks.

Diamagnetic. If a bar of iron be suspended between the poles of an electro-magnet, it will be attracted by both poles on the line of force. But if a bar of bismuth be suspended in the same manner, it will be repelled by both poles, and rest at right angles to the line of force. Substances which are attracted by both poles of an electro-magnet are said to be magnetic, and those which are repelled by both poles are termed diamagnetic.