ALA 



ALA 



,ti number, 1. A. Cerpitosa; 2. A. flexli- 

 'lens, of which there are two 

 varieties, OIK- with and the other without 

 aiens,- 3. A. truncata : 5. A. inollis ; 6. 

 A. pnrpiirca of Walt: 7. A. praecox. 

 Tlu- iv is an eighth doubtful species, A. 

 acguopoides uf Walt. 



AIZOON, in botany, a genus of the Po- 

 lyandria l'< ntag\ ma: the calyx is a one- 

 jiri-iaiitlnmi : no corolla; the sta- 

 mina havr many capillar\ filaments; the 

 anthers arc simple, the pi.-.; ilium has a 

 five -eornercd germ, the seeds are si- vi-ral : 

 there are ten species, all belonging to 

 the hot climates. 



ALA, in botany, is used in different 



. SOUK -times it denotes the hollow 



between the stalk of a plant and the 



leaves; sometimes it is applied to the 



two side petals of the papilionaceous 



flowers, the upper petal being 1 called the 



vrxillum, and the lo\\ er one the carina ; 



others use it for the slender membrana- 



ceous parts of some seeds, thence said to 



be alated ; and others, again, for the 



membranaceous expansions found on the 



i. !' plants, thence denominated ala- 



-Iks. 



ALABASTER, a well known dcscrip- 

 tion of s' one used by statuaries and others. 

 ft is the sulphate of lime. See CHKMIS- 

 TU> and MINMI M.OCT. 



AL.fc, in anatomy, is sometimes used 

 for Ihe lobes of the fiver, the nymphz of 

 the female pudendum, the two cartilages 

 which form the nostril, the arm-pits, 

 young stems or branches, &c. 



\ I. A Mil t M, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Monogynia class and order : 

 tin- Huiracters of which are, that it has 

 from 6 to 10 linear petals, from 10 to 12 

 stamina; the cah \ dentatrd ; the fmit a 

 spherical berry, single-celled, containing 

 from one to three seeds : there is only 

 one species, vi/. A. punir< us. 



ALATF.1), in botany, an epithet applied 

 to the seed, stem, or leaf-stalk ; a seed is 

 alated, when it has an ala or membrane 

 affixed to it, which, by its Hying, serves to 

 disperse it. The foot stalk of a leaf is 

 alated, when it spreads out tin 

 Mated leaves are those made up of seve- 

 ral pinnated ones. 



.M.AI'DA, fark, in ornithology, a genus 

 f birds of the order of Passeres ; the 

 characters of which are, that the beak is 

 cylindrical, subulate, and s.raight, bend- 

 ing towards the point, the mandiln 

 of equal size, and opening downv. 

 their base ; the tongue is bifid ; and the 

 hinder claw is straighter and long 

 the toe. Pennant adds, that the i 



are covered with feathers or bristles and 

 the toes divided to their origin. There 

 are 33 species, bi notice only 



tu o of them 1. A. arvrnsis, <>r sky-lark, 

 cine characters of which are, that 

 the t\vo outermost quills of its tail are 

 white lengthwise exti rnally, and the in- 

 termediate ones arc ferruginous on the 

 inside : the length is about s- 

 The males of this species are somew h U 

 browner than the females ; tin \ i 

 black collar, and more white on tb 

 their si/.e is larger, and their aspect bold- 

 er; and they exclusively possess the fa- 

 cility of singing. When the femai 

 prcgnated, she forms her lit si 

 two clods of earth, and lines it wi'.h herbs 

 and dry roots, being no less 

 the concealment than to the structure of 

 it. It sometimes build* its nest among 

 corn and in high grass. Each female lays 

 four or five eggs, which are greyish, with 

 brown spots; and the period of herincu- 

 bation is about 15 days. The young may- 

 be taken out of the nest when they are a 

 fortnight old, and they are so hardy, that 

 they may be easily brought up. The pa- 

 rent is very tender of her young; and 

 though she does not always cover them 

 with her wings, she directs their motions, 

 supplies their wants, and guards them 

 from danger. The common food of the 

 young sky -larks is worms, caterpillars, 

 ant's eggs, and even grasshoppe.rs ; and 

 in maturity they live chiefly on seeds, 

 herbage, and all vegetable substances. 

 Those birds, it is said, that are destined 

 for singing, should be caught in October 

 or November ; the males should, as much 

 as possible, be selected : and when they 

 are untractable, they should be pinioned, 

 lest they injure themselves by their vio- 

 lence against the roof of the cage. As 

 they cannot ding by the toes, it is need- 

 le ss to place bars across their cage ; but 

 they should have clean sand at the bottom 

 of it, that they may welter in it, and be 

 relieved from the vermin which torment 

 them. In Flanders, the young ones arc 

 fed with moistened popp nlsoak- 



ed crumbs of bread ; and, when they be- 

 ginto sing, with sheep'sand calves' hearts, 

 hashed with bard eggs; to which an 

 added, wheat, spilt-oats, millet, linseed, 

 and the seeds of poppy and iu-mr. 

 cd in milk. Their capacity of learning to 

 sing is well known ; and so apt tat 

 eoi-k larks, that, after hearing a tune 

 whistled with the pipe, they have caught 

 the whole, and repeal it mo- 

 than any linnet or 

 mer the' lark 



