CUL 



CUN 



male on the same root, and that either in 

 the same angle of the leaves, as in the 

 skyos or serpent cucumber; or in differ- 

 ent angles, as in the gourd, and some 

 species of the bryony. 



CUIRASS, a "piece of defensive ar- 

 mour, made of iron plate, well hammer- 

 ed, serving- to cover the body from the 

 neck to the girdle, both before and be- 

 hind. 



CULEX, gnat, in natural history, a ge- 

 nus of insects of the order Diptera. Gene- 

 ric character : mouth consisting of seta- 

 ceous piercers within a flexible sheath ; 

 antenna approximate, filiform. Gmelin 

 enumerates fourteen species. The com- 

 mon gnat of Europe is produced from an 

 aquatic larva of a very singular appear- 

 ance, which, when first hatched from the 

 egg, measures about the tenth part of an 

 inch. The eggs of the gnat are depo- 

 sited in close set groupes of three or four 

 hundred together, and are very small: 

 the whole groupe is placed on the sur- 

 face of the water, close to the leaf or 

 stalk of some water-plant. It feeds on 

 the minute vegetable and animal particles 

 which it finds in plenty on stagnant wa- 

 ters, in which it resides, the head being 

 armed with hooks to seize on aquatic-in- 

 sects, and other kinds of food. When ar- 

 rived at its full growth, it casts its skin, 

 and commences chrysalis. In this state, 

 like the larva from which it proceeded, it 

 is locomotive, springing about in the wa- 

 ter nearly in a similar manner. When 

 ready to give birth to the included gnat, 

 which usually happens in the space of 

 three or four days, it rises to the surface, 

 and the animal quickly emerges from its 

 confinement. Gnats, as is known to every 

 body, are very troublesome in all coun- 

 tries ; but in Lapland, during their short 

 summer, the air is absolutely filled with 

 such swarming myriads, that the poor 

 inhabitants can scarcely venture out, with- 

 out first anointing their hands and faces 

 with a composition of tar and cream, 

 which prevents their attacks. This cir- 

 cumstance is not without its advantages ; 

 as the legions of larvae, which fill the lakes 

 of Lapland, form a delicious and tempting 

 repast to innumerable multitudes of aqua- 

 tic birds, and thus contribute to the sup- 

 port of the very people which they so 

 dreadfully torment. The musquito, of the 

 West Indies and America, is a distinct 

 species from the common European 

 gnat. 



CULMINATION, in astronomy, the 

 passage of any heavenly body over the. 



meridian, or its greatest altitude for that 

 day. 



C ULMU S, in b otany, a straw, or haulm, 

 the proper trunk of grasses, which ele- 

 vates the leaves, flower and fruit. 



CUPHEA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Dodecandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Calyx six-toothed, unequal ; petals six, 

 unequal, inserted into the calyx ; capsule 

 one-celled, with a three-sided follicle. 

 There is but one species. 



CULPRIT, a formal reply of a proper 

 officer in court, in behalf of the king, af- 

 ter a criminal has pleaded not guilty, af- 

 firming him to be guilty, without which 

 the issue to be tried is not joined. After 

 an indictment for any criminal matter is 

 read in court, the prisoner at the bar is 

 asked whether he is guilty, or not guilty, 

 of the indictment ? If he answers, not 

 guilty, there is a replication by the clerk 

 pf the arraignments from the crown, by 

 continuing the charge of the guilt upon 

 him, which is expressed in the word cul- 

 prit. The term culprit is a contraction 

 of the Latin culpabilis, and the old French 

 word prit, now pret, importing that he is. 

 ready to prove the criminal guilty. 



CULTRATE, in natural history, shaped 

 like a pruning knife, 



CULVER1N, in the military art, a large 

 cannon, or piece of artillery. 



CUM1NUM, in botany, a" genus of the 

 Pentandria Digynia class and order. Na- 

 tural order of Umbellatae. Essential cha- 

 racter : involucres four-cleft ; umbellules 

 four ; fruit ovate, striated. There is but 

 one species, viz. C.cyminum cumin. Na- 

 tive of Egypt. 



CUNEIFORM, in natural history, shap- 

 ed like a wedge. 



CUNILA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Piandria Monogynia class and order. Na- 

 tural order of Verticillatae, or Labiatae. 

 Essential character : corolla ringent ; up- 

 per lip erect, flat; filaments two, barren; 

 seeds four. There are four species. One 

 of these, C. pulegioides, is now referred 

 to the genus HEDEOMA. 



CUNNINGHAMIA, in botany, a genus 

 of the Tetrandria Monogynia class and or- 

 der. Essential character : calyx very 

 small, four-toothed; corolla four cleft, 

 with a short tube ; berry crowned with a 

 two-celled two-seeded nut. One species, 

 viz. C. sarmentosa. 



CUNONIA, in botany, so called from 

 Job Christopher Cuno, of Amsterdam ; a 

 genus of the Decandria Digynia class and 

 order. Natural order of Saxifragse, Jus- 

 sieu. Essential character : corolla five.- 



