CHLOROPHYLLITK. 



CHOXDHOPTEKYtill. 



substance U, but it i* cerUin that it murt be one which u diffused 

 throughout the plant like starch ; hence it in probably protein, which 

 U changed into a most beautiful violet-coloured substance by the 

 influence of hydrochloric acid and oxygen." 



At one time it wa supposed that the possession of Chlorophyle was 

 characterictic of the vegetable kingdom. The following remarks 

 however of SchulU, in the 'Comptes Rendues' for May 1852, would 

 mm to indicaU) that the green colouring-matter of some animal* 

 closely approaches that of plant*. He enumerate! several animal* of 

 a green colour which are common in ditches and marshes, such <u 

 Hydra rirulu, several green Turbdlariea, Vortex riridit, Mrtotonium 

 nriilatum, and Ittrottomum circum, and also several green Infutoria, 



1 a* fittnlor polymorpMta, Opkrydittm renatile, and hurtaria rrrnali*. 

 The colour in these animals is afforded by minute green globules, about 

 O'Oltj inch in diameter, which are situated under the integument in 

 the parenchyma of the animals. They are perfectly spherical, and 

 exhibit within the green substance an extremely minute* col 

 and homogeneous nucleus; or they may consist of several minute 

 green globules, grouped together in a mulberry form. In this latter 

 case they arise from the division of a homogeneous vesicle. This greek 

 colouring substance i not altered by dilute acids or alkaline solutions, 

 1>\ which it iii distinguished from the green colouring-matter of 

 several Alga, which according to Niigeli is changed into yellow, 

 orange, or red by the same reagents. Concentrated sulphuric and 

 muriatic acids dissolve the colouring-matter : the solution is of a 

 beautiful green or bluish-green colour, unchanged by the action of 

 ii- .1' : it is also dissolved by a concentrated solution of potass, by 

 ammonia, alcohol, and ether, the colour precisely resembling that of 

 a solution of Chlorophyle. Its development also is influenced in the 

 same way as that of vegetable Chlorophyle by light ; but animals con- 

 taining it do not evolve oxygen, and the author thence concludes that 

 the evolution of that gas is not solely dependent upon the Chlorophyle 

 in plants. In Vortex riridit the minute green globules, owing to 

 their mutual compression, assume a hexagonal form ; the green com- 

 partments thus formed are separated by an interstitial colourless sub- 

 stance. The existence of a colourless membrane around each vesicle 

 may thence be deduced. This fact is further demonstrated in ve.-k -K -s 

 the green matter of which only partially fills the globular cavity. 



With respect to the chemical composition of the membrane and of 

 the nucleus of the vesicles in Vurlt.r riritli.i, the results of the author's 

 researches are limited to the following facts : the solution of potass, 

 and of ammonia and sulphuric acid, after the extraction of the 

 colouring-matter, causes the membrane to swell out, in which the 

 nucleus can no longer be recognised. The membrane becomes pule, 

 and finally disappears entirely, but especially so after long boiling. 

 Acetic and chromic acids and alcohol do not affect the membrane and 

 the nucleus. By solution of iodine the vesicle is coloured brown, the 

 nucleus becomes more distinct, bat it* colour is unaltered. It cannot 

 consequently be assimilated to the nucleus of the vegetable chloro- 

 phyll- vesicle, which most frequently consists of amylum. 



CHLOROPHYLLITE,aMineral occurring in 6- and 12-sided prisms, 

 highly foliated, parallel to the base. The folia are soft and brittle, 

 the lustre pearly, the colour grayish-green to dark-olive green. It 

 has the following composition : 



Silica .... 



Alum 



Magnesia 



Protoxide of Iron 



Protoxide of Manganese 



\\ .'. : 



45-2 

 27-6 

 9-6 

 8-2 

 4-1 

 3-6 



It fuses only at the edges, and yields water before the blow-pipe. 

 It occurs with lolite in granite in the United States. A variety 

 under the name of Etmartite is brought from Brevig in Norway. 

 /'ii/iliiniir, liiyuntolitt, and Aipatiolite are allied to this mineral, and 

 like it probably proceed from the alteration of lolite. 



< III MK.K. [ALO*.] 



rHI.ollosl'IXKL. [SriNEL.1 



CHOAMTKS, a group of Spongoid Fossils from the Chalk of 

 Kngland and France, thus named by MautclL Analogous living forms 

 occur on the coast of Australia. 



CHCEBOPOTAJfUB, a genus of extinct Mammalia belonging to 

 the order Pachydermata. 



C. Curieri (Owen). This animal, the remains of which have been 

 rmnl in the gypsum beds of Montmartre, Paris, and the Eocene 

 Formations of the Isle of Wight, seems to have resembled the Peccari, 

 but must have been about ..M. third larger, and wan the earliest form 

 of the Hog-Tribe introduced upon our planet. Cuvier was the first to 

 recognise the distinct characters of this animal from the remains 

 found at Paris. They were subsequently much more clearly defined 

 by Professor Owen fn>m the jiortions of the animal discovered in the 

 Isle of Wight. The CharojxitamiH is one of the links between the 

 ; //ippojiotamtu and Hog-Tribe. Professor Owen in his ' P.ritish 

 Mnnimals and Birds,' remarks, "Nothing as yet is known c.f die 

 incisors of the Ck<trt>plamiu, the rest of the dentition closely resemblee 

 that of the Peccari ; but the premolars are more simple, and the 

 canines by their size, shape, and direction, and the lower jaw by the 



backward prolongation of its angle, alike manifest a marked approxi- 

 mation to the Ferine type. The occasional carnivorous pr..| rtie* ..f 

 the common Hog are well known, and they correspond with the 

 minor degree of resemblance which this existing pachyderm present* 

 to the same type. The extinct Ckaenpolamui, still better adapted by 

 it* dentition for predaceous habit*, present* an interesting ei 

 of one of those links, completing the chain of al 

 revolutions of the earth's surface have interrupted an it were, and for 

 a time concealed from our view." Other links in t! 

 affinity are the genera A nlhraculhrnum (Cuvier), MerycojMtlamiu,tu\A 

 Jf<l'l'"i'l<il<i* (Cautley and Fiile. 



< 'Ho| kul'tiTAMVs, a genus of Hogs found in Africa. [Si : 



< '!I(i|. .KITS, Illiger's generic name for the Two-Toed Sloth*. 

 [BRADTITS; KUKXTATA.] 



i Hi iI.KSTKKIX, a crystalline matter formerly known as a biliary 

 fat, and supposed on account of its occurrence in biliary 

 to be especially connected with the secretion of the liver. It separates 

 from its solutions in nacreous scales, which under the mieroscope 

 appear in very thin rhombic tablets. It fuses at 145, becoming 

 solid and crystalline at 135. It is found to consist of i 

 Hydrogen, and Oxygen (C,. H,, 0). In order to prepare it arti- 

 ficially gall-stones should be boiled in alcohol, when the Choi 

 is deposited by evaporation and cooling. Although when di 

 it is not easily detected in the fluids of the body, it* presence is 

 easily detected by the form of its crystals. 



Small quantities of Cholesterin occur in most of the animal fluids. 

 instantly present as a normal constituent of the bile, and also 

 of the blood. The quantity in blood averages O'OSS in ] -OHO parts, 



It is often found as a morbid product in the body. ! 

 formation is unknown. 



CHOMA'TODUS, a genus of Fossil Fishes from the Mo 

 Limestone of Bristol and Armagh. (Agassiz.) 



CHOMOItO. [PODOCARPUS.] 



CHONDRILLA, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order 

 Comjionta and the sub-order Aiteracea, one species of wh 

 juncea, yields a gum. 



CHONDRITE& A Fossil Fucoid from the Qreensand, named 

 Fucoidts Turi/ionii by Mautell, is thus entitled by Sternberg. ( 

 der Vorwelt.') It is very widely disseminated in the Ore. 

 deposits of Etirope. Fvcoidct intricaitu of Brongniart belongs also 

 to the Lower Cretaceous system in the Alps and Carpathians. 



CHONDRODENDRON, a genus of plants belonging to the natural 

 order Menitpermacea. One species, C. cunmlrulni-t ,. is employed as 

 a febrifuge in Peru. Endlicher states" that the bark of some i.l the 

 species is used for dyeing yellow. 



CHONDRODITE, a Mineral, containing 



Silica . 

 Magnesia . 

 Protoxide of Iron 

 Fluorine 



33-1 



55-5 



3-6 



7-6 



It occurs usually in imbedded grains or small rounded or flattened 

 kernels or nodules in limestone, and appearing brittle. The colour 

 is brownish-yellow or brown. The lustre vitreous. It is translucent 

 or Hubtransliicent, with an uneven fracture. Hardness, 6 t. 

 specific gravity, 3-1 to 3'2. It has also been called Brucite, Found in 

 granular limestone in the United States. 



CHONDROPTERY'GII, or CARTILAGINEI, one of two groat 

 sections into which the class of Fishes is divided. 



In this section we find species which possess, in most respects, the 

 highest degree of organisation, while others possess the lowest 

 observed in the class. 



The principal character which distinguishes this section fro: 

 fishes with true bone (which usually come first in orrat 

 the cartilaginous substance of which the bones are compose* 

 stance arising from the very small quantity of earthy matter which 

 enters into their composition. This earthy matter, when obsen 

 found to be disposed in small granules and not in distinct fibres, as in 

 the first section. 



The cranium of these fishes is not divided by true sutures, Inn is 

 formed of a single piece : the maxillary and intermaxillary bon 

 either wanting or rudimentary, and their functions are perform 

 bones analogous to the palatines, and sometimes the vomer. Many of 

 the vertebrec are often consolidated. The gelatinous substance, 

 which in most fishes fills the intervals between the vertebra (these 

 intervertebral masses being connected only by a small rorh. in this 

 section frequently forms a thick cord, which varies but slightly in 

 diameter. 



In the Myxine (flail robranchut co-cut) no distil T.O are 



dih, their place being occupied by a soft gelatinous tul>e In 

 the extraordinary little fish described by Mr. Yarrell in his 'II 

 of British Fishes,' the Lancelot (Anpliwnw lanceolatiu), this part is 

 still more rudimentary, consisting only of a slender transparent 

 column. [BKANCHIOSTOHA.] 



The Chondropterygii are divided by Cuvier into two orders 

 which have their gills free, as in the generality of fishes ; and those 

 in which they ore fixed that is, the external edge att. 

 skin. In the former of these orders the species have but one external 



