1J1 



ORIGAN QM. 



ORNITHORHYNCHUS. 



122 



changes of the strata, and more or less referrible to previous remark- 

 able changes in the physical condition of the globe. 



From such a view, which we regard as fully established in truth, 

 the ' Identification of Strata' by organic remains (as geologists, 

 following Dr. William Smith, term the employment of Zoological and 

 Botanical Evidence to determine the geological age of formations or 

 systems of strata) follows as a natural and simple consequence. But 

 in employing this powerful instrument of research, geologists must 

 not overlook ascertained facts which limit the extent and modify the 

 rigour of the application : 



1. The geographical area within which any one species of fossil has 

 been found is limited, and seldom (except in the paleozoic strata) 

 extends beyond a few degrees of latitude and longitude. (The same 

 thing applies to living species.) 



2. The geographical range of fossil genera and larger groups is much 

 greater, but their geological range is also greater, and the evidence 

 which they furnish of geological age is diminished in precision. 



3. Difficulties hence arise of a very serious nature where strata 

 really contemporaneous, or nearly so, but widely separated (as in 

 North America and Europe), are to be compared. Of 100 species of 

 fossils found in the cretaceous rocks of America, only two or three 

 are identical with European species in the same rock. 



4. In all cases where distant deposits are to be classed in age by their 

 organic contents, a prudent geologist will not decide by what is called 

 a characteristic fossil, since this may only have a local value ; he will 

 not be satisfied with a few fossils of one genus or group ; he will not pro- 

 nounce a positive opinion, unless several species of characteristic groups, 

 and belonging to diferent organisations, are presented for examination. 

 On such evidence, embodying the characteristic combinations of organic 

 life for each geological period, a just and secure inference may rest, 

 and thus employed, 'Organic Remains' become a clue to many of the 

 darkest pages in the ancient history of our planet. 



OIU'UANUM (from opiyoyoy), a genus of Plants belonging to the 

 natural order Lobiata, or Lamiacecc. It has an ovate tubular calyx, 

 10-13 nerved, striated, with nearly 5 equal teeth, the throat villous 

 inside. The corolla hag a tube equal in length to the calyx ; the upper 

 lip sub-erect, emarginate ; the lower spreading, trifid, with nearly equal 

 lobes. There are 4 protruding stamens, distant, somewhat didynamous. 

 The lobes of the style are nearly equal. The species are herbs. 



0. vulgare, Marjoram, has stalked ovate-obtuse leaves, ovate bracts 

 longer than the calyx, the heads of the Bowers roundish, panicled, and 

 crowded. The bracts are usually purple, ovate-obtuse, and at least 

 half as long again as the calyx. It is a native of Great Britain in dry 

 uncultivated places, and of Europe, North of Africa, and of Middle 

 Asia and America. It is an ornamental and aromatic plant, and yields 

 what is sold as oil of thyme in the shops, a common remedy for 

 toothache. It is frequently used mixed with olive oil as a stimulating 

 liniment against baldness, in rheumatic complaints, and against strains 

 and bruises. The dried leaves used instead of tea are very pleasant; 

 they are likewise employed in fomentations. The essential oil is so 

 acrid that it hag been used by farmers as a caustic. It is the 'Opiyavav 

 n(\av of Theophrastus, lib. vi., cap 2, and the ' Aypoptywo! of Dios- 

 corides, 3, 31. 



0. heraclcoticum is a very variable species, but is recognised by the 

 bracts being longer than the calyxes, by the loose spikes, and small 

 flowers. The stamens are more or less villous, the leaves pale-green, 

 glabrous, or pubescent. The flowers are white and one-half the size 

 of the preceding species. This, the Winter-Sweet Marjoram, seldom 

 ripens seed in this country, and Is propagated by slips and cuttings. 

 It requires a dry and sheltered situation. It is a native of the region 

 of the Mediterranean, Qreece, and about Odessa on the Black Sea. It 

 has an aromatic sweet flavour, and is much used as a relishing herb 

 in cookery. This is the C'ulina gallinacea of Pliny, 20, 16; Cato, 

 ' De Re Rugtica,' c. 1 27 ; Seren, v. 909 ; and the 'Opiyavoy r/paicAcwTifc&p 

 of Dioscorides, 3, 29. 



0. creticum (Linnieus), is the 'Oplyamv of Hippocrates, 'Morb. 

 Mul.,' 1, 609; the 'Orfiris of Dioscorides, 3, 30; and the Atuxiy 

 iiplyuvoy of Theophrastus, 6, 2. 



0, Marjorana of Linnxus is the Marjorana hoiieruis of Moench, and 

 the 'Apuipajtoy of Theophrastus, ' Hist. Plant.' 6, 7 ; the Xdiufaxmi 

 of Dioscorides, 3, 41. It has nearly glabrous racemosely panicled 

 branches, petiolate oblong-ovate leaves clothed with heavy tomentum 

 on both surfaces, oblong sessile gpikelets glomerate on the branchlets. 

 This plant is a tree or shrub in its native country, but an annual in 

 our gardens. It is native of the North of Africa near Mascar, on hills, 

 and of Asia, on the mountains of Kumaon. The bracts and calyxes 

 are complanate, closely imbricate. The corollas small, purplish or 

 white. As the seed seldom ripens in thia country, it is generally 

 procured from France. When in blossom, the plant is cut and dried 

 for winter use, as a savoury ingredient in cookery. 



0. Diclamnut, the Amaractu dictamnui of Beutbam : the AiVrajuyot 

 pqrucrft oi Hippocrates ; the ^'(Kra^yoy of Theophrastus, ' Hist. Plant.,' 

 9, 16; and the AiVro^vot of Dioscorides, 3, 37. It has almost sessile 

 leaves, clothed with dense wool on both surfaces as well ai the 

 branches. The leaves are broad, ovate-obtuse, quite entire, rounded 

 at the base; the floral leaves are small, almost glabroui. The corolla 

 purple, without a spur. The heads of the flowers nutant. 



0. Smymveum vet Syriacum is the "Taawrros of Dioscori lea, 3, 27, 



and of Hippocrates, 'Morb. Mul.,' 3. 490. The ancient plant is usually 

 referred to ffyssopus officinalis, but according to Fraas this plaut does 

 not grow in Greece, Asia Minor, or Syria. 0. sipyteum of Linnaeus in 

 the Mdpoy of Dioscorides, 3, 42. 



(Babington, Manual ; Lindley, Flora Medico, ; Fraas, Synopsis PI. Pi. 

 Classics). 



ORIOLE. [MERULID^.] 



ORIOLI'N^E. [MERDLID.E.] 



ORITHY'IA. [OXYSTOM.E; ACALEPH.E.] 



ORNATI. [AMMONITES.] 



ORNISMYA. [THOCHILID.E.] 



ORNITHICHNITES, the name for the footmarks of birds im- 

 pressed on the surface of saudstonb in the valley of the Connecticut, 

 first discovered by Professor Hitchcock. [GRALLATORES ; BIRDS.] 



ORNITHOCE'PHALUS. [PTERODACTYLS.] 



ORNI'THOGALUM, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural 

 order LUiacece and the tribe Atphoddea?. It has a perianth of sis 

 patent leaves, the stamens inserted upon the receptacle, and adhering 

 only slightly to the perianth. The anthers are incumbent, attached 

 by their backs. The flowers are white or yellow, never blue. 



0. umbellatum, Common Star of Bethlehem, has corymbose flowers, 

 the peduncles longer than the linear-lanceolate bracts, lanceolate 

 simple filaments, linear glabrous leaves. The flowers are white, with 

 a broad green longitudinal band externally. It is found in meadows 

 and pastures in Great Britain, and is the BoAiSiVi) of Theophrastus, 

 'Hist. Plant.' 7, 13 ; the 'OpvtiAyaXuv of Dioscorides, 2, 173; and the 

 Bolbine alba of Pliny, 29, 5. 



0. Pyrenaieum, Spiked Star of Bethlehem, has flowers in an elongated 

 raceme ; the peduncles at first spreading, afterwards erect ; lanceolate 

 acuminate bracts; the filaments dilated below with an elongated 

 point. The flowers are of a greenish white, the segments of the 

 perianth variable in breadth. The leaves wither before the stalk 

 appears ; they are rarely contemporaneous. It is extremely common 

 near Bath, and in Sussex and Bedfordshire. This species is the 

 'Ea-i/ien'Sfios o-KiAAo of Theophrastus, ' Hist. Plant.' 7, 10 ; 7, 11. 



0. nutant has but few leaves in a lax nodding raceme ; the peduncles 

 shorter than the bracts ; the filaments flat, membranous, and trifid : 

 the lateral points acute, the middle one very short, bearing the anther ; 

 the leaves linear-lanceolate ; the flower large, white, and greenish ex- 

 ternally. It is occasionally found in fields and orchards in Great 

 Britain. It is the BoAjSut iperuciis of Dioscorides, 2, 201. 



0. maritimum, Squill. [S'JILLA.] 



(Lindley, flora Afedica; Babington, Manual; Burnett, Outlines of 

 Bo' any ; Fraas, Synopsis, &c.) 



ORNITHO'LOGY, the science which teaches the natural history 

 and arrangement of Birds. This term is derived from the Greek words 

 'Ofra, a bird, and \6yot, a discourse; signifying literally 'a discourse 

 upon birds.' [Kiiios.] 



ORNI'THOPUS, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 Leguminosie. The species are found in pastures and wild places in 

 Europe. They are characterised, among other things, by a cluster of 

 curved pods which are jointed something like a bird's toe, on which 

 account they are called Bird's-Foot Trefoil The species found in this 

 country is a plant from two to six inches high, with pinnated leaves 

 and small white flowers striped with red, and is of no economica 1 

 importance ; but in Portugal occurs the 0. sativus, an annual growing 

 as much as two or three feet high, with stems as succulent and nutri- 

 tious as those of vetches or lucerne, and cultivated iu that country as 

 food for cattle under the name of Serradilla. It succeeds in loose 

 sand, and is capable of yielding an abundant produce in the poorest 

 soils. 



0. purputillut, Bird's-Foot, ia a common species in Great Britain. 



ORNITHORHYN'CHUS, Blumenbach's name for the extraordinary 

 auimal known as the Duck-Bill, or Duck-Billed Platypus Platypus 

 anatinui of Shaw ; Mallangong, Tambreet, and (according to the 

 French) Mouflengong, of the natives of New South -Wales ; Water- 

 Mole of the English colonists. 



When this animal was first described, and even after its skin was 

 received in this country, its structure was so strange that naturalists 

 hesitated to believe in its existence. Evidence however gradually 

 accumulated, and fortunately fell into the hands of those capable of 

 using it ; and we now know, principally by the labours of Professor 

 Owen, that the Ornithorhynchus ia an ovoviviparous animal, that it 

 suckles its young, and that its proper place is among the Monotremaia, 

 or Monotremes, a group to which no animal hitherto discovered 

 belongs, excepting that which forms the subject of this article and 

 Echidna. [ECHIDNA; MONOTBEMES.] 



Both these forms appear to have been first presented to the public 

 by Dr. Sbaw Echidna under the appellation of Myrmecophaya 

 aculeata ; and the duck-billed auimal under the name of Platypus 

 anatinus. This was at the close of the 18th century; at the com- 

 mencement of the present, Blumenbach described the Blatter form 

 more at large under the title of Ornitlwrhynehiu ; and Mr. Home 

 (afterwards Sir Everard) gave an account of some anatomical peculia- 

 rities connected with the head and beak, in 'Phil. Trans.' (1800). Sir 

 Everard's subsequent papers on the anatomy of Echidna and Orni- 

 thorhynchus (' Phil. Trans.,' 1802) went more at large into the subject, 

 and disclosed numerous affinities between two forma differing much in 



