8MKLT. 



SNOW, RED. 



nua of Uite depend* on the odour of the food carried from the 

 mouth to the DOM. In eating cinnamon, for example, or any similar 

 aromatic (ubatance, if we cloe the nostril*, we perceive uo flavour, 

 and, except for the stinging of the tongue, might imagine ounelvea 

 e t'.iiii; a taMeles* wood. And, in like manner, we often mistake for 

 those of odour the impressions made by aubaUnoea on the nerves of 

 common sensation with which the lining membrane of the nose U 

 abundantly supplied ; for example, in smelling ammonia, vinegar, and 

 other acrid substances, the impression which we regard as their odour 

 is compounded of that and of the irritation of the nerves of common 

 sensation ; and the nose of an animal whose olfactory nerves are 

 destroyed is hardly lesa sensible to this latter irritation than that of 

 one in which the nerves are entire. Fact* of this kind have led to 

 the error of supposing that the olfactory are not the only nerves of 

 smell ; they only prove that the sense of smell has a more limited 

 range than is commonly supposed. The same substances, ammonia 

 and the like, which irritate the common sensitive nerves of the nose, 

 act in the same manner on the eye or any equally delicate part ; but 

 in the nose alone is this irritation accompanied by any peculiar sensa- 

 tion of odour by which one such substance can be distinguished from 

 another. This perception of odour, independently of irritation, is 

 the proper function of the olfactory nerves, which are thus strictly 

 nerves of peculiar sensation, of the same class with the optic, auditory, 

 and gustatory. [NERVOUS SYSTEM.] 



SMELT. [SALMONID*.] 



SMERDIS. [EKU-IITUCS.] 



SMEW. [DOCKS.] 



SMILACKJE, SanapariUat, a small natural order of Plants be- 

 longing to Lindley's claw of Dictyogens. There has been much 

 difference of opinion amongst botanists with regard to the posi- 

 tion of Smilax in the natural system, as well os the number of 

 genera that ought to be admitted into the order Smilacetf. Lindley 

 has placed two genera, Smilax and Rlpogcmum, in this order, which 

 possesses the following characters : Flowers hermaphrodite or 

 dioecious ; calyx and corolla confounded, inferior 6-parted ; stamens 

 6, inserted into the perianth near the base, seldom hypogynous ; ovary 

 3-celled, the cells 1- or many-seeded; style usually triad; stigmas 3; 

 fruit a roundish berry ; albumen between fleshy and cartilaginous ; 

 embryo usually distant from the hilutn. They are mostly herbaceous 

 plant*, with a woody stem, and a tendency to climb. Their leaves 

 are reticulated. This last character separates the order from Liliacece 

 and its allied orders, with which it otherwise closely agrees. 



Xmilax U found in most parts of the world, especially in Asia and 

 America. [SMILAX]. 



SMI LAX, a genus of Plants which gives its name to the natural 

 order Xmilacett. The name occurs in Qrcek authors, as Theophrastus 

 and Dioscorides, and is applied to several different kinds of plants, 

 as the yew-tree ; a species of Phaseolus or Convolvulus (2,iu'Xof rpaxtut) 

 i* fmilaf atpera, which belongs to the present genus. Smilax is 

 characterised by having a 6-leaved corol-like perianth, with six 

 stamens inserted into their base ; the anthers are linear and fixed by 

 the base; ovary 3-celled; ovules solitary, in each cell affixed to 

 the apex; style very short; stigmas 3, spreading; berry 1-3-celIed, 

 1-3-seeded; seeds globular; testa membranaceous, whitish; hilum 

 large and coloured; albumen cartilaginous; embryo very small, 

 remote from the hilum. The species form evergreen climbing shrubs, 

 of which a few are found in temperate, but the majority in warm 

 and tropical regions of both hemispheres, extending south to Australia, 

 and north to Japan, North America, and the south of Europe. The 

 species have fibrous or tuberous roots ; stems often prickly ; leaves 

 alternate petiolate; cordate or hastate, nerved, reticulate, venose, 

 conchiferous stipule* between the petioles; flowers sessile on a 

 globular receptacle ; subcapital pedicuiate and umbellate. 



Though the original species (fs. atpera) of this genus is an inhabitant 

 of the south of Europe, those now most celebrated for yielding the 

 different kinds of Sana or Sarsaparilla are natives of South America. 

 But .S. atprra still continues to be employed for medicinal purposes 

 in the south of Europe, where it is called Hanaparilla Italica, but 

 there is uo truth in the statement of it* being the plant yielding 

 Indian Sarsaparilla, which is Jfemidetmui Indicia. Another celebrated 

 species is the Smilax China, which ban a tuberous root abounding in 

 fecula, and therefore probably useful as a demulcent, though the 

 Chinese esteem it invigorating, and ascribe to it other virtues. It is 

 remarkable that two Indian species, which, like the Chinese species, 

 bare tuberous root*, should be called in Silhet Hurina-Shook-China 

 and Goott-a Shook-Cbina. These are Smilax glabra and 5. lam 

 and their rooU cannot be distinguished from the China root, or C/io4. 

 ckirnta, as it U called in India. A similar species is common in the 

 out hern parts of North America, and ha* been called Smilax 1'ttndo- 

 China, though there u reason to believe that more than one species 

 may be confounded under this name. S. glycyphylla U an Australian 

 specie*, which ha* received it* specific name from the sweetUh taste 

 of it* Irave*, and hai been called Sweet Tea from its employment in 

 the form of infusion, and i* probably alterative and diaphoretic, as 

 well a* slightly tonic. It i* probable that some of the species found 

 in the Old World wi.l be discovered to be possessed of virtues equal 

 to the American specie*. Some of the Indian species were aeut some 

 jean ago by Dr. Gibson, superintendent of the East India Company's 



botanic garden near Poonah, to the Me.lical Board of Bombay, for trial 

 in the hospital* of that presidency, [SAiutAi'AiiiLi.A, in ARTS A 



SMl'I.lir.V, a genus of Rarnaclct. [Ciunn-KDu.] 



SMITH 1A, a itcnus of Plants biloujiug to the natural order Legu- 

 MIHOKIT, named in memory of Sir .l.um-- I-:. Smith. It cun- 

 small plants with inconspicuous flowers, but the leaves are reiiiark.i'.iK- 

 for their apparent sensibility on being touched, in hich they re*;iuble 

 the Sensitive Plant The genus is nearly allied to -Ktchynomettt aud 

 to Lourea. The calyx is bipartite, the corolla papilionaceous, the 

 stamens in two equal bundles, the legume transversely articulated, 

 plicate, and inclosed within the calyx. The specie* aro found in warm 

 parts of the world, as in Australia and the plains of India, in the 

 rainy season. 



SMITHSONITE. [Zisc.l 



SMOOTH-HOUND. [SQUALID*.] 



SMUT. [Fuxai; UREDO.] 



S.M V 'KN'IUM (ZptytKior), a genus of Plants belonging to the natural 

 order L'mMlifent. It is known by its obsolete calyx; lanceolate or 

 elliptical, entire, acuminate petals, indexed at the point ; didyuious 

 fruit, contracted at the side. The half-fruits are almost globose and 

 reniform, with three fine prominent ridges on the back, and two on 

 the side, but almost obliterated; the channels with many vitt. 

 seed is involute ; the species are upright smooth biennials with fleshy 

 roots, various leaves, terminal umbels, and variable involucres. The 

 flowers are yellow or yellowish-green, aud they are frequently poly- 

 gamous. 



S. Olmati-uin, Common Alexanders, has a taper stem ; the leaves of 

 the stem arc ternate, with ovate serrated-segments, and very short 

 involucels. It is a native of the middle and south of Europe in 

 humid places. It is found in Great Britain, and is observed most 

 frequently near the coast, although not confined to such a locality. 

 This plant was formerly much eateu in Europe both as a salad and 

 potherb, on which account, an. I the black colour of its stalks and 

 leaves, it derives its specific name Oltuatrum, frdm 'olus' aud 'ater.' 

 Hay says that this is the llerba AUxaiulrina of Italy and Germany, 

 whence our name Alexanders. It is supposed to have been originally 

 brought from Alexandria. It flowers in May, and the whole plant dries 

 up by the middle of July, but remains laden with large black seeds. 



S. perfoliatum, Perfoliate Alexanders, has the stem angularly winged 

 above, with ovato-cordate toothed leaves, which embrace the stem. 

 This plant was obtained in Greece by Dr. Sibthorp, and is also an 

 inhabitant of Spain, Italy, and Dalmatia. It U the Smymium Diot- 

 coridis of Sprengel; and Sir J. E. Smith was of opinion that this 

 species is the true S/iupm of Dioscorides, with whose description it 

 remarkably agrees. (Flora Orceca, p. 289.) 



SNAILS. [QASTEIIOPODA ; HELICID.&] 



SNAKE. [NATHIX.] 



SNAKE-FISH. [CEPOLA.] 



SNAKE-ROOT. [POLYOALA.] 

 UE. [OPHIO 

 SNAKE-WEED. 



. 

 SNAKE'S-TONGUE. [OPHIOGLOSSU*.] 



SNAKE-WOOD. [OPHIOXYLON.] 

 SNAKE-WOODa [STRYCHNOS.I 

 SNAKES. [OniiDiA.] 

 SNAPDRAGON. [ANTIRRHINUM.] 

 SNEEZE-WORT. [AcmujSA.] 



SNIG. [MUBJBNIDA] 

 SNIPE. fScOLOPACIDJS.] 



SNIPE-FISH. [CE.NTRISCUS.] 



SNOW, water precipitated from the atmosphere in a frozen con- 

 dition. It assumes very beautiful crystalline forma. When large 

 solid pieces of water are thus precipitated, they are called hail. 

 [WATKH, in ARTS AMD Sc. Diy.J Snow often exhibits under the 

 microscope organic beings. This is more especially the case with 

 Red Snow. [SNOW, RED.] 



BNOW-BALL-TEEB. [GELDER-ROSK ; VIBURHUM.] 



SN'OW-BERRY. [CmococcA.] 



SNOW-BUNTING. [BMBumDAl 



SNOW-FLAKE. [LKCCOJUM.] 



SNOW, RED. The occasional occurrence of enow coloured red has 

 for a long time created great interest, and it is only since the increased 

 uc of the microscope that it ha* been discovered that this curious 

 phenomenon is entirely due to organic bodies for its existence. 



It appears that this phenomenon did not escape the observant eya 

 of Aristotle, and he mentions that living beings found in old snow had 

 t'ivi[n<!iitly a reddish colour, which he supposed they derived from tho 

 snow. (' Hist Auiin.,' V. cap. 19.) This observation of Aristotle's 

 however does not appear to have excited any attention, and no other 

 writer mentioned the occurrence of red snow till 17GO, when Sauasure 

 discovered it on the Brevent and other mountains, but more especially 

 on the Saint-Bernard, where it existed in great abundance. He mode 

 some chemical analyses of this snow, and came to the conclusion that 

 it was of vegetable origin, and probably consisted of grains of pollen 

 mixed with the snow, such a cause having been known to discolour 

 rain, producing what was called a ' sulphur shower.' (De Sauna., 

 ' Voyage,' ii. p. 646.) 



It was not however till the year 1819, when our countryman Captain 



