796 



HORN HORNBLENDE. 



root of the horn. The third sort are the short, straight 

 processes on the head of the cauielopard, which are a 

 IKJCOUS bone, united to the ua front is by anchylosis, and 

 terminating in a convex knob; the stem is covered with 

 ilte skin, but the bulb on the end sustains a number of 

 short, stronsr hairs, analogous to the fibres composing 

 I lie horns of the rhinoceros. Those ot the fourth kind 

 are peculiar to the deer genus. They are composed en- 

 tirely of bone, and are shed and reproduced annually. 

 They first appear like two small knobs under the skin. 

 These develope their different branches in succession, 

 still covered with the skin, and a delicate, soft hair, 

 forming together what has been called their velvet 

 coat, which is extremely vascular. When the horn is 

 completely formed, the velvet coat becomes insensible 

 and dry, and is rubbed off by the deer. (See Deer.) 

 The horns of the deer appear to be entirely analogous 

 to the osseous parts of the horns of the other rumin- 

 ant quadrupeds. The horns of the rhinoceros, and 

 those of the deer, are the two extremes in these organs. 

 The one wants the osseous basis, the other the horny 

 < overing. Those of the camelopard and ox exhibit 

 examples of the intermediate structure. Instances 

 are given of horses, cats, and particularly hares, 

 found with horns, but they want confirmation. The 

 human body sometimes produces horny protuberances 

 on various parts. 



The horns of animals, literally speaking, formed 

 the most ancient drinking cups. Pindar, ^Eschylus, 

 and Xenophon make mention of them as being 

 appropriated to this purpose. Philip of Macedon is 

 said to have made use of one. It is from this ancient 

 usage that the general name of horns has been given 

 to a species of drinking cup, as, after the actual em- 

 ployment of the animal substance had been discon- 

 tinued, the shape remained in use. The horns of 

 victims sacrificed to the gods were gilt, and suspended 

 in the temples, more especially in those of Apollo 

 and Diana. From the most remote times, the altars 

 of the heathen divinities were likewise embellished 

 with horns, and such as fled thither to seek an 

 asylum embraced them. Originally, the horns were 

 doubtless symbolical of power and dignity, since they 

 are the principal feature of gracefulness in some 

 animals, and instrument of strength in others. Hence 

 these ornaments have been frequently bestowed on 

 pictorial representations of gods and heroes ; ancient 

 medals frequently present the figures of Serapis, of 

 Ammon, of Bacchus, and of Isis, with these additions. 

 The kings of Macedon were actually in the habit of 

 wearing the horns of a ram in their casques, and the 

 same thing is asserted of various other princes and 

 chieftains. 



Horn of Plenty. Amalthasa, daughter of Melissus, 

 king of Crete, fed Jupiter with goat's milk : hence 

 some authors have called her a goat, and have main- 

 tained that Jupiter, to reward her kindnesses, placed 

 her in heaven as a constellation, and gave one of her 

 horns to the nymphs who had taken care of his 

 infancy. This horn was called the horn of plenty, or 

 cornu copies, and from it issued fruits and flowers, and, 

 in short, all the riches of art and nature. The cor- 

 nucopia is found on an infinite number of antiques, 

 and is the characteristic attribute of the goddess styled 

 Evtv/ua. by the Greeks, and Abundantia by the 

 Romans. It is placed in the hands of figures repre- 

 senting countries or towns, to indicate the richness of 

 their territory ; and in those of rivers, to express the 

 fertility produced by them. The beautiful statue of 

 the Nile, of which a copy may be seen in the 

 palace of the Tuileries, holds a horn of plenty, full of 

 the productions of Egypt ; and on the reverse of the 

 medals of the kings of Egypt, we find two cornucopia 

 attached together. 



HORN, or BUGLE-HORN ; a wind instrument, 



chiefly used in hunting, to animate the chase and call 

 the dogs together. The hunting horn was formerly 

 compassed, whence the old phrase to" wind a horn." 

 HORN, FRENCH. The French horn, or cor de 

 chasse, is a wind instrument, consisting of a long 

 tube twisted into several circular folds, and gradually 

 increasing in diameter from the end at which it 

 blown to that at which the sound issues. The inter 

 vals of the natural scale of the French horn ar 

 conformable to those of the trumpet, but its pitch is 

 an octave lower. The natural tones of a horn sire, 



In order to produce tones which the horn does not 

 otherwise yield, the performer puts his hand into the 

 horn, so as to prevent more or less, the egress of 

 the air. The Germans have done most for the horn, 

 and by their inventions of valve-horns, and even 

 machine-horns, have carried this instrument to much 

 perfection. The horn is not proper for the expres- 

 sion of the grand, but the tender and plaintive 

 Nevertheless, in Germany, some of the rifle regiments 

 have only horn music, which sounds very finely. 



HORN, CAPE ; a promontory on the south coast 

 of Terra del Fuego, the southern extremity of 

 America. Lon. 67" 46' W.; lat. 55 58' S. See 

 Cape Horn. 



HORN, or HORNES, Philip II. of Montmorency- 

 Nivelle, count of, one of the most illustrious victims 

 to the policy pursued by Philip II., king of Spain, to 

 maintain the Catholic faith in the Netherlands, was 

 the grandson of John de Nivelle, who, being disin- 

 herited by his father, had lost his barony and his 

 paternal fiefs. Philip of Horn, born 1522, sovereign 

 of Horn, Altona, Meurs, &c., one of the richest lords 

 in the Netherlands, was captain of the Flemish 

 guards of the king of Spain, president of the council 

 of state of the Netherlands, and admiral of the 

 Flemish seas. He distinguished himself in the 

 battle of St Quentin, and had an important share in 

 the victory of Gravelines. The ties of blood which 

 united him with the great Egmont, caused him to 

 share his political opinions on toleration. Their 

 connexion with William, prince of Orange, destroyed 

 both. Far from approving his resistance to the 

 royal authority, they remained inaccessible to all his 

 representations. In vain did Orange represent to 

 them that there was no alternative, but either to 

 humble themselves under the absolute will of an 

 inexorable minister, or seek their safety under the 

 banners of freedom. His prophecy was true : duke 

 Alva arrested them both. They were tried and 

 beheaded on the 4th of June, 1568. Philip's brother, 

 Floris, of Montmorency, was likewise beheaded, and 

 thus the race of Montmorency Nivelle became ex- 

 tinct. 



HORNBEAM. The European hornbeam, attains 

 large dimensions, and the wood is employed for a 

 variety of useful purposes. The American hornbeam 

 (carpinus Americana) is a small tree, rarely attain- 

 ing the height of 30 feet, sparingly diffused over the 

 whole of the U. States. The leaves resemble those 

 of some species of birch, but the fertile flowers are in 

 large leafy aments. The wood is fine-grained, tena- 

 cious, and very compact, but is little used, on account 

 of its inferior size. 



HORNBLENDE, or AMPHIBOLE, is one of 

 the most abundant and widely-diffused substances in 

 the mineral kingdom, next to quartz, feldspar, and 

 mica, and is very remarkable on account of the vari- 

 ous forms and compositions of its crystals and crys- 



