SUN-FISHSUPERIOR. 



451 



attract attention chiefly from their leaves, which 

 are all radical, and fringed with hairs, each of which 

 supports a globule of pellucid, dew-like liquor, even 

 in the hottest weather. The dowers are small, 

 and mostly white; but in one North American 

 species, they are conspicuous, and of a fine purple 

 colour. These plants are remarkable for having 

 the unexpanded leaves rolled up in the same manner 

 as the ferns a disposition almost unique among 

 phaenogamous plants. The most common species, 

 D. rotundifolia, is an acrid, caustic plant, which 

 curdles milk, removes warts and corns, and takes 

 away freckles and sunburn : distilled with wine, it 

 produces a very stimulating spirit ; and it was 

 formerly much used as a tincture, spiced and 

 sweetened. 



SUN-FISH (orthagoriscus) ; a cartilaginous fish 

 of a very singular form : the body is compressed, 

 broad, abruptly truncated, resembling, in fact, the 

 head of a large fish separated from the body : the 

 mouth and eyes are very small. Its nearly circular 

 form, and the silvery whiteness of the sides, together 

 with their brilliant phosphorescence during the 

 night, have obtained for it very generally the appel- 

 lations of sun or moon-fish. While swimming, it 

 turns upon itself like a wheel. It grows to an im- 

 mense size, often attaining the diameter of four 

 feet, and sometimes even that of twelve, and weigh- 

 ing from three to five hundred pounds. It is very 

 fat, and yields a great quantity of oil ; but the flesh 

 is ill tasted, and exhales a disagreeable odour. It 

 is found in all seas, from the arctic to the antarctic 

 circle. Two or three species are known. In the 

 United States, the same name is often applied to a 

 fish of the perch family (pomotis), of a compressed 

 and elevated form, peculiar to North America, 

 several species of which are now known. 



SUN-FLOWER (kelianthus) ; a genus of plants, 

 so called from the ideal resemblance of the yellow 

 flowers to the sun with his golden rays. The root 

 is mostly perennial ; the stem herbaceous, upright, 

 and often very tall ; the leaves opposite or alter- 

 nate, undivided, often rigid and scabrous ; the flow- 

 ers large and terminal, usually disposed in a corymb. 

 It belongs to the composite. The species are nume- 

 rous, and mostly inhabit North America. The 

 gigantic sun-flower (H. annuus), so common in our 

 gardens, is a native of Peru. The root is annual ; 

 the stem thick, cylindrical, rough, from six to fif- 

 teen feet in height ; the leaves alternate, petiolate, 

 large, and somewhat heart-shaped; the flowers, 

 sometimes a foot in diameter, are so inclined as to 

 take nearly a vertical position, and usually are turned 

 towards the south ; they have the disk very large, 

 and the rays short in proportion. The seeds form 

 excellent nourishment for poultry and for cage 

 birds ; and an edible oil has also been expressed 

 from them H. tuberosvs is a native of Brazil, and 

 has been extensively cultivated in Europe for the 

 sake of its tuberous roots, which are used as a sub- 

 stitute for the potato. It is often called Jerusalem 

 artichoke, the first term being a corruption of the 

 Italian word girasole ; and the latter has been ap- 

 plied to it from the resemblance in the flavour of 

 the roots to that of the common artichoke. These 

 roots are eaten cooked in various manners, but are 

 not so generally liked as potatoes ; neither are they 

 so nourishing or wholesome: they are, however, 

 excellent for sheep and other domestic animals dur- 

 ing the winter season. The plant flourishes in 

 every soil requiring little attention ; but in a good 

 soil the roots are larger and of a better quality. 



When once planted, they may be left for years upon 

 the same ground, as there are always enough roots 

 remaining for reproduction, after the removal of all 

 that are wanted for the purposes of aliment. The 

 season in which they are dug up for use is from 

 about the middle of September to November. So 

 extremely productive is this valuable plant, that 

 between seventy and eighty tons of the roots are 

 said to have been obtained in one season from a 

 single acre of ground. This plant grows to the 

 height of eight or nine feet ; the flowers are much 

 smaller than those of the preceding. 



SUNN A; with the ancient northern tribes, the 

 goddess of the sun. Her brother was Mani, god of 

 the moon.* In honour of her, a boar was fattened 

 through the year; and at the beginning of Febru- 

 ary, it was sacrificed, with many ceremonies. Eight- 

 days before January, the boar was carried to the 

 ruler of the country, and on its back the principal 

 men took the oath of fidelity and allegiance. The 

 image of Sunna was a half-naked woman, standing 

 upon a column, with rays round her head. Before 

 her breast she held a radiant wheel with out- 

 stretched arms. 



SUNNA, in the Mohammedan religion. See 

 Sunnites. 



SUNNITES ; those Mohammedans who receive 

 the Sunna (i. e. a collection of traditions relating to 

 Mohammedanism) as of equal importance with the 

 Koran. There are several diversities in the copies 

 of the Sunna. Those of the Persians, Arabians 

 and Africans are entirely opposed to each other ; 

 hence the various sects. The adherents of Ali, 

 who reject the Sunna, and regard Ali as Moham- 

 med's successor in the dignity of high-priest (for 

 instance, the Persians), are called by the Sunnites 

 (the Ottoman Turks) Shiites (i. e. heretics). 



SUOVET AURILI A ; a Roman sacrifice, usually 

 offered after the census of the people had been 

 taken. It consisted of a hog (SMS), a sheep (ovis), 

 and a steer (fawrws) ; hence the name. All these 

 animals were males. 



SUPERIOR ; the largest lake in North America, 

 and the largest body of fresh water that has been 

 discovered in any part of the globe. Its length is 

 differently estimated by travellers and geographers; 

 some make it 490 or 500 miles long, and 1700 in 

 circumference ; others, 350 miles long, and 1500 

 miles in circumference. Its widest part is said to 

 be 190 miles. This is the most western of the 

 great chain of lakes, which discharge their waters 

 by the St Lawrence. Its surface is 641 feet above 

 the Atlantic. It is 900 feet deep. Its waters are 

 very pure and transparent ; and it abounds with 

 trout, white fish and sturgeon. The names of these 

 fish are likely to convey diminutive ideas both as 

 to numbers and quantity ; but we must think of 

 trout quite equal in size to the cod of the New- 

 foundland banks, and of white fish and sturgeon 

 comparatively large. The average weight of the 

 trout exceeds twelve pounds, and many weigh forty, 

 and some even fifty pounds. These fish exist in 

 such numbers, that there can be no doubt that they 

 will supply the whole country in the north-west 

 section of the United States, and Upper Canada, 

 with dried fish, when that country shall be peopled 

 by many millions. Lakes Huron and Michigan also 

 abound with them. This lake, and the others, also, 

 abound with pike, pickerel, carp, bass, herring, and 



* In Gorman, the sun (Sonwe) is feminine, and the 

 (Mond) niasciiliii". 



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