USED IN NATURAL HISTORY. 



65 



FAULT. fr. ger. fall, an accident, 

 sinking, fall. A sudden inter- 

 ruption of the continuity of strata, 

 in the same plane, accompanied 

 by a crack or fissure, varying in 

 width, which is generally filled 

 with broken stone, (p. 158. Book 

 viii). 



FAU'NA. fr. lat. faunus, the name 

 of a rural deity among the Ro- 

 mans. All animals of all kinds 

 peculiar to a country constitute 

 the fauna of that country. 



FAU'N.K. Lat. plur. of fauna. 



FA'VOSE. fr. lat. favus, a honey- 

 comb. Honey-combed; excavated 

 like a honey-comb. 



FAWN. The young deer. 



FAUX. Lat. The swallow or gul- 

 let-pipe. In conchology, what can 

 be seen of tlie cavity of the first 

 chamber of a shell, by looking in 

 at the aperture. 



FE'CULA. fr. lat. /<rx, a sediment. 

 When certain vegetable sub- 

 stances are bruised and mixed 

 with water, the pulverulent mat- 

 ter which subsides is called the 

 fecula; it is commonly of a starchy 

 nature, hence starch is often called 

 fecula. 



FECULENT. Muddy; thick with se- 

 diment. 



FECUNDA'TION. fr. lat. fecundo, to 

 make fruitful. The effect of the 

 vivifying fluid upon the germ or 

 ovum. 



FELD'SPAR, or FELSPAR. fr. ger. 

 feldspath. An important mineral 

 composed of si'lica, alu'rnina, and 

 potash, with traces of lime, and 

 often of oxide of iron. It enters 

 into the composition of granite. 

 FELUSPA'THIC. Of the nature, or be- 

 longing to feldspar. Feldspathic 

 rocks are those of which feldspar 

 is the chief constituent, compris- 

 ing granite-, gneiss, claystone, la- 

 va, &c. 



FEUS. Lat. A cat. A genus of 

 mammals of the family of carni- 

 vora. Felis irbis. The panther. 



FELT. A sort of cloth made of 

 wool, or fur, united without weav- 

 ing. The fabric or foundation of 

 hats. 



FEM'ORAL. Relating to the femur. 



FE'MUR. Lat. The thigh bone. 



FENES'TRA. Lat. A window ; an 

 opening or hole. 



FENK'STHATE. Windowed. Appli- 

 ed to the incomplete dissepiment 

 of certain plants. 



FERNS. Th filices; an order of 

 cryptogamic plants. 



FEHO'CKS. Thickly set with spines. 



FERUI'FEROUS. Containing iron. 



FERHUOI'NEUS. Lat. Ferruginous. 

 Of the colour of rusty iron. 



FERRU'GINOUS. fr. lat. ferrugo^ ru*t 

 of iron. Of the colour of ijnou 

 rust. 



FER'TIM. In botany, containing 

 perfect pistils and yielding fruit. 



FERTILIZA'TIO*. The function of 

 the pollen of plants upon the pis- 

 til, by means of which the ovules 

 are converted into seeds. 



FIBER. Lat. A beaver. 



FIBRE. fr. lat. fibra. An organic 

 filament, of solid consistence, and 

 more or less extensible, which 

 enters into the composition of eve- 

 ry animal and vegetable texture. 



fibre ' 



FIBRIL'LOSE. Covered with little 

 strings or fibres. 



FIBRO-CARTILA'GINOUS. Of the na- 

 ture of fibre-cartilage, which is an 

 organic tissue, partaking of the 

 nature of fibrous tissue, and of 

 that of cartilage. It is dense, re- 

 sisting, elastic, firm, supple, and 

 flexible. 



FI'BROUS. Composed of fibres. 



FIB'ULA. Lat. A clasp, a brace. 

 The name of the long, small bone, 

 situate at the outer part of the 

 leg: it assists materially in hold- 

 ing the foot in its proper position. 



FICOI'DES. fr. lat. jftcus, a fig-tree, 



3B2 



and gr. eirfos, resemblance, 

 cific name of a fossil plant. 



Spe- 



