104 



A GLOSSARY OF TERMS 



NEUHO'PTERIS. A genus of fossil 

 plants, (p. 41, Book viii). 



NEUTER. Neither male nor female. 



NEW RED SANDSTONE. Variegated 

 sandstone. In geology, a system 

 of rocks of the secondary forma- 

 tion, consisting chiefly of sandy 

 and argillaceous strata, the pre- 

 dominant colour of which is brick- 

 red, though it contains portions 

 which are greenish gray. (p. 47, 

 Book viii). 



NICKEL. A white metal. It is the 

 basis of " German Silver." 



NICTA'TION. The act of winking. 



NICTITANS. Lat. Winking. The 

 membrana nictitans, is a sort of 

 internal eyelid, found in many 

 mammals. 



NICOTIA'NA. Generic name of the 

 tobacco plant, derived from Nicot, 

 a Frenchman, who first sent to- 

 bacco to France, about the year 

 1560. 



NIDAME'NTAL. fr. lat. nidus, a nest. 

 Relating to the protection of the 

 egg and young; especially applied 

 to the organs which secrete the 

 materials of which many animals 

 construct their nests. 



NIDIFICA'TION. fr. lat.nidus, a nest ; 

 facere, to make. The act of build- 

 ing a nest. 



NIDIFO'RMIS. Lat. In form of a 

 bird's nest. 



NID'ULANT. Nestling; lying as a 

 bird in its nest. 



lGER< ?Lat. Black. 



NlGRA 3 



NILO'TICA. J Lat. Belonging to the 

 NILO'TICUS. river Nile. 

 NILSO'NIA. A genus of fossil plants. 

 KIM wus. The cumulo-cirro-stratus. 



A rain cloud. 



Nisus. Lat. A sparrow-hawk. 

 NIT. A louse's egg. 

 NI'TED. fr. lat. niteo, I shine. Glossy. 

 NITE'LA. Lat. A sort of field-mouse. 

 NI'TENT. Highly polished; very 



smooth. 



NIT'IDA. Lat. Neat, clean, bright. 

 NITROGEN. fr. gr. nitron, nitre- 



gennao, I beget. A simple, perma- 

 nently elastic fluid or gas, which 

 constitutes four-fifths of the atmo- 

 sphere, and is the basis of nitric 

 acid. (p. 53, Book vii). 



NIVA'LIS. Lat. Snowy. 



NOCTILU'CUS. Lat. Belonging or 

 relating to the moon. 



NOC'TUA. Lat. An owl. 



NOCTUR'NJE. Systematic name of 

 nocturnal birds of prey. 



NOCTTTR'NAL. fr. lat. nox, the night. 

 Belonging or relating to the night. 

 Nocturnal animals are those which 

 sleep during the day, and are ac- 

 tive only in the night. 



NODDING. In botany, having a 

 drooping position. 



NODE. fr. lat. nodus, a knot. In bo- 

 tany, the thickened part of a stem 

 or branch from which a leaf is 

 developed. The space between 

 two nodes is termed the internode. 



NODI. Lat. plur. Nodes; knots. 



NODO'SE. Knotty; having many 

 knots. 



NODO'SUS. Lat. Knotty. 



NOD'ULAH. Having globular eleva- 

 tions. 



NO'DULE. fr. lat v norfws, a knot. A 

 rounded irregular lump or mass. 



NOMENCLATURE. fr. gr. onoma, a 

 name ; kaleo, I call. A collection 

 of names or words peculiar to a 

 science or art. 



NON-CONDUCTOR. Applied to sub- 

 stances which do not possess the 

 property of transmitting electri- 

 city, or heat. 



NOR'MAL. fr. lat. norma, a rule. Ac- 

 cording to the peculiarities of a 

 family or genus, without the least 

 departure. In geology, normal 

 groups are certain rocks, taken as 

 a rule or standard. 



NORWICH, or NORFOLK CRAG. A ter- 

 tiary formation which rests on the 

 London clay or chalk, and in- 

 cludes marine shells, (p. 84, Book 

 viii). 



NOSTRILS. When they are open in 

 birds, and may be seen through 



