USED IN NATURAL HISTORY. 



105 



from side to side, as in gulls, &c., 

 nostrils are said to be pervious. 

 Nostrils are termed linear when 

 they are extended lengthwise in 

 a line with the beak, as in di- 

 vers, &c. 



NOTACAN'THOUS. fr. gr. nofos, the 

 back; akantha, a spine. Having 

 spines on the back; applied to 

 certain insects. 



NoxcH-FLOWERED.-Having the flow- 

 er notched at the margin. 



NOTOJTE'CTAL. fr. gr. notes, the 

 back ; neklos, that swims. Habi- 

 tually swimming on the back; 

 applied to certain insects. 



NOTOH'NIS. An extinct bird. 



NOTOTHE'RIUM. A fossil genus of 

 marsupial mammals. 



NUCAMEXTA'CEOUS -Producing nuts. 



NU'CHA Lat. The nape of the 

 neck. 



NU'CLEATED. Having a nucleus, or 

 central particle. 



NU'CLEUS. A kernel. A centre 

 around which matter has accumu- 

 lated. 



ND'CULA. fr. lat. nux, a nut. A ge- 

 nus of bivalve shells with nume- 

 rous teeth like those of a comb. 



NUCULA'NIUM. A superior, indehis- 

 cent, fleshy fruit, containing two 

 or more cells, and several seeds, 

 as the grape. 



NU'CULE. Glans: a form of fruit. 



NCDA. Lat. Naked. 



NC'DI BRANCH. Relating to the nu- 

 dibranchiata. 



NU'DIRRANCHIA'TA. fr. lat. nudus, 

 naked ; branchia, gills. Name of 

 an order of gasteropods. 



NUME'NIUS. fr. gr. neos, new ; wime, 

 moon, on account of their cres- 

 cent-shaped beak. Generic name 

 of the curlews. 



Lat ' A Guinea - fowl - 

 NUMMULA'RIA. Nummulites. 

 NUMMULI'TES. fr. lat. nwmmuj, mo- 

 ne>, and fr. gr. lithos, stone. Fos- 

 sil money. An extinct genus of 

 cephalopods, of a thin lenticular 



shape, divided internally into 

 small chambers. Nummulite lime- 

 stone obtains its name from the 

 presence in it of these shells in 

 great abundance. In Alabama 

 there is a mountain range entirely 

 composed of one species of num- 

 mulite. 



NUT. A dry, bony, indehiscent, 

 one-celled fruit, proceeding from 

 a pistil of three cells, and enclosed 

 in a cupule, as the acorn, &c. 



NUTRI'TION. The animal function, 

 by which the various organs re- 

 ceive nutritive substances (previ- 

 ously prepared by the several or- 

 gans of digestion), necessary to 

 repair their losses and maintain 

 their strength. 



NU'TRITIVE. Affording nourish- 

 ment. 



NTM'PHA. Lat. Nymph. The se- 

 cond stage of metamorphosis of 

 insects. 



OB. A prefix, signifying inversion. 

 OBCOXIC. Conic with the apex 



downward. 

 OB'COHDATE. Inversely cordate, (p. 



35, Book vii). 

 OBLA'NCEOLATE Lanceolate, with 



the base narrowest. 

 OBLI'Q.UE. In botany, a position 



between horizontal and verti- 

 cal. 

 OB LONG. Longer than oval, with 



the sides parallel. 

 OBLONGA'TA. Lat. Elongated 



lengthened. 

 OB'LOXG-O'VATE. Egg-shaped, or 



oval. 



| OBLO'NGUS. Lat. Oblong. 

 OBOVA'TA. Lat. Obovate. 

 OBO'VATE. fr. lat. 06, for, opposite ; 



ouwm, egg. Ovate or egg-shaped, 



but inverted. 



OBSCURA. Lat. Dark; obscure. 

 OBSI'DIAN. Named after Obsidius. 



A glassy lava. Volcanic glass. 



It consists of si'lica and alumina 



with a little potash and oxide of 



iron. 



