FLU 



FOR 



FLU'STRA. A genus of polyparia, class 

 Vermes, order Zoophyta. If we carefully 

 observe the patches of white calcareous 

 matter, called flustroe, that may be seen 

 on every sea-weed or shell on the shore, 

 appearing like delicate lace, we shall dis- 

 cover that these apparently mere specks 

 of earthy substance belong to the Emhnal 

 kingdom. The fluslra, when taken fresh 

 and alive out of the water, presents to 

 the naked eye the appearance of fine net- 

 work, coated over with a glossy varnish. 

 With a glass of moderate powers, it is 

 discovered to be full of pores, disposed 

 with much regularity. If a powerful lens 

 be employed, while the flustra is immersed 

 in sea-water, very different phenomena 

 appear ; the surface is seen to be invested 

 with a fleshy, or gelatinous, substance, 

 and every pore to be the opening of a cell 

 or cavity, whence issues a tube with 

 several long feelers or tentacula ; these 

 expand, then suddenly close, withdraw 

 into the cells, and again issue forth ; and 

 thejvhole surface of the flustra is studded 

 with these hydra-like forms, sporting 

 about iu all the energy and activity of 

 life. For a more full account, see Dr. 

 Mantell's Wonders of Geology, whence 

 the above is taken. 



FLU'TKD. Grooved ; channelled ; furrowed. 



FLUVIA'TIC. ^fi-uvialis, fluviaticus, Lat. 



FLU'VIAL. ^ ftuviatile, Fr.) Belong- 



FLV'VIATILE.J ing to a river ; growing, or 

 living, in the fresh water of rivers. 



FLUX, (fluxus, Lat. flux, Fr. mouvement 

 regie de la mer vers le rivage & certaines 

 heures dujour.) 



1. The flow of the tidal wave : the flux is 

 the rise ; the reflux, the ebb of the tide. 



2. Any substance added to facilitate the 

 fusion of metals or minerals. 



FOE'CAL. See Fecal. 

 F(E'CES. See Feces. 

 FOLIA'CEOUS. (foliaceus, Lat.) Leafy ; 



consisting of leaves or lamina. 

 FO'LIAGE. (folium, Lat.) The leaves of 



plants or trees. 

 FO'LTATED. (foliatus, Lat.) 



1. In botany, leaved or having leaves. 



2. In conchology, in laminae or leaves, as 

 when the edges of the shelly layers are not 

 compact, but seem to separate from each 

 other. This may easily be seen in the 

 large coarse oyster shell. 



FDLIA'TION. 



1 . In botany, vernation or leafing of trees, 

 &c. 



2. In mineralogy, the act of beating into 

 thin leaves. 



FOLI'FEROUS. (horn folium and fero, Lat.) 

 Bearing leaves. 



FO'LKSTONE MARL. A stiff marl, varying 

 in colour from a light grey to a dark 

 blue, more generally known under the 



provincial term Gait. The thickness of 

 this bed is in some places in the South of 

 Sussex not less than between two and 

 three hundred feet. It is a member of 

 the cretaceous groupe, lying between the 

 upper and lower green-sand. Where the 

 Folkstone mari is exposed, and forms the 

 surface of the country, the soil is exceed- 

 ingly tenacious, and ranks amongst the 

 finest aud most productive. The Folk- 

 stone marl abounds in fossils. 

 FO'LLICLE. (folliculus, Lat. follicule, Fr. 

 follicolo, It.) 



1. In botany, a univalvular pericarp, open- 

 ing on one side longitudinally, and having 

 the seeds loose in it ; a membranous seed- 

 vessel of one valve and one cell, bursting 

 lengthwise, and having no apparent su- 

 ture to which the seeds are attached. 



2. In anatomy, a small secreting cavity. 

 FONTANE'L. (fontanelle, Fr. fontanella, 



It.) An opening left in the skull at birth, 

 which is subsequently closed by osseous 

 deposit ; there are two. 



FORA'MEN. (Lat.) A hole ; an opening ; 

 generally by which nerves or blood ves- 

 sels obtain a passage through bones. In 

 botany, the opening in the ovulum. When 

 the foramen is visible on the seed, as is 

 the case in the bean and pea, it is called 

 the micropyle. 



FORA'MINATED. > (from foramino, Lat.) 



FORA'MINOUS. $ Pierced with small open- 

 ings ; full of small holes ; porous. 



FORAMI'NIFER. A genus of microscopic 

 shells. Mr. Lonsdale has discovered six- 

 teen species of foraminifers in the Eng- 

 lish chalk, and Mr. Searles Wood has 

 discovered fifty species of foraminifers in 

 the lower crag formation of Suffolk. 



FORAMINI'FEROUS. Belonging to the genus 

 foraminifer. Some recent observations 

 have induced M. Dugardin to refer the 



, animals which construct the Miliola and 

 some other microscopic foraminiferous 

 shells to a new class of animals of lower 

 degree than the radiata, and possessing a 

 locomotive power by means of minute 

 tentacular filaments. Prof. BucJ.land. 



FO'RCIPATED. (forcipatus, Lat.) Hooked, 

 or furnished with pincers, as the claws of 

 a lobster, crab, &c. 



FO'RELAND. A promontory : a jutting of 

 high land into the sea, as the North- 

 Foreland, in the Isle of Thanet, and the 

 South-Foreland, near Dover. 



FO'RKED. Opening into two or more parts ; 

 furcated. 



FORMA'TION. (formatio, Lat. formation, 

 Fr. formazione, It.) Any assemblage of 

 rocks possessing some character in com- 

 mon, either as regards their age, oi'igin, 

 or composition. When a series of strata 

 of a similar rock are arranged with occa- 

 sional strata intervening, of rocks of ano^ 



