SUB 



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SUP 



SU'BULATE. (from subula, an awl, Lat.) 

 Awl-shaped. 



1 . In botany, applied to leaves, when 

 thickest at the base, and gradually taper- 

 ing towards the point. 



2. In conchology, applied to shells taper- 

 ing gradually to a point. 



3. In entomology, a long thin cone softly 

 bent throughout its whole course. 



SU'CCINITE. (from succinum, amber, Lat.) 

 A mineral of an amber-yellow colour, 

 thus named by Bonvoisin. It occurs in 

 small rounded masses about the size of a 

 pea. Some mineralogists refer succinite 

 to the idocrase ; others, to the garnet. 



SU'CCULENT. (succulentus, Lat. succulent, 

 Fr. sugoso, It.) Juicy; full of juice. A 

 term applied to plants with a soft and 

 juicy stem, as distinguished from those 

 called ligneous. 



SU'DES. (sudes, Lat. a spear.) A class 

 of spines comprising several genera, 

 as Sudes villarum, Sudes fortalitiorum, 

 &c. 



SU'FFOLK CRAG. A marine deposit of the 

 older pliocene period. It consists of 

 beds of sand and gravel, abounding in 

 shells and corals. 



SU'LCATED. (from sulcus, a furrow, Lat.) 

 Furrowed ; grooved. 



1. In botany, applied to stems marked 

 with broad deep lines ; also to leaves 

 having broad, deep, parallel lines. 



2. In conchology, applied to shells that 

 are deeply furrowed, or marked with 

 ridges or broad furrows. 



SU'LCUS. Plural sulci. A broad furrow or 

 groove. 



SU'LPHATE. (from sulphur.) A combi- 

 nation of sulphuric acid with any sali- 

 fiable base. 



SU'LPHITE. A combination of sulphurous 

 acid with any salifiable base. 



SU'LPHUR. (sulphur, Lat. soufre, Fr. 

 zolfo, It.) One of the fifty-five simple or 

 elementary substances, and a non-con- 

 ductor of electricity. It is of different 

 shades of yellow, and occurs either in 

 masses or crystallized. Mr. De La Beche 

 says, " sulphur must be a more abundant 

 substance in rocks, than, at first sight, 

 we might suppose. We are in the habit 

 of associating our ideas of the connexion 

 of sulphur and rocks more especially 

 with volcanic rocks. When so estimated, 

 the amount, though often locally great, 

 is, taken generally, not considerable. 

 Sulphur is, however, widely dissemi- 

 nated among many rocks. As a sul- 

 phuret of iron, it is distributed over the 

 surface of the earth to a great extent, 

 more particularly in those rocks which 

 I have elsewhere termed the superior 

 stratified or fossiliferous rocks, and in 

 those usually known as trappean. In 



many clays sulphuret of iron prevails to a 

 great extent. Iron pyrites is a neces- 

 sary and abundant substance in the alum- 

 shales. By far the larger portion of the 

 ores of copper and lead are sulphurets. 

 In the state also of sulphate of lime, sul- 

 phur is widely spread. Not only does 

 sulphur thus occur among rocks, but it is 

 also disseminated throughout the ocean, 

 sulphate of soda being one of the salts 

 constantly present in sea-water. We 

 may therefore consider that sulphur is 

 far from being a. rare substance on the 

 face of the earth." The specific gravity 

 of sulphur is from 1 9 to 2* 1. By fric- 

 tion it acquires negative electricity. It 

 is very brittle and friable. When its 

 combustion is slow, it burns with a bluish 

 flame and with a suffocating vapour, 

 which is sulphurous acid ; but when its 

 combustion is rapid, the flame is white, 

 the vapour less suffocating, and the pro- 

 duct is sulphuric acid. 



SU'LPHURET. A combination of sulphur 

 with a metallic base ; as sulphuret of 

 iron. 



SU'LPHURET OF IRON. Iron pyrites. This 

 is very commonly found in irregular and 

 subglobular nodules and masses in the 

 chalk formation. 



SU'MMIT. (summit as, Lat. sommet, Fr.) 

 In conchology, the most elevated point of 

 the shell in which the hinge is placed. 



SUPERFI'CIES. (superficies, Lat. super- 

 fide, Fr. c'e*/ longeur et largeur sans 

 profondeur.} The surface only of a 

 body ; the exterior part. 



SUPERIMPO'SED. Laid upon something 

 else ; as one stratum is superimposed on 

 a stratum below. 



SUPERINCU'MBENT. (from super, above, 

 and incumbens, lying, Lat.) Lying above 

 or upon something else. 



SUPERPO'SED. Placed upon or above some 

 other matter or substance, as superposed 

 structures. 



SUPERPOSI'TION. The order in which bo- 

 dies are placed upon or above other 

 bodies, as more recent strata upon those 

 that are older ; secondary rocks upon 

 primary ; tertiary upon secondary, &c. 

 &c. The order of superposition of rocks 

 is never reversed, unless it be by volcanic 

 agency, when rocks may be forced from 

 below and thrown, as it were, upon those 

 which in the usual order of superposition 

 would be above them. Beds, or strata, 

 may be altogether wanting, but where- 

 ever similar beds occur together, the order 

 of superposition is never inverted. Thus 

 the Wealden deposites are never found 

 above the chalk ; the chalk is never found 

 above the London clay ; the London clay 

 is never found above the crag : nor do we 

 meet with the chalk under oolite ; the lias 



