VEE 



VER 



ebra, or borer, of the females is some- 

 times very long and prominent, and 

 composed of. three filamentary pro- 

 cesses, sometimes capillary, and cod- 

 ed in a spiral form in the interior of 

 the abdomen. 



USTILAGO. A name given to cer- 

 tain fungi which produce the appear- 

 ance of burning on the leaves of 

 plants ; fire blight. This term was 

 formerly ajjplied to the burned car, a 

 disease of grain. 



UTERb'S. The womb. 



UTRICLE, UTRICULUS. A one- 

 celled, one or four seeded, superior 

 membranous fruit, often bursting by a 

 transverse suture. A little bladder. 



U V A U R S I. Arbutus uva ursi 

 Bear's berry. A small shrub, the 

 leaves of which are used in medicine. 



UVULA. The pendulous portion 

 of the soft palate which hangs over 

 the cavity of the pharynx. 



v. 



VACUUM. A void space. The 

 cavity of any vessel from which air 

 has been extracted by the air-pump 

 is called a vacuum. A Torricellian 

 vacuum is that above the mercury of 

 a barometer. 



VAGINA. A sheath : the passage 

 from the uterus outward. 



VALERLAN. Valeriana officinalis. 

 A perennial herb, the root of which is 

 a nervous stimulant. 



VALLESNERLA. A genus of wa- 

 ter weeds. 



VALVE. In mechanics and zool- 

 ogy, a flap or small door opening only 

 in one direction, and serving to close 

 a tube or passage. There are many 

 kinds of valves, as the door valve, the 

 sliding valve. In botany, the pieces 

 into which dry fruits or anthers burst 

 naturally, are called valves. 



VANILLA. The succulent fruit 

 of the Epidendron vanilla, an orciiid- 

 eous climbing shrub of Mexico and 

 tropical America. The seeds have a 

 delightful aroma, and are used in fla- 

 vouring confectionery and chocolate. 



VAPOUR. The temporary gase- 

 ous condition of fluids. 



VEERING. A ridge made in 

 ploughing where two lands meet. 

 824 



VEGETABLE CHEMISTRY. 

 The chemical examination of all prod- 

 ucts of the vegetable world, as well 

 as the functions of plants. 



VEGETABLE OYSTER. See 

 Salsify. 



VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. 

 An examination of the growth and 

 functions of plants. 



V E I L. Calyptra. A membrane 

 connecting the pileus with the stem 

 of some mushrooms. 



VEINS. The vessels which con- 

 vey blood that has circulated through 

 the body back to the heart. 



VENA CAVA. The great veins 

 which discharge the venous blood into 

 the right auricle of the heart. 



VENTER. In entomology, the 

 lower part of the abdomen. 



VENTILATION. The establish- 

 ment of a current of air through any 

 room or place. 



VENTRICLE. A cavity of the 

 heart, brain, &c. 



VENTRICOSE. Any part which 

 appears blown out. 



VERATRIA. An active alkaloid 

 principle, from the Veratrum album, 

 or white hellebore. 



VERBENA. The vervain {Verbe- 

 na leucrioides), a shrubby plant, with 

 leaves of a delightful lemon odour, 

 and which are distilled for perfumery. 

 It is propagated by slips. 



VERJUICE. The juice of green 

 grapes or apples, from which a vine- 

 gar is made. 



VERMIN. Destructive animals or 

 insects. 



VERNATION. The manner in 

 which the leaflets of a bud are folded. 



VERRUCOSE. Having a wart- 

 like appearance. 



VERTEBRAE. The bones of the 

 spine, which is also called the verte- 

 bral column. 



VERTEBRATES, VERTEBRA- 

 TA. All animals having a spinal col- 

 umn. 



VERTICAL. Upright, pointing to 

 the vertex, or uppermost point over- 

 head. 



VERTICELLUS. A whorl. Vcr- 

 ticcllate is a derivative ; disposed in a 

 whorl. 



