METSYLOXAIIC ACID 



218 



MIGRATORY 



Methyloxalic acid= Acetic acid, q.v. 



Meton ic cycle, (me-tou'ik). [Meton of Athens. ] 

 A period of 19 years, after which the eclipses, 

 &c., occur again in the same order as before; 

 named from its discoverer. 



Metre, (metr). [The French word.]=39'371 

 inches: the unit of length in the Metric 

 system. The metre is the 40 millionth part 

 of the circumference of the earth measured 

 through the poles. Centimetre= '39371 in. 

 Decimetre=3-9371 inches. J>e/hime(re=39371 

 inches. Hectometre=39Z7'l inches. 



Metric, (met'rik). [Metre, q*v.] M. system 

 of weights and measures: in use in most 

 Continental countries. The unit of length 

 is the French metre, 39*371 inches: the unit 

 of weight, the French kilogramme=2'2 Ibs.; 

 the unit of capacity, the French Iitre=r75 

 pints nearly. These are all connected by the 

 litre being the cube of a decimetre, and the 

 kilogramme being the weight of a litre of dis- 

 tilled water at its greatest density. 



Meum, (me'um)=Meu, Spignel, <fcc.: an aro- 

 matic herb belonging to Apiacese. 



Mezereon, (me-ze're-on)=Daphne mezereum: 

 a shrub belonging to Thymelacese. 



Miargyrite, (rai-ar'ji-rit). [Gk. meion, less; 

 argyros, silver.] A black opaque mineral, 

 chiefly sulphide of silver and sulphate of 

 antimony. 



Miaskite, (mi-asldt). [Miask, in Ural Moun- 

 tains.] A granular slaty mineral, chiefly 

 orthoclase and nepheline; a variety of syenite. 



Miasma, (mi-as'ma). [Gk. miaino, I pollute.] 

 A poisonous exhalation from putrefying 

 matter. 



Mica, (mlTca). [L. mico, I sparkle.] A mine- 

 ral, chiefly silicate of aluminum: has metal- 

 lic lustre, and is foliated and transparent. 

 Lithia M. = Lepidclite. Pearl M. = Mar- 

 garite. Potash Af.=-Muscovite. M. schist: 

 one of the metamorphic rocks; a slaty com- 

 pound of mica and quartz. M. group of 

 minerals: includes phlogopite, muscovite, 

 lepidolite, lepidomelane, biutito, and chlorite, 

 usually in scales or plates. 



Mice, (mis). [Mouse, q.v.] Small rat-like 

 animals belonging to Rodentia. Sea M., v. 

 Errantia. Shrew M=Sorex, q.v. 



Micraster, (mi-kras'tr). [Gk. mikros, little; 

 aster, star.] A sea-urchin found in chalk 

 rocks. 



Microcebus, ( mi-kro-se'bus ). [Gk. mikros, 

 little; kebos, ape.] A small animal belonging 

 to Lemuridse. 



Microclin, (mi'kro-klin). [Gk. mikros, little; 

 klino, I incline.] A mineral, a variety of 

 orthoclase : named from the small angle 

 between the planes of cleavage. 



Microcosmic salt, ( mi-kro-kos'mik. ) [Gk. 

 mikros, small. ]=NaH 4 NHPO4+4H 2 O : a 

 phosphate of ammonium and sodium ; used 

 as a flux in blowpipe experiments=Ster- 

 corite; named from the small size of the 

 crystals. 



Microcrith, (miTcro-krith). [Gk. mikros, small; 

 krith, barleycorn.] =The weight of an atom 

 of hydrogen. 



Microdactylus, ( ml-kro-dak'ti-lus ). [ Gk. 



mikros, small; daktylos, finger. ]=Sariama= 

 Palamedea cristata: a bird belonging to Gral- 

 latores, found in New Guinea. 



Microglossus, (mi-kro-glos'sus). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; glossa, tongue.] A parrot-like bird, 

 belonging to Psittacidse. 



Microlestes, (mi-kro-les't5z). [Gk. mikros, 

 little; lestes, beast of prey.] A small kan- 

 garoo-like animal, one of the earliest mam- 

 mals known, of which teeth are found fossil 

 in Stonesfield slates : now called Stereogna- 

 thus. 



Microlithic, ( ml-kro-lith'ik ). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; lithos, stone.] Built of small stones. 



Micrometer, ( mi-krom'e-ter ). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; metron, measure.] Any apparatus for 

 the measurement of very small distances: 

 especially for the accurate sub-division of 

 the field of view of a telescope. M. screw: 

 for measuring minute distances,' by noting 

 their ratio to the known distance between 

 the threads. 



Micromys, (miTcro-mis). [Gk. mikros, small; 

 mys, mouse.]=Harvest mouse, q.v. 



Microphytes, (ml-kro-fi'tez). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; phyton, plant.] Minute plants: a 

 general term for very small forms of vege- 

 table life. 



Micropterus, (mf-krop'ter-us). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; pteryx, wing.] A duck-like bird with 

 short wings. M. brachypterus = Steamer 

 duck=Race-horse. 



Micropyle, (mi'kro-pil). [Gk. mikros, small; 

 pyle, opening.] The entrance to the ovum 

 by which the embryo passes out. 



Microscope, (mi'kro-skop). [Gk. mikros, small; 

 skopeo, I view.] A magnifying glass or 

 glasses and fittings, used to see magnified 

 images of very small objects. 



Microscopium, (mi-kro-sko'pi-um). [Micro- 

 scope, q.v.] A small constellation near the 

 Zodiac. 



Microtherium,(mi-kro-the'ri-unO. [Gk.mikros, 

 little; therion, beast.] A small mammalian 

 animaJ known only by fossil remains. 



Microzymes, (mi'kro-zimz). [Gk. mikros, small; 

 zyme, leaven. ]= Bacteria, q.v. 



Microzoaria, (mi-kro-zo-a/ri-a). [Gk. mikros, 

 small; zoon, animal.] A term used for In- 

 fusoria, q.v. 



Midas, (mi'das). A small monkey =Marmoset, 

 q.v. M.'s ear=Auricula Midae: an herbi- 

 vorous mollusc. 



Midnight sun. In Arctic circle, due north 

 in summer solstice, during which the sun 

 never descends below the horizon. 



Midriff, (mid'rif). [Midhrif, 

 the A.-S. word. ] = Dia- 

 phragm, q.v. 



Miemite, ( mi'e-mit )=Dolo- 

 mite, q.v. 



Miesite, (mi'e-sit)=Pyromor- 

 phite, q.v. 



Mignonette, (min-yon-nef). 

 [The French name.]=Reseda 

 odorata: a fragrant herb be- 

 longing to Resedacese. 



Migratory birds which spend 

 the summer in England : Mignonette. 



