G 



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G It A 



order of Pseudorachnidans, the 

 posterior legs exhibiting a rapto- 

 rious character. 



GORGO'NIA. A genus of Ceratophyta, 

 of the family Corticati, class Polypi. 

 These animals have a horny skele- 

 ton, are carnivorous, feeding upon 

 living animalcules. The polypi of 

 several species have been observed, 

 and they are found to possess eight 

 denticulated arms, a stomach, &c. 

 To a species found fossil in the Wen- 

 lock limestone, Mr. Lonsdale has 

 assigned the specific name assimilis ; 

 he says, " it is impossible to deter- 

 mine if this fossil be a true Gorgo- 

 nia, but from its great resemblance 

 to the axis of some existing species, 

 I have ventured to place it in that 

 genus." Mr. Lonsdale thus de- 

 scribes G. Assimilis : axis round, 

 branched, striated longitudinally, 

 branches anastomosed, no project- 

 ing papilla, or impressed pores. 

 Murchison's Silurian System. 



GO'SSAN. In mining, a technical term 

 for an ochreous substance which, 

 from its appearance, may be termed 

 an argillaceous oxyd of iron. The 

 presence of gossan is considered by 

 the miner to be an indication of 

 neighbouring riches, and is de- 

 nominated kindly, or very kindly, 

 in proportion to the darkness of its 

 hue, and the loosenesss of its 

 texture. 



GRA'LL^:. j An order of aquatic 



GRA'LLATORES. j birds. Waders ; 

 frequenting marshes and streams ; 

 having long naked legs ; long neck ; 

 cylindrical bills. In this order are 

 included the crane, stork, heron, 

 bittern, &c. &c. 



GRA'MINA. fgramen, Lat.) The 

 fourth order in Linnasus's division ; 

 the grasses. 



GRAMINIVOROUS, (from gramen, grass, 

 and voro, to devour, Lat.) Sub- 

 sisting wholly on grass or vegetable 

 food. Animals which subsist whol- 

 ly on vegetable food are called 

 graminivorous, while those which 



live on flesh alone are called carni- 

 vorous ; those feeding on both are 

 called omnivorous; while those 

 feeding solely on fishes are denomi- 

 nated piscivorous. 



GRA'MMATITE. (The name given by 

 Brongniart to Tremolin.) A min- 

 eral, a variety of hornblende, con- 

 fined almost entirely to primary 

 rocks. Colours white and blue. 

 Disposed in fibrous, radiated, and 

 granular concretions. 



GRA'NATINE. A name given by Mr. 

 Kirwan to a granular aggregate 

 containing three ingredients, but 

 those differing from the ingredients 

 of granite. A compound embra- 

 cing two ingredients only, he 

 termed a granitell; when three 

 ingredients are present, but not 

 the three forming granite, he called 

 it a granatine; when more than 

 three ingredients form the com- 

 pound, he termed it a granilite. 



GRA'NATITE. } The Prismatoidischer 



GRE'NATITE. j granat of Mohs, Gra- 

 natit of Werner, Staurotide of 

 Haliy. A reddish-brown mineral, 

 occurring in primary rocks in the 

 Shetland Isles, and in many parts 

 of Scotland, aud in America. Ac- 

 cording to Yauquelin, it consists of 

 alumina 45, silica 33, oxide of iron 

 13, oxide of manganese 4, and 

 lime 4. Its form and infusibility 

 distinguish it from the garnet. 

 See Staurotide. 



GRANI'FEROUS. (fromgranum and/m>, 

 Lat.) Pods which bear seeds like 

 grains. 



GRA'NILITE. An aggregate containing 

 more than three constituent parts ; 

 thus named by Mr. Kirwan. 



GRA'NITE. (granito, It. granit, ou 

 granite, Fr. Pierre fort dure, qm est 

 composte d'un assemblage d'autres 

 pierres de differ entes couleurs.) An 

 aggregate of felspar, quartz, and 

 mica, whatever may be the size or 

 figure of the several ingredients, or 

 their relative proportions, is de- 

 nominated granite. Felspar is 



