E A 



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EEC 



having a branched appearance are 

 described as ramose. 



EANE'LLA. A genus of marine uni- 

 valves, belonging to the family 

 Canalifera. E-ecent ranellae are 

 found principally in the Indian 

 seas, at depths varying to eleven 

 fathoms. Some fossil species have 

 been discovered in the London clay. 



EAPTO'JJES. The first order of the 

 class Aves, or birds : this order 

 comprises the eagle, hawk, vulture, 

 and owl. 



EAPTO'BIOUS. (from rapio, Lat. to 

 snatch.) 



1. The name given to animals 

 which dart upon and seize their 

 prey. 



2. The name given to certain parts 

 of insects. The legs are called 

 pedes ; when adapted to the seizing 

 of prey, they are called pedes rap- 

 torii, not arms. 



EA'VIN. ) (ravin, Fr.) A deep, hol- 

 EA'VINE. ) low, narrow excavation 

 formed by the force of running 

 water. The French use the two 

 words ravin and ravine in different 

 significations. The word ravin is 

 used to express a place which has 

 been hollowed out by a stream of 

 running water, as "passer un ravin 

 profond" Ravine is employed to 

 denote a torrent of water, " espece 

 de torrent forme d'eaux qui torn- 

 bent subitement et impetueusement 

 des montagnes, ou d'autres lieux 

 eleves, apres quelquegrande pluie." 

 Sometimes, however, ravine is used 

 to signify the place worn by the 

 torrent. 



EAT. (from raja, Lat. raie, Fr.) A 

 sea fish. The rays form a genus 

 of the order Chondropterygii ; they 

 may be known by their flattened 

 body, which is in the form of a 

 disk, from the union of the body 

 with the very broad and fleshy 

 pectorals, which are joined to each 

 other before or on to the snout, and 

 which extend behind the two sides 

 of the abdomen as far as the base 



of the ventrals. The rays have no 

 ribs. The phalanges of the carpus 

 are very numerous, and each is 

 subdivided into several pieces by 

 regular articulations ; they are ar- 

 ranged close to one another in one 

 plane, and form an effectual base 

 of support to the integument which 

 covers them. Both the anterior 

 and posterior extremities are sup- 

 ported by arches of bones, forming 

 a sort of belt. In this genus are in- 

 cluded the skate, torpedo, and sting- 

 ray. Kirby, quoting from Lacepede, 

 says, an individual of a species of this 

 tribe, called by the sailors the sea- 

 devil, taken at Barbadoes, was so 

 large, as to require seven pairs of 

 oxen to draw it on shore ; he very 

 judiciously, however, adds two 

 notes of admiration to this marvel- 

 lous story. Fossil rays are abun- 

 dant throughout the tertiary for- 

 mation , they occur also in the 

 Jurassic limestone. 



EAT. 1. A name given to the fins 

 of certain fishes. 2. In botany, 

 the florets composing the margin 

 of a compound flower. 



EE'ALGAR. (realgar, Fr.) Eed sul- 

 phuret of arsenic. Arsenic com- 

 bined with sulphur forms realgar 

 and orpiment, which are found as 

 natural ores; the realgar is of a 

 beautiful and variable red. Eeal- 

 gar is a bi-sulphuret of arsenic, 

 consisting of arsenic 69, sulphur 

 31. Specific gravity 3-27. It 

 occurs in regular crystals, in com- 

 pact masses, in concretions, or in 

 crusts, which are sometimes earthy. 

 Before the blow-pipe it melts 

 easily, burns with a blue flame and 

 garlic smell, and soon evaporates. 

 ^Nitric acid deprives it of its colour. 

 It occurs in veins in primary, 

 transition, secondary, and volcanic 

 rocks; in Sicily, Germany, America, 

 and other parts. 



EE'CENT FOEMA'TION. Any formation, 

 whether igneous or aqueous, which 

 can be proved to be of a date 



