REPTILES.—SEA-SO VNDING. 1 07 



Specific. — A remedy which cither certainly cures some par- 

 ticular disease or is less fallible with regard to it than 

 otlier remedies. 



Stim'ulant. — A medicine which has the power of exciting the 

 organic action of the different systems of the economy. 



Styp'tic. — A substance employed to arrest hemorrhage. 



Tetanic. — A remedy wliich acts on the nerves, and through 

 them on the muscles, occasioning in large doses convul- 

 sions. 



Ton'ic. — A medicine which has the power of exciting slowly, 

 and by insensible degrees, the organic actions of the dif- 

 ferent systems of the animal economy, and of augmenting 

 tlieir strength in a durable manner. 



Vesicant.— A substance which raises blisters upon the skin. 



REPTILES. 



Herpetol'oa^ (Gr. herpeton, a reptile, and loffos, a discourse). 



— That part of Natural History which treats of reptiles. 

 Excluding the amphibia (frogs, toads, etc.), which are now 



formed into a separate class, reptiles are divided into four 



orders, viz. : 



1. Chelo'nia. — Turtles and tortoises. 



2. Lorica'ta. — Crocodiles and alligators. 



3. Sau'ria. — Lizards. 



4. OpMd'ia. — Snakes. 



RIDDLES. 



Enigmatog'raphy (Gr. auiiffma, an enigma, and graphn, I 

 write). — The art of making riddles ; or the art of solving 

 them. 



RINGS. 



Dactylology (Gr. dahtuhs, a finger, and logos, a discourse). — ; 

 The science which treats of the history and qualities of 

 finger-rings. 



SEA-SOUNDING. 



Bathym'etry (Gr. bathos, depth, and mcfrco, I measure). — The 

 art or science of sounding, or measuring depths in the sea. 



