M AMMALOGY: GLOSSARY. 



141 



DECIDUOUS. From the Latin, cadere, 

 to fall. Falling, that which falls 

 off not permanent. 

 DECUMANUS. Latin. Tenth. Huge, 



fair, of a large size. 

 DELPHINUS. Latin. A Dolphin. 

 DELPHIS. The name of a priestess 

 of the temple of Delphos, which 

 Linnaeus gave to an animal of the 

 order of cetacea. 



DENTAL. From the Latin, dens, a 

 tooth. Relating or belonging to the 

 teeth. 



DENTICULATE. Having the edge or 



border like teeth. Armed with teeth. 



DERMA. Greek. The skin. 



DIDELPHIS. From the Greek, dis, 



twice or double, and delphus a womb 



The name of a genus of the older 



of Marsupialia. 



DIGITIGRADA. From the Latin digi- 

 tus, a finger or toe, and gradus, a 

 step. Name of a tribe of animals 

 that in walking rest only their toes 

 on the ground. 



DIGITIGRADE. Animals that walk on 

 the toes, without resting the whole 

 foot on the ground. 

 DIURNAL. From the Latin, dies, a 

 day. Belonging or relating to the 

 day. 



DOE. A she deer. 



DOMESTICUS. Latin. Domestic. 

 DORCAS. Greek. A Gazel. 

 DORMOUSE. From the Latin. Dor- 

 mire, to sleep, and mus a mouse. 

 (See page 80.) 



DORSAL. From the Latin, dorsum, 

 the back. Belonging or relating to 

 the back. 



DOWN. From the Danish, duun. 

 Soft wool, or tender hair, fur. Soft 

 feathers. 



DROMEDARIUS. Barbarous Latin, for- 

 med from the Greek, dromos, a 

 race, speed. The Dromedary, a 

 species of camel with one hump, 

 is thus named from its swiftness. 

 ECHIDNA. From the Greek. A viper 

 or snake. The name of a monster, 

 the upper part of whose body was 

 in the form of a beautiful woman, 

 and the lower part like that of a 

 hideous serpent. The name of a 



genus of animals of unusual con- 

 struction. (See page 96.) 

 ECHINODERMATA. From the Greek, 

 echinos, a hedgehog, and derma, 

 skin. Animals whose skin is like 

 that of the hedgehog. 

 EDENTATA. From the Latin, e, priva- 

 tive, and dens, tooth. Without 

 teeth. The name of an order of 

 mammiferous animals that ara 

 without teeth. 

 EDENTATE. Without teeth. 

 ELEPHAS. Latin. An Elephant. 

 ELEPHUS. Latin. Belonging or re- 

 lating to an elephant. 

 ENAMEL, (of the teeth.) The sub- 

 stance which covers the crowns of 

 the teeth. It is of a white colour, 

 very smooth, and polished, and suf- 

 ficiently hard to strike fire with 

 steel. Enamel is thickest where 

 the teeth are in contact, and thin- 

 nest about the neck of the tooth. 

 The fibres of the enamel are per. 

 pendicular to the surface of the 

 teeth, on which they seem, as it 

 were, planted. This gives them a 

 velvety appearance when examined 

 by the microscope. The enamel 

 has no blood vessels, and is not re- 

 newed when removed. 

 ENCEPHALON. From the Greek, eg, 

 in, and kephale, head. The brain 

 and spinal marrow. 

 ENTELLUS. Latin name of an Apo, 



or Guenon of Malabar. 

 EPIDERMIS. From the Greek, epi, 

 upon, and derma, skin. The ex- 

 ternal covering of the derma. The 

 cuticle or scarf-skin. 

 EPIDERMIC. Relating or belonging to 



the epidermis. 



EPHEMERAL. From the Greek, ejri, 

 in, and emera, a day. Lasting but 

 a day. Fleeting, transient, momen- 

 tary. 



EQUUS. Latin. A horse. 

 ERINACEUS. Latin. Hedgehog. 

 ERMINEA. Latin. Belonging or re- 

 lating to the ermine. 

 ESPALIER. French. From the Italian, 

 spalliere. Trees which are attached 

 to, and supported by a wall, in a 

 row. 



