ACT 2J 



ACTA SESATVS, minutes of what passed 

 In the Roman senate ; called also com- 

 mentarii. 



ACT.EA, herb Christopher. A genus of 

 hardy perennials, belonging to the class 

 jmlyandria, and order monogynia. There 

 are four species, two of which are peculiar 

 to North America, and one, bane-berry 

 (A. spicatn}, is found growing in mountain- 

 forests in most parts of Europe. The root 

 is strongly cathartic, and the berries are 



ACT 



poisonous. Name, OIXTOIUX,, 



I, " quod 



in aussibus circa maris littus crescit." 

 Pliny, 27, c. 7. These are also Greek names 

 of the elder-tree. 



AC'TIAN, relating toActium, a town and 

 promontory of Epirus, as Actian games, 

 which were instituted by Augustus in 

 honour of his naval victory over Antony, 

 near that town, Sept. 2, B. c. 31. Accord- 

 ing to Strabo, they were held every fifth 

 year, and were sacred to Apollo, thence 

 called Actius. Actian years were reckoned 

 from the battle of Actium. 



AC'TINE (xnvii), the earth-nut (bunium 

 bulbocastanian). 



ACTI'.X-IA, the sea-anemone ; a genus of 

 polypi of the order carnosi. The fleshy 

 body of the actinia is frequently orna- 

 mented with bright colours, and exhibits 

 numerous tentacula placed round the 

 mouth in several ranges, like the petals 

 of a double flower; and hence their 

 popular name of sea anemones. Name 

 from otxnvY), the sea. 



ACTINOCAR'PUS, the generic name of the 

 herb star-fruit. Class he-randria, order her- 

 atjynift. Name, U.ZTIV, a ray, and x<x.0To;, 

 a fruit ; its curiously radiated fruit re- 

 sembling a star-fish, found in ditches, 

 pools, &c. 



ACTIN'OCOMAX, from OLXTIV and XOU.Y,. 

 A genus of fossil shells resembling the 

 belemnites. 



ACTIN'OCRITE, from OXTIV and xoi&r,* 

 A fossil crinoidean, found in the carboni- 

 ferous limestone near Bristol. 



ACTIN'OLITE, from a,xri, a ray, and 



ACTIXOTE, the amphibole, aetionote \<z 

 idre, of Haiiy, is the same with the greet" 

 diallage of Jamieson, and the actinolite 

 described above. 



ACTINO'TUS, a genus of plants containing 

 only one species, a native of New Holland. 

 It is a greenhouse perenhial, resembling 

 the sunflower (helianthus). Class pentan- 

 dria, order digynia. 



ACTION, Lat. actio, literally, a driving. 

 Action is opposed to rest, and when ex- 

 erted on one body by another, it is said 

 to be mechanical ; when produced by the 

 will of a living being, it is said to be 

 spontaneous, or voluntary. Webster. 1. In 

 mechanics, operation ; effort of one body 

 upon another, e. g. action of the wind upon 

 a ship's sails ; also the result of such 

 effort. Quantity of action is the product 

 of the mass of a body by the space passed 

 through, and velocity. - 2. In physiology, 

 the motions or functions of the body, 

 vital (actiones vitales), animal (animales), 

 and natural (naturales). Vital and invo- 

 luntary, e. g. action of the heart; animal, 

 e. g. all voluntary muscular motions ; wa- 

 tural, e. g. digestion and assimilation. 

 Morbid actions are those derangements of 

 the ordinary actions which constitute 

 disease. - 3. In ethics, the external signs 

 or expression of the sentiments of amoral 

 agent, e. g. conduct, behaviour, demean- 

 our, that is, motion with respect to 

 a rule of propriety. Webster. - 4. In 

 poetry, the series of events which con- 

 stitutes the subject of the fable. - 5. In 

 oratory, the gesticulation of the speaker, 

 or the accommodation of his voice, atti- 

 tude, gesture, and countenance, to the 

 subject. " The matter is not so important 

 as the manner." Cicero. '6. In paint- 

 ing and sculpture, the attitude or position 

 of the several parts of the body to exhibit 

 passion, &c. - 7. In law, an urging for 

 right ; the suit or process which is brought 

 by which a demand is made for a risht. 

 The suit till judgment is properly called 

 the action, but not after. Actions are 

 real or feudal, personal or mired. Heal 



Wo; , a stone. Ray-stone (the straM stein actions concern landed property only (for 

 of Werner), a mineral nearly allied to ! that was the only property accounted 

 hornblende.' There are three varieties,- ^J^-^j^^J. 



the crystallised, the asbestose, and the 

 glassy actinolite. Colour, green, varying 

 in shade. Constituents : silica, 50 ; lime, 

 9'75 ; magnesia, 19'25 ; oxide of iron, 11; 

 alumina, 1 ; with traces of the oxides of 

 manganese and chromium. It is found 

 chiefly in primitive districts : rarely in 

 secondary rocks. Actinolite schist is a 

 metamorphic rock, consisting chiefly of 

 actinolite, with a mixture of mica, quartz, 

 or felspar. 



ACTINOME'RIS, a genus of hardy Ameri- 

 can perennial plants, of five species. 

 Ciw ywene*wj, order polygamia frus- 



brought to recover a debt, damages for 

 trespass, &c. Mired actions are in demand 

 of real estate and damages for a wrong 

 sustained. Actions are also criminal or 

 civil; criminal, or penal, when brought to 

 recover a penalty imposed by way of 

 punishment ; ciril, when instituted solely 

 in behalf of private persons to recover 

 debts, damages, &c. The word is also 

 used for a right of action, e.g. ''' the law 

 gives an action for every claim." Black- 

 stone. A chose in action is a right to a 

 thing in opposition to the possession, e. g. 

 a bond is a chose in action, as it gives tli* 



