CER 



212 



CER 



as-T/O, having the bones united into 

 one osseous case. 



CEPHAi/ic.from xifa)i.vi, the head; per- 

 taining to the head. In pharmacy, a 

 variety of medicines are called ctphalict, 

 as being adapted for the cure of disorders 

 of the head : of this class is cephalic snuff, 

 the active ingredient o which is asara- 

 bacca. In anatomy, the term is applied 

 to a vein of the arm anciently supposed 

 to have some particular connexion with 

 the head. The jugular vein is also called 

 the cephalic vein, and the carotid artery is 

 sometimes termed the cfphalic artery. 



CEI-HALO'DII-M, in botany, a figure re- 

 sembling a convex shield without an ele- 

 vated rim. 



CEPHALOM'ETCR, from xi<p<x>.y, the head, 

 and .try, measure ; an instrument for- 

 merly used to estimate the size of the 

 foetal head during parturition. 



CEPHALO'FHORA, xiQaXij, the head, and 

 G'otu, I bear. 1. A name substituted by 

 De Blainville for the Cephalopoda (q. v.) 

 of Cuvier. 2. A genus of South Ameri- 

 can plants of one species (a perennial), 

 formerly called Griemia aromatica, from 

 the name of the discoverer, and the aro- 

 matic flavour of the dried leaves. 



CEPHALOPO'DA, a class of mollusks com- 

 prising only a single order, divided into 

 genera according to the nature of the 

 shell : those which have no shell are ar- 

 ranged by Lirmii'iis in the genus Septa or 

 cuttle-fish. The Sepia, Nautilus, Belem- 

 nites, Ammonites, and Nummulites, are 

 the genera included in this tribe according 

 to Cuvier. The feet of the voracious ani- 

 mals are placed round their heads (whence 

 the name, from xitfa^rj, a head, and s-oSa, 

 feet), and they walk in consequence with 

 their heads downwards. Between the 

 base of the feet is situated the mouth, 

 armed with two stout horny jaws, re- 

 sembling the beak of a parrot. Their 

 flesh is eaten, and their ink, a peculiar 

 and intensely black excretion, with which 

 they darken the surrounding water when 

 they want to conceal themselves, is used 

 in painting: the China or Indian inks are 

 supposed to be made of it. 



CEPH'ALUS, a genus of Gymnodontes 

 found in the European seas: the short 

 fiunfish is a species. Name from xi<f\r, 

 a head ; the tail being so short and high, 

 that this fish resembles one whose pos- 

 terior portion has been truncated. The 

 species named is about four feet in length, 

 and weighs upwards of 300 Ibs. 



CEPH'KI-S, a constellation in the northern 

 hemisphere containing 35 stars, named in 

 memory of an ancient king of Ethiopia, 

 said to be the father of Andromeda, and 

 husband of Cassiopeia. 



CERAI.NB. By the saponification of 



cerine, margarate of potash is obtained, 

 and a substance resembling wax. This 

 is named Ctrainc by Boudet and Boissonet. 

 It cannot be converted into soap, fuses at 

 160 C , and may be distilled without altera- 

 tion. 



CER'ASIX (from ceratus) ; a name given 

 by chemists to those gumm^ substances 

 which swell in cold water, but do not 

 readily dissolve in it: the best example 

 of this species of vegetable product is 

 gum tragacanth. 



CERAS'TES (xi$etffryt, from zibets, a 

 horn). A serpent, a species of Coluber 

 which the ancients supposed to be fur- 

 nished with horns. (Pliny 8. 23.) 



CERAS'TIUM, the mouse-ear chicktceed ; a 

 numerous genus of small hardy plants. 

 Decandria Pentagynia. There are many 

 British species. 



CER'ATE, Lat. ceratum, from cera ; a 

 composition of wax, oil, or lard, with or 

 without other ingredients. Many cerates 

 are used in medicine. Their consistence 

 is intermediate between that of plasters 

 and that of ointments. 



CERATO'NIA, the carob-tree, or St. John'* 

 bread; a genus of one species found in 

 Europe and Asia. PolygannaIt-ifecia. 

 This is the x-^xruviae, of Galen, and is so 

 named from its horn-like pod. 



CERATOT'OME, from %i%ai, a horn, and 

 TifAvu, to cut ; a knife used by surgeons 

 for dividing the cornea of the eye. 



CERATOPH'YTA, a tribe of coralliferous 

 polypi of two genera, the Antipathes and 

 the Gorgonia. They have a horny axia 

 (whence the name from xi%ctf, horn, and 

 <fvrov, a plant) ; this is covered by a fleshy 

 substance, from the cavities of which 

 polypi occasionally appear. 



CERAU'JJIA, or i names formerly 



CERAU'XIA LAPIDES, i given to the fos- 

 sil echinites, from a supposition that they 

 were formed in the air. (Pliny 37, 9 and 



CER'ATRIN, the bitter principle of Ice- 

 land moss. 



CER'BERrs, in ancient mythology, a. mon- 

 ster who guarded the entrance of the infer- 

 nal regions, who had from 3 to 100 heads, 

 according to the whims of the authors. 



CERCOPITH'ECUS, a genus of quadro- 

 mana, comprehending the long-tailed 

 monkeys xiexo;, a tail, and xifhxos, a 

 monkey. Numerous species, of every 

 variety of size and colour, abound in 

 Africa: they live in troops, and do much 

 damage to the gardens and fields under 

 cultivation. 



CERc'osis,fromis{aj,atail. 1. Apoly- 



pus of the uterus. 2. An enlargement 



of the clitoris. 



CERE, the naked skin which coven th* 

 base of a hawk's bill. 



