EPI 3 



the most authentic specimen of an Astro- 

 nomical Ephemer 'i>. The term is sometimes 

 used in the plural, Ephemerides, for a 



collection of astronomical tables. 2. In 



literature, a collective name for all kinds 

 of periodical literature. 



EpHiALTA,the herb peony, said to cure 

 night-mare (ephialtes). 



EPHIAI/TES, \$ioa.rrt, Night-mare. 



E'PHOD. In Jewish antiquity, a part of 

 the sacerdotal habit. It was a sort of 

 girdle, brought from behind the neck over 

 the two shoulders, and hanging down be- 

 fore, was put across the stomach, then 

 carried round the waist, it served as a 

 girdle to the tunic. 



EPH'ORI. In Grecian antiquity, magis- 

 trates (usually five) established in ancient 

 Sparta to balance the regal power. 



EP'ICARP, from IKI, and xctgTes, fruit. 

 The outer skin of some fruits. See EN- 



DOCARP. 



EP'ICENE, VTIZGIVOS, common to both 

 sexes. Applied to nouns of common 

 gender. 



EP'ICLINE, from tvi, and x\ivvi, a bed. 

 An epithet applied by Mirbel to a nectary, 

 when it is placed on the receptacle of a 

 flower. 



EPICRAN'ITIS Gr., ivizgcuvu, I finish. 

 A term in architecture for the cyma of the 

 cornice. 



EPICUREANS, an ancient sect of philo- 

 sophers, who followed the doctrines of 

 Epicurus, a celebrated philosopher of Gar- 

 getium, in Attica, about 300 years before 

 Christ. 



EP'ICYCLE, from , and xuxXof, a 

 circle . A little circle whose centre is in the 

 circumference of a greater circle; or a 

 small orb, which, being fixed in the defer- 

 ent of a planet, is carried along with its 

 motion ; and yet, with its own particular 

 motion, carries the body of the planet 

 fastened to it round about its proper cen- 

 tre. Epicycles were of particular use in 

 the ancient astronomy. 



EPICYC'LOID, arixuxXoii^Yii , a curve 

 generated by the revolution of the pe- 

 riphery of a circle along the convex or 

 concave part of another circle, thus dif- 

 fering from a cycloid (q. T.). 



EPIDEM'IC, from uri, and dyjMf, people. 

 An epithet applied to those diseases which 

 attack a multitude of persons at the same 

 time and same place. The word is also 

 used substantively for epidemy, an epi- 

 demic disease. Epidemics may arise from 

 contagion or atmospheric causes. 



EPIDEN'DRA, a natural family of plants, 

 of which the genus Epidendrum is the 



EPIDEN'DRUM, the uwellts. A genus of 

 perennial plants. GynandriaMonandria. 

 Name from nn, and 3i}jcf , a tree, be- 



18 EPI 



cause the species grow parasitically on 

 the trunks or branches of trees. Hot cli- 

 mates. 



EPIDER'MIS, txifceu.!;, from m and 

 Stf/A*, the true skin. The cuticle or 

 scarf-skin of an animal or plant. 



EpiDER'Moin, from imfy/Mf and ufo;, 

 resembling the epidermis. The word 

 should be written epidermatoia. 



EPIDID'YMUS, itrididu/Ms, from tm and 

 %i&u[Mf- A hard, vascular body, printi 

 pally composed of minute elastic tubrg 

 (titbuli seminiferi) , intricately convoluted, 

 and placed at the outer and back part of 

 the testis. 



EP'IDOTB, from tmdopif, addition. A 

 mineral of a green colour, and crystallised 

 structure, thus named from an enlarge- 

 ment of the base of the prism in one di- 

 rection: named also pistacite, from its 

 colour. Found in primary rocks through- 

 out Europe, Comp. 37 silica, 27 alumina, 

 14 lime, 17 oxide of iron, and 1'5 oxide of 

 manganese. There are many varieties. 



EPIOJE'OUS, ttri, upon, and 5/55, earth. 

 In botany, applied to plants which grow 

 close to the earth. 



EPIGAS'TRUM, 'wyu.<rrioi , from wi, 

 and yu.g-Tviz , the belly. The upper part 

 of the abdomen or belly, immediately 

 over the stomach. 



Er'ioESE, from tjri, and -ynofMti, to pro- 

 duce. A term which, with pseudomor- 

 phous, is applied to forms of crystals not 

 natural to the substances in which they 

 are found. 



EPIGE.N'ESIS, ixi-yivtin; , from vrt, and 

 yivouMi, to generate. A name given to 

 that theory of generation which regards 

 the foetus as the joint production of mat- 

 ter furnished by both sexes. 



EPIGLOT/TIS, txfy\uTTt;, from jjjv, and 

 yAacrra, the tongue. The cartilaginous 

 valve at the root of the tongue, which 

 falls on the glottis, or superior opening of 

 the larynx. Its use is to close the glottis 

 during the act of swallowing, and thereby 

 prevent the passage of food into the tra- 

 chea or windpipe. 



EP'IORAPH, 6T<j-fip^, from <n, and 



u.$u. An inscription on a monument 

 explanatory of its use, its destination, or 

 pointing out the time of its erection, &c. 



EPIQ'TNOUS, JIT/, upon and -yvvy, a fe- 

 male. In botany, any organ growing upon 

 the summit of the ovarium. 



EPINYC'TIDES, f!r/xuT/5f, from ITI, 

 and y|, night. A fugacious kind of nettle- 

 rash, which arises during the night, and 

 disappears in the morning. 



EPIPET'AI,OUS, Lat. epipetahu. An epi- 

 thet applied to stamina and glands which 

 are attached to the corolla of a flower. 



