ALA 



ALA 





in number, 1. A. Cerpitosa ; 2. A. flexu- 

 os: ; 3. A. pallens, of which there are two 

 varieties, one with and the other without 

 nvns ; 4. A. truncata : 5. A. mollis: 6. 

 A. purpurea of Walt : 7. A. prxcox. 

 There is an eighth doubtful species, A, 

 aegytopoides of Walt. 



AIZOON, in botany, a genus of the Po- 

 lyandria Pentagynia : the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianthium : no corolla ; the sta- 

 jnina have many capillary filaments ; the 

 anthers are simple, the pistillum has a 

 five-cornered germ, the seeds are several : 

 there are ten species, all belonging to the 

 hot climates. 



ALA, in botany, is used in different 

 senses ; sometimes it denotes the hollow 

 between the stalk of a plant and the 

 leaves; sometimes it is applied to the 

 two side petals of the papilionaceous 

 flowers, the upper petal being called the 

 vexillum, and the lower one the carina ; 

 others use it for the slender membrana- 

 ceous parts of some seeds, thence said to 

 be alated ; and others, again, for the 

 membranaceous expansions found on the 

 stems of plants, thence denominated ala- 

 ted stalks. 



ALABASTER, a well known descrip- 

 tion of stone used by statuaries and others. 

 It is the sulphate of lime. See CHEMIS- 

 TKY and MINERALOGY. 



ALJE, in anatomy, is sometimes used 

 for the lobes of the liver, the nymphae of 

 the female pudendum, the two cartilages 

 which form the nostril, the arm-pits, 

 young stems or branches, &c. 



ALANGIUM, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Monogynia class and order : 

 the characters of which are, that it has 

 from 6 to 10 linear petals ; from 10 to 12 

 stamina; the calyx dentated ; the fruit a 

 spherical berry, single-celled, containing- 

 from one to three seeds : there is only 

 one species, viz. A. pungens. 



ALATED, in botany, an epithet appli- 

 ed to the seed, stem, or leaf-stalk ; a seed 

 is alated, when it has an ala or membrane 

 affixed to it, which, by its flying, serves to 

 disperse it. The foot stalk of a leaf is 

 alated, when it spreads out the sides. 

 Alated leaves are those made up of seve- 

 ral pinnated ones. 



ALAUD A, lark, in ornithology, a genus 

 of birds of the order of Passeres ; the 

 characters of which are, that the beak is 

 cylindrical, subulate, and straight, bend- 

 ing towards the point, the mandibles are 

 of equal size, and opening downwards at 

 their base; the tongue is bifid; and the 

 hinder claw is straighter and longer than 

 the toe. Pennant adds, that the nostrils 



are covered with feathers or bristles, ana 

 the toes divided to their origin. There 

 are 33 species, but we shall notice only 

 two of them. 1. A. arvensis, or sky -lark, 

 the specific characters of which are, that 

 the two outermost quills of its tail are 

 white lengthwise externally, and the in- 

 termediate ones are ferruginous on the 

 inside : the length is about seven inches. 

 The males of this species are somewhat 

 browner than the females ; they have a 

 black collar, and more white on the tail ; 

 their size is larger, and their aspect bold- 

 er; and they exclusively possess the fa- 

 culty of singing. When the female is im- 

 pregnated, she forms her nest between 

 two clods of earth, and lines it with herbs, 

 and dry roots, being no less attentive to 

 the concealment than to the structure of 

 it. It sometimes builds its nest among 

 corn and in high grass. Each female lays 

 four or hve eggs, which are greyish, with 

 brown spots ; and the period of her incu- 

 bation is about 15 days. The young may 

 be taken out of the nest when they are a 

 fortnight old, and they are so hardy, that 

 they may be easily brought up. The pa- 

 rentjis very tender of her young; and 

 though she does not always cover them 

 with her wings, she directs their motions, 

 supplies their wants, and guards them 

 from danger, The common food of the 

 young sky-larks is worms, caterpillars, 

 ant's eggs, and even grasshoppers ; and 

 in maturity they live chiefly on seeds, 

 herbage, and all vegetable substances. 

 Those birds, it is said, that are destined 

 for singing, should be caught in October 

 or November; the males should, as much 

 as possible, be selected ; and when they 

 are untractable, they should be pinioned, 

 lest they injure themselves by their vio- 

 lence against the roof of the cage. As 

 they cannot cling by the toes, it is need- 

 less to place bars across their cage ; but 

 they should have clean sand at the bottom 

 of it, that they may welter in it, and be 

 relieved from the vermin which torment 

 them. In Flanders, the young ones arc 

 fed with moistened poppy-seeds and soak- 

 ed crumbs of bread; and, when thev'be- 

 gin to sing, with sheep's and calves 

 hearts, hashed with hard eggs ; to which 

 are added, wheat, spilt-oats, milled lin- 

 seed, and the seeds of poppy and hemp, 

 steeped in milk. Their capacity of learn- 

 ing to sing is well known ; and so apt are 

 some cock larks, that, after hearing a 

 tune whistled with the pipe, they have 

 caught the whole, and repeat it more 

 agreeably than any linnet or canary bird. 

 In summer the lark seeks the highest anrl 1 



