LIT 



LOA 



high degree of oxydizement. By a par- 

 ticular management of the heat, during 1 

 the oxydizement of lead, supplying it 

 quickly with a current of air blown over 

 the surface of the metal, the oxide is 

 semi-vitrified, forming the soft flaky sub- 

 stance named litharge. By a stronger 

 heat, the lead may be vitrified, when it 

 forms the glass of lead. 



LITHOMAIIGE, in mineralogy, is a 

 species of the clay genus, and divided by 

 Werner and others into two sub-speci f -s, 

 viz. the friable and the indurated. Friable 

 lithomarge, or rock-marrow, is white and 

 massive ; it occurs likewise as a crust, 

 and disseminated. Its lustre is feebly 

 glimmering, is generally coherent, feels 

 greasy, and adheres to the tongue. It is 

 found in large quantities in the Saxon tin 

 veins. Indurated lithomarge is common- 

 ly white, but with many varieties of colour. 

 The white and red are uniform, but the 

 other colours are usually disposed in 

 clouded and spotted delineations. It is 

 found in many parts of Germany, and 

 occurs in veins of porphyry, gneiss and 

 serpentine; in drusy cavities of topaz 

 rock, or nidulur in basalt, amygdaloid and 

 serpentine; and in beds over coal. Ac- 

 cording to Jameson, the terra-miraculosa, 

 which is remarkable for the beauty of its 

 coloured delineations, is a variety of the 

 indurated lithomarge. 



LITHOPHILA, in botany, a genus of 

 the Diandria Monogynia class and order. 

 Essential character : calyx three-leaved ; 

 corolla three-petalled; nectary two-leaved. 

 There is only one species, a native of 

 Navaza 



LITHOSPERMUM, in botany, gram- 

 -n'ell, a genus of the Pentandria Alonogy- 

 nia class and order Natural order of 

 Asperifo'iix. Borragineae, Jussieu. Es- 

 sential character : calyx five-parted ; 

 corolla funnel form, perforated at the 

 throat. There are twelve species, na- 

 tives of most parts of Europe, particular- 

 ly in corn-fields and waste places, flower- 

 ing from May 10 July. 



LITHOTOMY, in surgery, the opera- 

 tion by which a calculus is removed from 

 the bladder. 



LITMUS, in chemistry, a substance, 

 the tincture of which is extremely useful, 

 as a test of the presence of an acid or 

 alkali. All acids, and salts, with an ex- 

 cess of acid, change the natural violet 

 purple of litmus to red ; when reddened 

 by an acid, the blue is restored by an 

 alkali. 



L1TTORELIA, in botany, pLiintain 



shore-veed, a genus of the Monoecia Te- 

 trandna class and order. Natural order 

 of Piantagines, Jussieu. Essential charac- 

 ter : male, calyx four-leaved ; corolla four- 

 cleft ; stamina long : female, calyx none ; 

 corolla slightly, four-cleft; styles long; 

 seed, a nut 



LITURGY, a name given to those set 

 forms of prayer which have been general- 

 ly used in the Christian church. Of these 

 there are not a few ascribed to the apos- 

 tles und fathers, but they are almost uni- 

 versally allowed to be spurious. 



LIVER, in anatomy, a very large viscus, 

 of a red colour, situated in the right hypo- 

 chondrium, and serving for the seer? tion 

 of the bile or gall. See ANATOMY; PHY- 

 SIOLOGY. 



LIVER, a name formerly given to dif- 

 ferent chemical combinations, because 

 they were supposed to resemble the ani- 

 mal liver in colour only. Thus we had 

 liver of sulphur, liver of antimony, 8tc. &c. 

 See SULPHURET. 



LIVERY of seisin, a delivery of posses- 

 sion of lands, tenements, or other cor- 

 poreal thing (for of things incorporeal 

 there can be no seisin) to one that has 

 right. 



Livery of seisin must be on the land, in 

 the presence of two witnesses, and was 

 anciently used to give publicity to gifts or 

 transfers of land. It is now necessary, in 

 order to complete a feoffment, and to 

 make good a lease for life or grant of the 

 freehold to commence at a future day. 

 See ESTATE, LEASE. Where there is 

 land and a hou^e, it must be made in the 

 house, that being the principal. 



LIVERYMEN, of London, are a num- 

 ber of men chosen from among the free- 

 men of each company. Out of this body 

 the common council, sheriff, and other 

 superior officers for the government of 

 the city, are elected, and they alone have 

 the privilege of giving their votes for 

 members of parliament ; from which the 

 rest of the citizens are excluded. 



LIZARD. See LACERTA 



LOAM, in mineralogy, is a sub-species 

 of the clay genus, and of a yellowish gray 

 colour, frequently spotted yellow and 

 brown. It occurs massive, is dull, and 

 sometimes weakly glimmering. It ad- 

 heres pretty strongly to the tongue, feels 

 greasy, and is not very heavy : it is ge- 

 nerally mixed with sand and gravel, and 

 also iron ochre. According to Mr. Jame- 

 son, it may be considered as sandy pot- 

 ter's clay, mixed with mica and iron ochre. 

 See CLAY. 



