Cucujus 
C. clavipes is a characteristic example. It is scarlet above 
with finely punctured surface ; the eyes and antenna; are 
bloek. 
Cuculi (ku'ku-li), n.pl. [NL., pi. of L. cueulus, 
a cuckoo: see cuckoo and Cueulus.] A super- 
family of coccygomorphic birds, of the conven- 
tional order Picarice, including several families 
related to the Cuculidce. 
Cuculid* (ku-ku'li-de), n. pi. [NL., < Cueulus 
+ -idw.] A family of yoke-toed picarian birds, 
typical of the group Coccyyomorphce or Ciiculi- 
formes; the cuckoos. The feet are permanently 
zygodactyl by reversion of the fourth toe, yet the birds 
are not of scansorial habits. The bill is moderate, gen- 
erally curved, with a deflected tip and no cere ; the palate 
is desmognathous ; the legs are homalogonatous ; the ca- 
rotids are two in number ; the oil-gland is nude ; and cieca 
ture corresponding _ 
consequently divided into a number of subfamilies. Thi 
Couince are a peculiar Madagascan type. The Phcenico- 
phtente are confined to the old world, as are the Centra- 
podince or spur-heeled cuckoos, and the Cuculims or typ- 
ical cuckoos. (See cut under cuckoo.) America has three 
types, those of the Coccyzince or tree-cuckoos, the Sauro- 
theriiKK or ground-cuckoos, and the Crotophaginte or gre- 
garious cuckoos. (See cuts under ani, Coccyzus, and chapar- 
ral-cock.) The birds of the genus Indicator, sometimes in- 
cluded in the family, are now usually elevated to the rank 
of a distinct family. In their economy the Cueulidce are 
noted for their parasitism, which runs through many, 
though not all, of the genera composing the family. 
cuculiform (ku'ku-li-f6rm), a. [< NL. cuculi- 
formis, < L. cueulus, a cuckoo, + forma, shape.] 
Cueuliue ; cuckoo-like in form or structure ; 
coccygomorphic. 
Cuculiformes (ku"ku-li-for'mez), n. ]>l. [NL., 
El. of cuculiformis : see cuculiform.] A super- 
imily of cuculiform picarian birds, approxi- 
mately equivalent to Coccygomorplice, separat- 
ing the cuculine or cuckoo-like birds on the one 
hand from the Cypseliformes, and on the other 
from the Piciformes. It contains the whole of the 
conventional order Picarice, excepting the goatsuckers, 
swifts, and humming-birds, and the woodpeckers and wry- 
necks. 
Cuculinae (ku-ku-ll'ne),.^. [NL., < Cueulus + 
-ince.] 1. In ornitlt. : (a) A subfamily of Cucii- 
lidce, including the typical cuckoos, such as the 
Cueulus canorus of Europe. See cut under cuckoo, 
(b) In Nitzsch's system of classification, a ma- 
jor and miscellaneous group of picarian or cu- 
culiform birds of no fixed limits, including, be- 
sides cuckoos, the trogons, goatsuckers, and 
sundry others. [Not in use in this sense.] 2. 
In entom., a well-marked group of naked, some- 
times wasp-like, parasitic bees, having no pol- 
liniferous brushes or plates; the cuckoo-bees. 
See cuckoo-bee. 
cuculine (ku'ku-lin), a. [< NL. cuculinus, < L. 
cueulus, a cuckoo: see cuckoo, and cf. Cuculmce.] 
Cuckoo-like ; cuculiform ; coccygomorphic ; per- 
taining or related to the cuckoos. 
Cucullaea (ku-ku-le'a), n. [NL., < L. eucullus, a 
cap, hood: see COwP.l A genus of asiphonate 
bivalves, of the family Arcidie, or ark-shells, 
having a somewhat square gibbous shell with 
hinge-teeth oblique at the middle and parallel 
with the hinge at the ends. The species are 
chiefly fossil. 
cucullaris (ku-ku-la'ris), n.; pi. cucullares (-rez). 
[NL., < L. eucullus, a cap, hood: see cow/ 1 .] 
The cowl-muscle or trapezius of man : so called 
because, taken with its fellow of the opposite 
side, it has been likened to a monk's hood or 
cowl. See trapezius. 
cucullate, cucullated (ku-kul'at, -a-ted), a. 
[< LL. cucullatus, < L. eucullus, a cap, hood : see 
coicfi.~\ 1. Hooded; cowled; covered as with 
a hood. 2. In hot., having the shape or sem- 
blance of a hood ; wide at the top and drawn to 
a point below, in the shape of a cornet of paper ; 
like or likened to a hood: as, a cucullate leaf or 
nectary. In mosses it is specifically applied to 
a conical calyptra cleft at one side. 3. In zool., 
hooded; having the head shaped, marked, or 
colored as if hooded or cowled: specifically ap- 
plied, in entom., to the prothorax of an insect 
when it is elevated or otherwise shaped into a 
kind of hood or cowl for the head. 
They [the cicada and the grasshopper] are differently 
cumllated or capuched upon the head and back. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., v. 3. 
CUCUllately (ku-kul'at-li), adv. In a cucullate 
manner ; in the shape or with the appearance 
of a hood. 
CUCUlliform (ku-kul'i-fdrm), a. [< L. eucullus, 
a cap, hood (see cowl 1 ), + forma, shape.] Re- 
sembling a hood or cowl in form or appear- 
ance; cucullate. 
cuculiitet (ku-kul'lt), . [< NL. cucullites 
(Schriiter, 1764, in form cuculites), < L. eucullus, 
1388 
a cowl : see eucullus.'] A name formerly given 
to fossil species of cones or cone-like shells. 
eucullus (ku-kul'us), n. [L., a cowl: see 
cow/ 1 .] 1. A cowl or monk's hood: as in the 
proverb Cucullus nonfacit monackum (the cowl 
does not make the monk). See hood. 2. [NL.] 
In zoo/, and anat., a formation or coloration of 
the head like or likened to a hood. 
Cuculoideae (ku-ku-loi'de-e), . pi. [NL., < 
Cueulus + -oidece.] The Cuculidce and Muso- 
phagidce } or cuckoos and touracous, combined 
to constitute a superfamily. 
Cuculoides (ku-ku-loi'dez), n. pi. [NL., < L. 
cueulus, cuckoo, -4- Gr. cWof, form.] In Blyth's 
system (1849), a superfamily of his Zygodactyli, 
in which the Leptosomatidce and Bucconidce are 
united with the Cuculidce proper. 
Cueulus (ku'ku-lus), M. [NL., < L. cueulus, a 
cuckoo: see cuckoo.'] The typical genus of 
the family Cuculidce, formerly more compre- 
hensive than the family as at present consti- 
tuted, but now restricted to forms congeneric 
with Cueulus canorus, the type of the genus. 
See cut under cuckoo. 
cucumber (ku'kum-ber), n. [E. dial, cowcumber, 
formerly in good literary use, being the proper 
mod. representative of the ME. form (cucumber, 
being a reversion to the L. form); < ME. cu- 
cumber, cucumer, cocumber = OF. cocombre, F. 
concombre = Pr. cogombre = Sp. coliombro = It. 
cocomero, < ML. cucumer, L. cucumis (cucumer-), 
a cucumber.] 1. A common running garden- 
plant, Cucumis sativus. It is a native of southern 
Asia, but has been cultivated from the earliest times in all 
civilized countries. See Cucumis. 
Thi seedes with cocumber rootes grounde 
Lete stepe, and save of evry mysse [mishap] thai are. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 36. 
2. The long, fleshy fruit of this plant, eaten as 
a cooling salad when green, and also used for 
pickling. (See gherkin). The stem-end is usu- 
ally very bitter, as is the whole fruit in some un- 
cultivated varieties. 
We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely ; 
the cucumbers, and the melons. Num. xi. 5. 
3. A common name of various plants of other 
genera. Bitter cucumber, the colocynth, CitnMus 
Colocynthis. Cool as a cucumber, very cool; figura- 
tively, collected ; entirely self-possessed. 
When the wife of the great Socrates threw a ... tea- 
pot at his erudite head he was as cool as a cucumber. 
Caiman the Younger, Heir-at-Law. 
Creeping cucumber, Melothria pendula, a delicate low 
cucurbitaceous climber of the southern United States, 
bearing oval green berries. Cucumber-Oil, a drying-oil 
obtained from the seeds of the pumpkin, squash, melon, 
etc. Indian cucumber. See cucumber-root. One- 
seeded or star cucumber, the common name in the 
United States of the Sicyos angulatus, a climbing cucurbi- 
taceous annual, bearing clusters of dry, ovate, prickly, 
one-seeded fruits. Serpent-cucumber, a variety of the 
common muskmelon with very long fruit. Snake-cu- 
cumber, the Trichosanthea Anguina, a tall cucurbita- 
ceous climber of the East Indies, with ornamental nmbri- 
ate-petaled flowers and a snake-like fruit, 3 or 4 feet long, 
turning red when ripe. Squirting or wild cucumber, 
the Ecballium Elaterium. See Ecballium. (See also ttea- 
CUCUmber-root (ku'kum-ber-rot), n. A lilia- 
ceous plant of the United States, Medeola Vir- 
ginica, allied to Trillium, having two whorls of 
leaves on the slender stem, and an umbel of re- 
curved flowers. The tuberous rootstock has the taste 
of the cucumber, whence the common name of Indian cu- 
cumber. It has been used as a remedy for dropsy. 
cucumber-tree (ku'kum-ber-tre), n. 1. The 
common name in the United States for several 
species of Magnolia, especially M. acitminata 
and M. cordata, from the shape and size of the 
fruit. The long-leafed cucumber-tree is M. 
Fraseri; the large-leafed, M. macrophylla. 2. 
The bilimbi, Averrhoa JBilimbi, of the East In- 
dies. See AverrJioa. 
cucumiform (ku'ku-mi-f6rm), a. [< L. cu- 
cumis, a cucumber, '+ forma, shape.] Shaped 
like a cucumber; cylindrical and tapering to- 
ward the ends, and either straight or curved. 
Cucumis (ku'ku-mis), n. [NL., < L. cucumis, a 
cucumber: see cucumber.~] A genus of plants, 
natural order Cucurbitacece, containing about 
25 species, natives of warm regions. They are 
annual or perennial herbs, with hairy stems and leaves, 
running over the ground or climbing. They have yellow 
flowers, and a round or roundish, cylindrical, or angular 
fleshy fruit. The most widely known species are C.stitii''i*. 
the cucumber, and C. Melo, which yields all the different 
varieties of the muskmelon. The fruits of some of the 
species have a very bitter taste and are reputed to be pur- 
gative. 
CUCUpha (ku'ku-fa), n. A sort of coif or cap, 
with a double bottom inclosing a mixture of 
aromatic powders, having cotton for an excipi- 
ent. It was formerly used as a powerful cepha- 
lic. Dunglison. 
cucurbitive 
cucurbit 1 , cucurbite (ku-ki-r'bit), n. [< F. cu- 
curbite, < L. cucurbita, a gourd: see gourd.] 
1. A chemical vessel originally shaped like 
a gourd, but sometimes shallow, with a wide 
mouth, used in distillation. It may be made of 
copper, glass, tin, or stoneware. \Vith its head or cover 
it constitutes the alembic. See alembic. 
I have . . . distilled quicksilver in a cucurbite, fitted 
with a capacious glass-head. Boyle, Colours. 
2. A gourd-shaped vessel for holding liquids. 
Oriental water-jars are often of this form, and porcelain 
and earthenware vases of China anil Japan are frequently 
so shaped. 
3. A cupping-glass. 
cucurbit^ (ku-ker'bit), n. A plant of the natu- 
ral order Cucurbitacece. 
Cucurbita (ku-ker'bi-tii), n. [NL., < L. cucur- 
bita, a gourd, whence u'lt. E. gourd : see gourd.'] 
A genus of plants, natural order Cucurbita- 
cecE. There are about a dozen species, annuals or per- 
ennials, inhabiting the warmer regions of the world. 
They are creeping herbs, with lobed and cordate leaves, 
large yellow flowers, and fleshy, generally very large, fruits. 
Nearly all the perennial species are natives of Mexico and 
the adjacent regions on the north, and have usually large 
tuberous or fusiform roots. The three annual species 
Flowering Branch of Cucurbita Pepo. 
originated probably in southern Asia, have long been in 
cultivation, and have developed many very different 
forms. It is nearly certain that these species were also 
extensively cultivated in America long before its discov- 
ery by Columbus. C. Pepo and its varieties yield the 
pumpkin, the warty, long-neck, and crookneck squashes 
and vegetable marrow, and the egg- or orange-gourd. C. 
maxima yields the various varieties of winter squash, often 
of great size, the turban-squash, etc. C. motfchata is the 
source of the musky, China, or Barbary squash. 
Cucurbitaceae (ku-ker-bi-ta'se-e), n. pi. [NL., 
< Cucurbita + -aeece.] A natural order of poly- 
petalous dicotyledonous plants, with the petals 
more or less united into a monopetalous co- 
rolla, and containing climbing or trailing spe- 
cies with unisexual flowers, scabrous stems and 
leaves, and a more or less pulpy fruit. An ac- 
rid principle pervades the order ; when this principle is 
greatly diffused the fruits are edible, often delicious, but 
when concentrated, as in the colocynth and bryony, they 
are dangerous or actively poisonous. The order includes 
80 genera and about 600 species, the most useful genera 
being Cucumi* (the cucumber), Cucurbita (the pumpkin 
and squash), Citrullus (the watermelon and colocynth), 
and Lafienaria (the gourd). Species of various other 
genera yield edible fruits or possess medicinal properties. 
cucurbitaceous (ku-ker-bi-ta'shius), a. Per- 
taining to or having the characters of the Cu- 
curbitacew. 
CUCurbital (ku-ker'bi-tal), a. [< Cucurbita + 
-(.] Of or pertaining to the genus Cucurbita or 
the order Cucurbitaceai : as, the cueurbital alli- 
ance of Lindley. 
cucurbite, n. See cucurbit 1 . 
Cucurbiteae (ku-ker-bit'e-e), . pi. [NL., < Cu- 
curhitn + -ea'."\ A tribe of Cueurbitacew. 
CUCUrbitin (ku-ker'bi-tin), n. [< Cucurbita + 
-JH 2 .] A doubtful alkaloid from the seeds of 
Cucurlrita Pepo. 
CUCUrbitinus (ku-ker-bi-ti'nus), n.; pi. CIK-IH-- 
bititti (-ni). [NL., < L. cuciirbitinus, a., like a 
gourd, < cucurbita, a gourd: see gourd.] A 
joint or link of a tapeworm ; a cestoid zooid ; 
a proglottis. 
cucurbitive (lai-ker'bi-tiv), a. [< L. eucurbita, 
a gourd, + -ive.] Shaped like the seeds of a 
gourd: said specifically of certain worms. 1/n/i. 
met. 
