Ergatis 
Ergatis (i'r'ga-tis), . [NL., < (Jr. <'/>;<''":, tern. 
of tff&rntt worker.] 1. A genus of spiders, of 
the family .li/n/i iiiiln; having several European 
species. Jilnrkiriill, 1K41. 2. A genus of tineid 
moths, of the subfamily Ci-liThiHir. There are 
C species, all European, as E. Irizellu. //< /<- 
itidnit, 1870. 
ergo (er'go), coiij. [L., therefore. Of. anjul-. \ 
Therefore: used technically in logic to intro- 
duce the conclusion of a complete and neces- 
sary syllogism. 
Here n \n.ii'.i|iti i will say, "Ah, Christ refused the 
iillicc c.f a jinlui-: rr : /n, tin-re might to he no judges nor 
magistrates among cliristlnn n -n. " 
l.ittimiT. '.M Sermon bet. Kdw. VI., 1550. 
He Unit loves my flesh and Wood is my friend ; ergo, he 
that kisses my wife is my friend. .SAi., All's Well, i. S. 
ergometer (er-gom'e-ter), n. [< Gr. tpyav, work, 
+ nerpov, measure.] An instrument for mea- 
suring work; a dynamometer. Watt's indi- 
cator-diagram is an example of an ergometer. 
Also called electro-ergometer. 
Work-measuring dynamometers, or ergometert, as the 
imtlior l< i ni tin-in. ^'ltl^l>', XXX. --'I'". 
ergon (6r'gon), n. [< Gr. cp-jov = E. work. See 
(/.] Same as erg. 
ergot 1 (er'got), n. [< F. ergot, also argot, a 
spur, the extremity of a dead branch, in bot. 
ergot; origin unknown.] 1. Infarriery, a stub, 
like a piece of soft horn, of about the size of 
a chestnut, situated behind and below the pas- 
tern-joint, and commonly hidden under the tuft 
of the fetlock. 2. A morbid growth arising 
from a diseased condition of the ovary of vari- 
ous grasses, caused by a fungus of the genus 
Claviceps. The growth of the fungus begins by the 
formation of a filamentous mycelium upon the surface 
of the ovary, which it destroys and displaces, retaining 
approximately iU shape. The surface of this tissue is 
marked by furrows. At this stage conldia are produced 
upon the tips of short hyphte ; and in this form it was 
formerly considered a distinct species, under the generic 
name >>/.-. -I in (which has become a common name co- 
ordinate with ftclerotitim). When the formation of conl- 
dia is at its height, a thick belt of more compact hyptue is 
formed at the base of the mass. This assumes a dark-violet 
color, and continues to grow, pushing upward the spha- 
celia, which is torn from its attachments, and soon falls on*. 
i. Cross-section of the ovary (sphacelia), in the early stage of the 
fungus, showing the mycelium (a a a), conidiophores (i*J, and com 
dla(ff). a. hrgot on its supporting grass. 3. Fully developed ergot 
(i 
h 
. . . . ergot 
(it, 1 , bearing the furrowed remains of the ovary (*). 4. Ergot which 
as produced 7 stromata. 1. Longitudinal medial section ofa strotna, 
showing the numerous perithecia Just beneath the surface. 6. Longi- 
tuilin.il medial section of a perithecium, showing the slender asci aris- 
ing from the base. 7. An isolated ascus from which the filiform spores 
are escaping. (Figs, a, i. and 4 somewhat reduced ; 5, magnified ; 
i, 6, and 7. highly magnified.) 
The resulting structure is the tclerotium or erqot. It is a 
horn-like mass, often one inch in length. It lies dormant 
till fall or usually till the following spring, when branches 
arise in :i tuft. F.uch becomes a stroma, consisting of a 
stalk ami a small head. In the head are formed a num- 
ber of Mask-shaped perithecia, each containing many asci, 
of which each in turn incloses several filiform spores. The 
ergot of rye Is caused by Claviceps purjntna. Ergot Is said 
to cause a sort of gangrene in cattle, especially in the feet. 
It Is used in me<lieiue t*> cause contraction of the uterus 
and of the arterioles and as an abortifacient, and also in 
certain morbid states of the cerebrospinal axis, where its 
effect may or may not be due entirely to iU action on the 
vessels. Also called purred rye. 
S. In anat., the calcar, spur, or hippocampus 
minor of the brain. [Rare.] 
ergot' 2 t (er'got), i'. [Also rrgat ; < F. ergoter (= 
1993 
tack of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. See 
ergot 1 . 
ergotic (er-got'ik), a. [< ergot* + -ic.] Per- 
taining to or derived from ergot. Ergotic add, 
a volatile acid said to exist In ergot. 
ergotina (er-go-ti'nft), n. [NL.] Same as ergo- 
tiin . 
ergotine (er'got-in), n. [= F. ergotinc; < ergot* 
+ -iwc-'A] 1. An amorphous alkaloid of ergot. 
2. An aqueous extract of ergot, purified of 
albumen and gum, and evaporated to a soft ex- 
tract: specifically called Konjean's ergotine. 
3. An extract of ergot soluble in alcohol but 
insoluble in water or ether. 
ergotinine (er-cot'i-nin), n. [< ergotine + -inA] 
A crystallizable alkaloid from ergot : suspect- 
ed, however, of being a mixture. 
ergotism 1 (er'got-izm), n. [< F. ergotisms, < er- 
got, ergot: see ergot 1 and -ism.'] 1. The spur 
of rye; ergot. 2. The morbid state induced 
by the excessive ingestion of ergot, as from the 
use of spurred or ergoted rye as food. Spas- 
modic and gangrenous forms are distinguished. 
ergotism'-'t (er'got-izm), n. [< F. ergotisme, < 
ergoter, cavil, quibble : see ergo.~\ A logical 
inference ; a conclusion. 
States are not governed by ergotisms. 
Sir T. Browne, Christ. Mor., 11. 4. 
ergotized (er'got-Izd), a. [< ergot + -ize + 
-rf a .] Changed to ergot ; infested with the fun- 
gus (Claviceps) which produces ergot: as, ergo- 
tized grasses. 
erg-ten (erg'ten), n. A unit of work, based on 
the c. g. s. system of units, equal to 10' (10,- 
000,000,000) ergs, or about 737 foot-pounds. 
One horse-power is about three -quarters of an erg-ten per 
second. More nearly, ft is 7.46 erg-nines per second ; and 
one force-de-cheval is 7.36 erg-nines per second. 
J. D. Everett, Units and Phys. Const., p. 168. 
eri, eria, . [Native name, Assam.] The name 
given in Assam to one of the wild silkworms, 
which feeds on the castor-oil bean, and is more 
frequently domesticated than the other native 
varieties. It was described by Boisduval as Attacui ri- 
cini, and is now referred to the genus J'hUonawia. It is a 
very near relative of the ailantus-silkwomi, Bombyx cyn- 
thiii. The worms are reared in houses, and the silk ob- 
tained is worth from 12 annas to 1 rupee per seer of sicca 
weight. 
eriacht, " Same as eric. 
Brian (e'ri-an), a. [< Erie + -.] Relating to 
Lake Erie or its shores. 
The term Erian is used as synonymous with Devonian, 
and probably should be preferred to it, as pointing to the 
i i.-st development of this formation known, which is on the 
shores of Lake Erie. 1'rinceton Rev., March, 1879, p. 280. 
On the islands and coasts of this sea was Introduced the 
Krian flora. Sir William Damon, Pop. Sci. Mo. 
Erianthus (er-i-an'thus), . [NL., < Gr. Ipiov, 
wool, + &v6of, flower: so called from the dense- 
ly villous pedicels of the flowers.] A genus of 
coarse grasses, chiefly American. E. Ravenna, 
of the Mediterranean region, grows to a height of 8 or 10 
feet, with large handsome plumes, and is cultivated for 
ornament and winter decoration. 
eric, erick (er'iK)> n. [Formerly also eriach, < 
Ir. eiric.J A pecuniary fine formerly paid in 
Ireland by one guilty of murder to the family 
of the murdered person. 
The malefactor shall give unto them [the friends], or to 
the child or wife of him that is slain, a recompence, which 
they call an eriach. Spenser, State of Ireland. 
According to this [the Brehou) Code, murder was not 
punishable by death, but only by fine levied on the rela- 
tives of the murderer, and called an Erick. Hence blood- 
shed was frequent; and no Irishman's life was safe. 
Bp. Chr. Wordiieorth, Church of Ireland, p. 140. 
In cases of aggravated manslaughter, when a man could 
not pay the Eric, he was put into a boat and set adrift on 
the sea. O'Curry, Anc. Irish, I. ii. 
Erica (e-ri'kii), n. [NL., < L. "erica, erice, < Gr. 
c peiiai or ep'tKif, 'heath. ] A large genus of branched 
rigid shrubs, of the natural order Ericacece, con- 
sisting of more than 400 species, most of which 
are natives of southern Africa, a few being 
found in Europe and Asia; the heaths. The 
leaves are very small, narrow, and rigid, and the globose 
or tubular four-lobed flowers are axillary, or in terminal 
racemes. The common British heaths are E. Tetralix and 
A', rinfrea. Many of the Cape species are cultivated in 
greenhouses for the beauty of their flowers. See heath. 
erigant 
Ericaceae (er-i-ka'se-e), n. pi. [NL., < Erica 
-acea>.~\ An order of gamopetalous exogenous 
. -v plants, including 73 genera and over 1,300 spe- 
bp. ergotear) , cavil, quibble, < m/o, < L. ergo, ci mostl na {; ves e o f temperate and coldre- 
therefore.] I. trans. 1o infer; arrive at. giong( ghni - bbVi or sometimes herbaceous, and 
often evergreen. They are divided into 4 suborders, 
which are by some authors regarded as distinct orders: 
viz., r<Kvm<'(vr. shrnhs, mostly American, distinguished 
hy the inferior baccnte fruit ; Ericeaf, shrubs or trees with 
superior ovary, gnmopetalous corolla, and iiitrorse an- 
thers; 7'i/*W">-. mostly herbs with superior ovary, poly- 
Little doth it concern us what the schoolmen frijat in 
their s. -linol.-,. Uewiit, .Sermons, p. I7v 
II. ititriiiis. To draw conclusions. 
ergoted (er'Kot-eiU, . (X < //<. (i + -rf2.] 
Diseased, as rye and other grasses, by the at- 
Branch of F.Hca tiHtrta, with section of flower magnified. 
petalous corolla, and extrorse anthers ; and Monotropecr. 
herbaceous root-parasites without green herbage. Tin- 
genera Gayltwsacia and Vacciniuin, of the Vacciniett., 
yield the huckleberry, bluelierry, and cranlwrrr. Besides 
the large genera Erica, Rhodiidendron, and Gattltheria, 
the Encetx include Kallnia, Arbutwt, Andromeda, Km- 
fftea, and other well-known genera. In the /Vmt>< the 
more common genera are Clethia, J'urula, and Chima- 
phila ; ami the more notable of the Monotrojtete are the 
Indian-pipe, Monotropa, and the snowplant, Barcodes. 
ericaceous (er-i-ka'shius), a. [< NL. ericaceus, 
< L. "erica, heath . Cf . Ericacea'. ] Of or pertain- 
ing to heath or to the Ericacea? ; resembling or 
consisting of heaths. 
erical (e-ri'kal), a. [< Erica + -al.] Pertain- 
ing to or including the Ericacea;. 
Ericeae (e-ris'e-e), n. pi. [NL., < Erica + -fa:] 
A group of the natural order Ericacea;, contain- 
ing the true heaths. 
ericetal (er-i-se'tal), a. [< L. as if "ericetum, 
a heath (< erice, neath), + -a/.] Composed of 
heaths; pertainingtospeciesof the genus Erica. 
The botany of the high-lands east of March-sit, -M Is 
nearly ericetal in iU nature. Encyc. Brit., V. 689. 
ericinone (e-rig'i-non), n. [< NL. ericinus (< L. 
erice, heath) + -one.] In client., a crystalline 
substance obtained by the dry distillation of 
ericaceous plants: identical with hydroquinone. 
ericius (e-ris'i-us), n. [L., also erinaceus (see 
Erinaceus), a hedgehog, both prop, adj., < er 
(once in LL.), ong. "Tier = Gr. x'll' (only in 
Hesychius), a hedgehog, prob. akin to ^-tpuof, 
Attic xtpppft hard, dry, stiff, L. hirxtitus, bristly, 
hairy (> E. hirsute), horrere, be bristly, bristle, 
Skt. / harsh, bristle : see horrid, horror. Hence 
(from L. ericius) ult. E. urchin, a hedgehog: see 
urchin. The AS. name for hedgehog was igl, 
contr. il.] A hedgehog. See Hemicentetes. 
And I will make it a possession for the erimu and pool 
of waters, and I will sweep it, and wear it out with a lie- 
som, saith the Lord of HosU. Isa. xiv. 23 (Uouay version). 
erick, M. See eric. 
Eridanus (e-rid'a-nus), n. [L., < Gr. '1 
v6f, the mythi- 
cal and poetical 
name of a river 
later identified 
with the Po.Pa- 
dus. by others 
with the Rhone, 
Khodanus,oit}ie 
Rhine, //// //--.] 
The ancient 
southern con- 
stellation of the 
River. It Is situ- 
ated south of Tau- 
rus, and contains 
the star Achernar, 
or Acanar, of the 
first magnitude, 
which is, however, 
invisible in Europe, 
and barely visible 
in Alexandria. In 
the United States 
it can be seen in 
winter anywhere 
south of Savan- 
nah. 
erigantt, n. [ME., an erroneous form for arro- 
gance.] Arrogance. 
Thou praysed me A my place ful pouer & fill (g)nede, 
That watz so prest to aproche my pit-sens here-mne ; 
Hopez thou I be a harlot thi erigant to prayse ? 
Alliterative 1'oenu (ed. Morris), ii. 148. 
The Constellation Eridanus. 
