Geositta 
Geositta cnnicularia. 
larks, though of a different family and suborder. 
Divisions of the genus are known as Geobamon 
and Geobates. W. Swainson, 1837. 
Geospiza (je-o-spi'za), n. [NL., < Gr. yrj, the 
ground, + oTn'fa, a bird of the finch kind, per- 
haps the chaffinch.] A remarkable genus of 
fringilline birds peculiar to the Galapagos is- 
lands, having an enormous bill. G. magniros- 
tris is an example ; there are several others. 
J. Gould, 18_37. 
geostatic (je-o-stat'ik), a. [< Gr. yrj, the earth, 
+ o-rcmKof, causing to stand: see static.'] Capa- 
ble of sustaining the pressure of superincum- 
bent earth. A geostatic arch has a curve of such a na- 
ture that the vertical pressure is proportional to the depth 
below a fixed horizontal plane, and the horizontal pressure 
bears to the vertical pressure a fixed ratio depending on 
the nature of the superincumbent materials. [In old use 
opposed to hydrostatic.] 
geostatics (je-o-stat'iks), n. [PI. of geostatic : 
see -cs.] The statics of rigid bodies. 
geosynclinal (je"6-sin-kli'nal), n. [< Gr. yrj, 
the earth, + E. synclinal, q. v.] In geol., a re- 
gion of depression, having, consequently, a syn- 
clinal structure. See geanticlinal. 
The making of the Alleghany range was carried forward 
through a long-continued subsidence a geosynclinal 
not a true synclinal, since the rocks of the bending crust 
may have had in them many true or simple synclinals as 
well as anticlinals. 
7. D. Dana, Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., V. 430. 
geotectonic (je"6-tek-tpn'ik), a. [< Gr. yrj, the 
earth, + TSKTUV, a builder.] Relating to the 
structure or tho arrangement of the materials 
composing the crust of the earth. 
It is only possible, for the present, to deduce special 
geotectonic conditions under which natural gas has so far 
been exploited. Science, VI. 184. 
Geotectonic geology. Same as structural geology (which 
see, under structural}. 
Geoteuthis (je-o-tu'this), n. [NL. (Munster, 
1843), < Gr. yij, the earth, + ret>ft'c, a cuttlefish 
or squid.] A genus of fossil squids or calama- 
ries whose pens are found abundantly in the 
Lias and Oolite formations. The ink-bag and 
other fragments, in addition to the pens, occur 
in the Oxford clay. 
geothermic (je-6-ther'mik), a. [< Gr. yrj, the 
earth, + Scppdc, "heat.] Of or pertaining to the 
internal heat of the earth. 
geothermometer (je"6-ther-mom'e-t6r), n. [< 
Gr. yrj, the earth, + E. thermometer."] An in- 
strument for measuring the degree of terres- 
trial heat at different places, especially in mines 
and artesian wells. 
Geothlypese (je-o-thlip'e-e), re. pi. [NL., < 
Geothlypis + -ew.~\ A section of Sylvicolidfe, 
typified by the genus Geothlypis; the ground- 
warblers. S. F. Baird, 1864. 
GeotbJypis (je-oth'li-pis), re. [NL. (Cabanis, 
1847), < Gr. yrj', the earth, + "OAwn'f, an alleged 
proper name.] A genus of American passerine 
birds, of the family Mniotiltidce, or Sylvicolidte, 
2407 
parts of America, all olive above and more or less yellow 
he!o\v, with a characteristic blaek mask. Some related 
minis are the mourning-warbler of the eastern United 
si;i(es, G. Philadelphia, and its western representative, 
G. macgilhvrayi. The genus Oporornis, containing the 
Kentucky and the Connecticut warblers, is now sometimes 
brought under Geothlypis. 
geotic (je-ot'ik), a. [< Gr. yrj, the earth, + 
-ot-ic.'] Belonging to earth ; terrestrial. Bailey. 
Geotriton (je-o-tri'ton), n. [NL., < Gr. yrj, the 
ground, + rpiruv, triton : see triton."] A genus 
of salamanders or newts, of the family Pletho- 
dontida;, having the premaxillary bone divided. 
G. fucus of Italy is the only European representative of 
the family and the onlyspecies of the genus ; it is restricted 
to Sardinia and Lucca. 
geotropic (je-o-trop'ik), a. [< Gr. yrj, the earth, 
+ rp6irof, a turning, direction, < rpfaetv, turn.] 
Of or pertaining to, or exhibiting, geotropism ; 
turning or inclining toward the earth. 
When the direction of growth is downward, the organ 
is said to be positively geotropic; when upward, negatively 
geotropic. Bessey, Botany, p. 194. 
geotropism (je-ot'ro-pizm), n. [< geotrop-ic + 
-ism.'] In bot'., growth downward, as shown in 
the roots of plants and sometimes in stems and 
rootstocks; the power or tendency to grow to- 
ward the earth. 
The powers of growth which exist in young seedlings 
would certainly be called instinctive if they existed in 
animals, and they are quite as indispensable as those just 
mentioned in supplying the wante which first arise. These 
two instincts are the power of directing the growth in re- 
lation to the force of gravity, and in relation to light; the 
first being called geotropism, the second heliotropism. 
F. Darwin. 
geotropy (je-ot'ro-pi), n. Same as geotropism. 
Geotrygon (je-o-tn'gon), n. [NL., < Gr. yij, the 
earth, + rpvyuv, the turtle-dove, < rpv&iv, make 
alow, murmuring sound.] A genus of pigeons 
Maryland Yellowthroat (Geothlypis tricttas). 
containing certain ground-warblers, such as the 
abundant and familiar Maryland yellowthroat, 
G. tricnas. There are many more species, of the warmer 
Veraguan Partridge-dove (Geotrygon veragitensis). 
of the warmer parts of America, of stout form, 
having short rounded wings with falcate first 
primary, and a very short tail ; the partridge- 
doves. A Jamaican species, G. cristata or syl- 
ratica, is known as the mountain-witch. P. H. 
Gosse, 1847. 
Geotrypes (je-o-tri'pez), n. [NL., < Gr. yrj, the 
earth, + rpv-rra, a hole, rpvirav, bore, pierce.] 
A Fabrician ge- 
nus of beetles, 
typical of the fam- 
ily Geotrypida!. 
0. stercorarius is the 
dung-beetle, drone- 
beetle, or watchman- 
beetle of Great Brit- 
ain. It is a very ex- 
tensive and widely 
distributed group, 
containing over 100 
species from all parts 
of the world. None are 
North American. Al- 
so written Geotrupes, 
as originally (1798). 
geotrypid (je-o- 
trip'id), n. One of 
the Geotrypidee. 
Geotrypidse (je-o-trip'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Ge- 
otrypes + -4dce.'} A family of beetles, typified 
by the genus Geotrypes, belonging to the peta- 
locerous section of lamellicorns ; the drone- 
beetles. They have corneous mandibles and the ely- 
tra rounded behind, covering the abdomen. The species 
burrow in dung. Groups corresponding to this family 
are also called Geotrypes, Geotrypida, Geotrypides, Geo- 
trypini. Also written Geotrupidoe. 
Geotrypinae (je"6-tri-pi'ne), . pi. [NL., < 
llmtrypex + -iiHE.] The drone-beetles as a sub- 
family of Scarab<Bid<s. Also written Geotrupince, 
and Geotrupina, Geotntpiiti. 
gephyraean, a. and n. See gephyrean. 
Gephyrea (jef-i-re'a), re. pi. [NL., < Gr. yt- 
<pvpa, a bridge.] One of the numerous primary 
groups of the great division Vermes, or worms, 
including marine vermiform animals without 
distinct external segmentation, parapodia, or 
calcareous skeleton. The creatures are dioecious ; a 
Drone-beetle (Geotrypes spiemliaus). 
(Line shows natural size.) 
geranium 
pseuilohcnml system exist* in must of them ; and the ner- 
vous system forms an esophageal ring. The group has af- 
finities with the Turbellaria, the Annelida (especially the 
polychtctous annelids), and the liutifera. The Oepliiimi 
are divided into Achfeta and Chcetifera, and by Gegenbaur 
into /7kv</t/and Chcet(feri. The former of these embraces 
the spoon-worm*, and is practically equivalent to the Si- 
jni/i<-ii/<nil< <t . '\'\\vCh<Kti~feri are represented by such gen- 
era as Kchiitrus and llonellia. The group is made by Lan- 
kester one of the phyla or prime divisions of the animal 
kingdom, and is divided into the four classes Echiuridoe, 
Priapulidce, Sipunculidce, and Pkoronidce. It was for- 
merly considered an order of echinoderms, under the 
names Apoda and Apedicellata. Also written Gephyrcea. 
gephyrean (jef-i-re'an), o. and n. [< Gephyrea 
+ -an.] I. a. Of or pertaining to the Gepliy- 
rea. 
This was discovered by Krohn in 1858 to be a Gephyrean 
worm. W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 596. 
II. . One of the Gephyrea. 
Also gephyriean. 
gephyrocercal (je-ft-ro-s6r'kal), a. [< Gr. yt- 
(jrvpa, a, bridge, + KtpKof, tail.] In ickth., hav- 
ing the tail-fin formed from the hinder portions 
of the dorsal and anal fins, which unite over 
the end of the aborted axis of the body, as the 
family Molidw. J. A. Ryder, 1884. 
gephyrocercy (je-fi'ro-ser-si), n. [As gephyro- 
cercal + -y.~\ The state of being gephyrocer- 
cal. J. A. Ryder. 
Gephyrrhina (jef-i-ri'na), n. pi. [NL. (Thach- 
er, 1877), < Gr. ytyvpa, bridge, + pif, piv, nose.] 
A section of vertebrates characterized by two 
external nostrils on each side separated by a 
cutaneous interspace or bridge. It includes 
almost all the fishes, exclusive of the dipnoans 
and selachians. 
gepont, n. Seejupon. 
ger. An abbreviation of gerund. 
Ger. A common abbreviation of German 2 . 
-ger. [L. -ger, m., -gera, f., -gerum, neut. (as 
in armiger, corniger, etc.), < gerere, bear, carry : 
see gerund. Cf . -gerous.] A terminal element 
in words of Latin origin, meaning 'bearing,' as 
in armiger, etc. 
gerah (ge'ra), re. [Heb.] Among the ancient 
Jews, a unit of weight and of monetary reckon- 
ing, the twentieth part of a heavy shekel, or 
about three fourths of a gram. 
Geranarchus (jer-a-nar'kus), n. [NL., < Gr. 
yipavof, a crane, + apx&f, ruler, < apxew, rule.] 
Same as Salearica. Gloger, 1842. 
Gerani (jer'a-nl), n. pi. [NL., pi. of geranus, 
< Gr. -ytpavofja, crane.] In Merrem's classifica- 
tion of birds (1813), a group of his Grallce com- 
posed of the cranes and some related birds, as 
the trumpeters (Psophia) : nearly equivalent to 
the Alectorides gruiformes of Coues. 
Geraniaceae (je-ra-ni-a'se-e), n.pl. [NL., fern. 
pl.ofgeraniaceus: see geraniaceous.'] An order 
of polypetalous exogens, allied to the Rutacece, 
but in which the leaves are not glandular-punc- 
tate, the axis of the lobed fruit is persistent, or 
its carpels are distinct and indehiscent, and the 
flowers are often showy and irregular. The or- 
der as now understood is very polymorphous, comprising 
a half-dozen or more tribes which have been ranked as 
distinct orders by some authorities. It includes 20 genera 
and 750 species, distributed through the temperate and 
subtropical regions of the globe, but especially abundant 
in South Africa. The larger genera are Oxalii, Pelar- 
fionium, Impatiens, Geranium, Erodium, and Tropteo- 
Ittm. 
geraniaceous (je-ra-ni-a'shius), a. [< NL. ge- 
raniaceus,<. L. geranium, geranium: see gera- 
nium.] Pertaining or belonging to the order 
Geraniaceas. 
geranial (je-ra'ni-al), a. [< geranium + -al.~\ 
Same as geraniaceous. 
geranium (je-ra'ni-um), n. [NL., < L. Gerani- 
um, < Gr. yepaviav, geranium, crane's-bill, so 
called in reference to the long projecting beak 
of the seed-capsule, < yepavof, a crane, = E. 
crane 1 , q. v.] 1. A plant of the genus Gera- 
nium. 2. [cap.~\ A genus of herbaceous plants 
(rarely undershrubs), the type of the order 
Geraniacete, distinguished by opposite lobed 
leaves, regular flowers, and five one-seeded 
carpels which separate elastically from the axis 
at maturity, the styles forming long tails which 
become revolute or spirally twisted. There are 
about 100 species, inhabiting temperate regions, of which 
15 or more are North American. They have blue or rose- 
colored flowers, and a few of the species are rarely culti- 
vated in gardens. Most of the species are astringent, and 
the roots of several have been used in medicine, as of the 
G. maculatum, a common plant in the United States. 
From the long beak of the fruit, the common species have 
received the name of crane's-bill. The herb-robert, G. Ro- 
bertianum, with dissected leaves, is native of both Europe 
and the United States. 
3. A plant of the genus Pelargonium, of South 
Africa, of which many varieties are common in 
