metaccelian 
metacoelian (met-a-se'li-an), a. [< metacaiiu 
+ -an.] Of or pertaining to the motaccelia. 
meta- compounds. See meta-. 
metacresol (met-a-kre'sol), n. [< Gr. uerd, 
along with, + E. "cresol. ] A phenol isomeric 
with cresol. 
metacromial (inet-a-kro'mi-al), a. [< metacro- 
mion + -al.] Of or pertaining to the metacro- 
mion: as, a metacromial process of the scapula. 
metacromion (met-a-kro'mi-on), n.; pi. mcta- 
eromiu(-&). [NL.,<Gr. /ierd, behind, + aKpu[iun>, 
a by-form of dupufiia, the point of the shoulder- 
buthril view of Left Scapula of Rabbit, showing Metacromion. 
(About two thirds natural size.) it, acromion ; in, metacromion ; g, 
glenoid fossa ; f, coracoid process ; 11, vertebral border ; s, spine. 
blade: see acromioit.] The posterior cue of 
two proaesses in which the distal end of the 
spine of the scapula terminates in some mam- 
mals, as the shrews and rabbits. 
metacyclic (met-a-sik'lik), a. [< Gr. fterd, along 
with, beyond, + /cwo>.of, circle: see cyclic.'] Re- 
lating to a permutation of a number of elements 
in one cycle Metacyclic group. Seegroupi. 
metae, n. Plural of meta. 
metsesthetic, nietsesthetism. See metesthetic, 
metesthetism. 
metafacial (met-a-fa'shal), a. [< Gr. fierd, be- 
hind, + li. fades" the face: see facial.] Situ- 
ated behind or at the back of the face or facial 
region of the skull Metafacial angle of Serres. 
See craniometry. 
metagaster (met-a-gas'ter), n. [NL., < Gr. /it- 
rd, behind, + yaarr/p, the belly: see gaster^.] 
The after-intestine ; the secondary and in any 
way differentiated alimentary canal or diges- 
tive tube which is derived from an original 
primary intestinal cavity, or protogaster. It is 
the ordinary intestinal canal of vertebrates ex- 
cept Ampkioxus. 
metagastral (met-a-gas'tral), n. [< metagaster 
+ -al.] Pertaining to the metagaster. 
metagastrula (met-a-gas'tro-la), n.; pi. meta- 
gastrulce (-le). [NL.'J < Gr. //era, behind, + NL. 
gastrula, q. v.] A secondary modified gastrula, 
of variable form, resulting from any kenogenet- 
ic mode of egg-cleavage in which a primitive or 
palingenetic process is vitiated. See cuts un- 
der gastrulation. 
Three forms at least of metagastrula: are recognized 
the amphigastrula, the discogastrula, and the perigastru- 
la ; they are all collectively distinguished from the archi- 
gastrula. Haeckd. 
metage (me'taj), . [< metei + -age.] 1. Mea- 
surement, especially of coal. 
Acts have very lately passed in relation to the admea- 
surement or metage of coals for the city of Westminster. 
Defoe, Tour through Great Britain, II. 145. (Davies.) 
2. Charge for or price of measuring. 
Metageitnion (met-a-git'iii-ou), . [< Gr. 
MerayMrwow, the second month of the Athe- 
nian year, said to be so called because it was 
the moving-mouth, when people ' changed their 
neighbors,' < pcrd, over, + yeiruv, neighbor.] 
The second month of the Athenian calendar, 
having twenty-nine days, and corresponding to 
the last part of July and the first part of August. 
metagelatin, metagelatine (met-a-jel'a-tin), 
n. [< Gr. |UTd, along with, + E. gelatin.'] In 
photog., a substance which has been used as a 
preservative in a certain dry collodion pro- 
cess, consisting of a strong solution of gelatin 
boiled and cooled several times till it ceases 
to gelatinize and remains fluid. 
metagenesis (met-a-jen'e-sis), n. [NL., < Gr. 
aerd, beyond, after',' + -ycvemf, production: see 
genesis.] In biol., that modification of parthe- 
nogenesis or alternate generation which is ex- 
hibited when an organism passes from the egg 
to the imago through a series of successively 
generated individuals differing from one an- 
other in form: distinguished by Owen from 
metamorphosis, or the transformation of any 
one individual by the modification of its form 
as a whole. Metagenesis of one or another kind is ex- 
hibited by some insects, as iiphids, in which the process 
3730 
is commonly called parthenogenesis; by various internal 
parasites, as Distftma (see cuts under cercaria) ; and strik- 
ingly by various hydrozoans. In the last the cycle in- 
cludes (1) the free-swimming impregnated ovum ; (2) 
the fixation of this ovum to some submerged object 
and its development into an organism ; (3) the formation 
by such organism of various zooids, as nutritive and gen- 
erative zooids, unlike each other and unlike the parent, 
the whole forming a hydroid colony ; and ( 1) the formation 
l)y generative zooids of ova, which on being set free com- 
plete the cycle. Thus, in a sertularian polyp the ovum is 
a free-swimming ciliated body, which on fixation develops 
a mouth and tentacles, and by continued gemmation pro- 
duces two sets of buds, of which the generative set repro- 
duce the free-swimming ciliated ova. In other polyps, 
as Corynidce, the set of generative buds themselves become 
detached as free medusoids like jelly-fish (see cut under 
medusoid), whose eggs develop not into bodies like the 
parent medusoid, but into the polypide or polypidom of 
the hydroid colony on which they were produced. In the 
Lucernarida & similar metagenesis occurs by fission. Her- 
bert Spencer adopts Owen's metagenesis as one of three 
kinds of his agamogenesis, and considers it as (1) ex- 
ternal, where new individuals bud from unspecialized 
parts of the parent, and (2) internal, as in the case of the 
transformations of Distoma. See metamorphosis. 
metagenetic (met'a-jf-net'ii). a. [< meta- 
genesis, after genetic.] ' 1. In zool., pertaining 
ito, characterized by, or resulting from meta- 
genesis. Owen. 2. In mineral., subsequent in 
origin: said of certain twin crystals. See twin. 
metagenetically (met"a-je-net'i-kal-i), adv. 
In a metagenetic manner ; by means of meta- 
genesis. Darwin, Animals and Plants, p. 363. 
metagenic (met-a-jen'ik), a. [< Gr. fiera-yevi/f, 
born after, < perd, after, + -yew?f, born: see 
-genous. Cf. metagenetic.] Same as metagenetic. 
metagnathism (me-tag'na-thizm), n. [< me- 
tagnath-ous + -ism.] In ornith., the condition 
of a bird's bill when the points of the mandi- 
bles cross each other. See cut under crossbill. 
metagnathous (me-tag'na-thus), a. [< Gr. 
[terd, beyond, + yvddoe, the jaw.] In ornith., 
having the tips of the mandibles crossed: as, 
the metagnathoits bill of the red crossbill, Loxia 
cunirostra. See quotation under epignathom. 
metagnostic (met-ag-nos'tik), . and . [See 
metagnostics.] I. a. Metaphysical; in recent 
use, transcending present knowledge both with- 
in and beyond the sphere of sense. 
II. . One who believes in the reality of an 
absolute being transcending knowledge. [Re- 
cent.] 
The essayist would substitute the title of Metagnosticx 
instead of Agnostics. J. A. SMlton, in Evolution, p. 227. 
metagnosticism (met-ag-nos'ti-sizm), . [< 
metagnostic + -ism.] The philosophical doc- 
trine that there is a positive (not merely nega- 
tive) consciousness of the Absolute: distin- 
guished from agnosticism regarded as maintain- 
ing the opposite ground. [Recent.] 
metagnostics(inet-ag-nos'tiks),. [<Gr. / uErd,be- 
yond, + jTtNTTOoi?, knowing (yvuovf, knowledge): 
see gnostic and -ics.] Knowledge transcending 
ordinary knowledge ; metaphysics. Krug. 
metagrammatism (met-a-gram'a-tizm), n. [< 
Gr. /icTaypa/i/mT/a/ioe, alteration 6'f letters, < pe- 
Ta-ypa/i/uiTi&tv, alter letters, < /terd, over, + 
ypafj,ixa(T-), a letter: see gram 2 .] The transpo- 
sition of the letters of a name so as to form a 
word or words having some reference to the 
person named; anagrammatism. Camden. 
metagraphy (me-tag'ra-fi), n. [< Gr. /leraypd- 
ijteiv, write differently, rewrite, transcribe, < fierd, 
over, + ypdfyeiv, write : see graphic.] Transcrip- 
tion; transliteration. 
Hisbelief in the system of metayraphy as applied to non- 
European alphabets. Athenaeum, No. 3151, p. 340. 
metairie (me-ta're), n. [< F. metairie,< me- 
tayer, one who farms on shares: see metayer.] 
A farm or piece of land cultivated for a share 
of its produce. 
metal (met'al, often met'l), n. [Formerly 
metall, mettai, mettall (and mettle, now differ- 
entiated in use) ; < ME. metal, < OF. metal, F. 
metal = Pr. metal, metalh = Sp. Pg. metal = It. 
metallo = MLG. metal, metal = Ml), metael, D. 
metaal = G. metall = Sw. metall = Dan. metal 
= W. mettel = Gael, meiteal, metal, < L. metal- 
lum, a mine, a metal, any mineral, stuff, kind. 
< Gr. ,uTa/l/loi>, a mine, a pit or cave where 
minerals are sought, a quarry, later (only in 
the deriv. /jeraAAuaif, metallic) a mineral, met- 
al, ore ; origin uncertain ; in one view orig. 
' ore,' as that which is combined ' with another ' 
substance, < //era, with, + d/Uof, another; in 
another view (and according to the record) 
orig. a mine or pit as 'a place explored,' < fie- 
TaXkav, search after, explore, < uerd, after, + a/i- 
?.0f, other. Hence medal, mettle.] 1. An ele- 
mentary substance, or one which in the pres- 
ent state of chemical science is undecompos- 
metal 
able, and which possesses opacity, luster of 
a peculiar kind (commonly called metallic, be- 
cause very characteristic of the metals), con- 
ductivity for heat and electricity, and plas- 
ticity, or capability of being drawn, squeezed, 
or hammered with change of shape but no loss 
of continuity. Examples of metals possessing all these 
qualities, although in varying degree, are gold, silver, 
copper, iron, lead, and tin, all of which have been known 
from remote antiquity ; and on the characters which they 
possess the idea of a metal was, and mainly still is, found- 
ed. These metals also have a high specific gravity, the 
lightest of them (tin) being over seven times as dense as 
water. Of the prehistorically known metals, gold, silver, 
and copper occur more or less abundantly in the native 
or metallic form, and must have been noticed, and in all 
probability utilized, in the most remote antiquity, by va- 
rious nations and over widely extended areas. Iron also 
occurs native, especially in the form of meteoric iron, and 
in this way may have first become known and utilized. 
But iron is now, and has been from time immemorial, 
smelted from its ores in countries which, from almost 
every other point of view than the metallurgical, might 
properly be regarded as uncivilized. The use of iron other 
than meteoric was not, however, known in the New World 
before the advent of Europeans. Tin and lead do not oc- 
cur in the metallic form in nature, unless in very minute 
quantity, hence, where used, these metals must have been 
obtained by the metallurgic treatment of their ores. In 
the case of tin and zinc, as well as of other metals not oc- 
curring native, it was not until long after some knowledge 
had been attained in regard to the practical use of their 
ores, either by themselves or as ingredients in various al- 
loys, that any accurate idea was obtained of the metals 
themselves. Thus, brass was certainly made long before 
anything definite had been learned in regard to the metal 
zinc, and it is not at all unlikely that the same was the 
case with bronze and one of its constituents, tin. In addi- 
tion to the six metals already mentioned, quicksilver was 
known to the Greeks and Komans in classical times; and 
this metal also occurs not infrequently in the metallic 
form, so that its early discovery is not a matter to excite 
surprise. The anomalous occurrence of quicksilver as a 
liquid at the ordinary temperature was the reason why 
neither Pliny nor Isidore nor Geber included it among 
the metals; nor was it so included by writers on chemis- 
try and metallurgy until after it had been discovered that 
this fluid could be frozen at a not very low temperature, 
and that when frozen it was malleable. It was not until 
the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries that antimony, bis- 
muth, and zinc became known; but their ores had long 
been in use, although, in the case of the two former met- 
als, only to a very limited extent. The discovery of these 
metals considerably enlarged the scope of the word me- 
tallic, since it became necessary to admit that metals 
could be brittle ; this was still further exemplified in the 
case of the metal arsenic, discovered in 1694 (its oxidized 
combinations had long been known and utilized), which, 
although having a metallic luster, is decidedly brittle. 
This brittleness of substances otherwise metallic in ap- 
pearance led to their being placed in a class by themselves 
as "semi-metals," the idea that malleability was a neces- 
sary attribute of a metal having come down from the 
Arabian chemists, and maintaining its hold for many cen- 
turies. About the middle and in the latter half of the 
eighteenth century the number of known metals was 
greatly increased. In 1741 platina was discovered, but 
the metals which are always associated with it osmium, 
iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, etc. were not detected 
until much later. At about the same time as platina, 
nickel and cobalt were recognized as elements that is, 
were first separated and distinguished from their ores, 
which had been long known and (in the case of cobalt, at 
least) utilized to a limited extent. Toward the end of the 
eighteenth century manganese, molybdena, tellurium, 
uranium, titanium, and chromium became known. About 
the beginning of the nineteenth century several of the 
metals of the platina family palladium, iridium, osmi- 
um, rhodium were separated from the complex alloy 
known as native platina. Up to this time all the known 
substances to which the name metal was applied were 
much heavier than water, and also decidedly heavier than 
those considered as non-metallic. Hence, as the old and 
long-prevailing idea that all metals were malleable had 
been done away with, a high specific gravity began to be 
considered as their most important characteristic. Thus 
we find Cronstedt, who was one of the earliest systematic 
writers on mineralogy (the first edition of his work was 
published in 1758), defining metals as "those mineral 
bodies which with respect to their volume are the heaviest 
of all hitherto known bodies." With the discovery, by 
Davy, in 1807, of the metallic nature of the bases of the 
alkalis a great change took place in this respect, for these 
substances, metallic from many points of view, especially 
with reference to then- chemical affinities, are lighter than 
water, and at first, on this account, were by some chemists 
not admitted to rank as metals. The discovery of the me- 
tallic bases of the alkalis was followed by that of the bases 
of the earths calcium, barium, and strontium, 1807; zir- 
conium, 1824; aluminium, glucinium, and yttrium. 1828. 
These metals are all light as compared with the older 
metals, but heavy In comparison with the metallic bases 
of the alkalis, the lightest of which lithium, discovered 
in 1818 has only a little more than half the specific 
gravity of water. Cadmium, another heavy metal associ- 
ated with zinc in its mode of occurrence, and of some im- 
portance in the arts, was also separated from its oxid in 
1818. Many metals have been discovered within the past 
few years, all of great interest from the scientific point of 
view, but no one of them of economical importance, or 
occurring in sufficient quantity to be utilized to any ex- 
tent even if possessing valuable properties. So doubtful 
and difficult are the chemical reactions of some of these 
elements that their exact number cannot be stated. Sev- 
eral have been worked over by chemists for years with- 
out any definite conclusion having been reached; several, 
after having been accepted for a while, have been dropped 
from the list. There are abeut seventy generally recog- 
nized elements (see eleme nt\ although some three or four 
of these may still be considered as more or less doubtful. 
Of the seventy thirteen are decidedly non-metallic ; these 
