Micrococcus of Diphtheria. 
Micrococcus 
ly colored celln, either formed hy tiansvene division Into 
filaments of two or several chaplet-likc ;ii ! ini];ii I.HIM, nt 
unit i-il ill (ainllloa, or Beg- 
related In geliitinoii- 
inasses, all destitute of 
spontaneous movc-mi-nt 
but exhlbitlni; a simplr 
molecular tremor. Its 
species are divided in- 
to throe physiological 
groups chromoyene*, 
producing coloring mat- 
ter, as in "red milk" (M. 
tM-wfi'/tVwtMx, figured under 
microoe\ or "golden yel- 
low" (M. luteus)', zi/mo- 
genet, producing various 
fermentations, as in ani- 
mal and vegetable infu- 
sions (M. crepusculum) 
or urine (M. urea); and pattiogtnct, producing diseases. 
Variola, vaccinia, septicemia, erysipelas, gonorrhea, and 
other forms are believed to be produced by micrococcL 
2. [I. c.; pi. micrococci (-si).] Any member of 
this genus. 
By the specific term micrococcus is understood a minute 
spherical or slightly oval organism (Sphrerobacterium, 
Cohn), that like other bacteria divides by fission (Schizo- 
mycetes), and that does not possess any special organ, 
i ilium or flagellum, by using which it would be capable 
of moving freely about. 
K. Klein, Mlcro-Organisms and Disease, p. 37. 
Microcoleoptera (mi-kro-ko-le-op'te-ra), n. pi. 
[NL., < Gr. fiiKp6f, small, 4- NL. Coleoptera, 
q. v.] In enttim., the smaller kinds of beetles 
collectively considered. 
microconidium (mi'kro-ko-nid'i-um), .: pi. 
microconidia (-a). [NL\, < Or. fim/ify, small, + 
NL. i-iniiiiiniii.] A eonidium of small size as 
compared with others produced in the same 
species. 
Microconidia [of Hypomyces] or conidia proper very co- 
pious. Coolce, Handbook Brit. Fungi, p. 776. 
microcosm (mi'kro-kozm), n. [< F. microcosme 
= Sp. mlcrocosmos = Pg. It. microcosmo, < LL. 
microcosmus (Boethius), < LGr. lunpbuoauoc,, a 
little world, < Gr. funpof, small, 4- n6o/iuf, world.] 
1. A little world or cosmos; the world in min- 
iature ; something representing or assumed to 
represent the principle of universality: often 
applied to man regarded as an epitome, phys- 
ically and morally, of the universe or great 
world (the macrocosm). 
If you see this in the map of my microcosm, follows it 
that I am known well enough too? Shale., Cor., ii. 1. 68. 
The ancients not improperly styled him [man] a micro- 
cosm, or little world within himself. 
Bacon, Physical Fables, ii., Expl. 
.Some told me it [a mountain] was fourteene miles high ; 
It Is covered with a very microcosme of clowdes. 
Coryat, Crudities. I. 91. 
In the dark dissolving human heart. 
And holy secrets of this microcosm, 
Dabbling a shameless hand with shameful jest, 
Tennyson, Princess, ill. 
Each particle is a microcosm, and faithfully renders the 
likeness of the world. Emerson, Discipline. 
2. A little community or society. 
And now the hour has come when this youth Is to be 
launched into a world more vast than that in which he 
has hitherto sojourned, yet for which this microcosm has 
been no ill preparation. /V>m,7/. 
microcosmic (mi-kro-koz'mik), a. [= F. mi- 
crocosmique; as microcosm + -ic.] Of orpertain- 
ing to a microcosm or to anything that is re- 
garded as such. - Microcosmic salt, HNaNHiPOi + 
1 1 1 ..i >, a salt of soda, ammonia, and phosphoric acid, origi- 
nally obtained from human urine. It Is much employed as 
a tlux in experiments with the blowpipe. 
microcosmical (mi-kro-koz'mi-kal), a. [< ini- 
c run ix mi i- + -til.] Same as microcosmic. Sir 
T. Broicni; Vulg. Err., ii. 3. 
microcosiuography (mi'kro-koz-mog'ra-fi), . 
[< Or. [WipoKoouos, microcosm, 4- --/pa^ia, < ypa- 
$eiv, write. Cf. cosmography.] The description 
of man as a "little world." 
microcosmology (nu'kro-koz-mol'o-ji), n. [< 
Gr. [itxpoKoauos, microcosm, + -foyla, < teyeiv, 
speak: see -ology.] A treatise on the micro- 
cosm, specifically on the human body, or on 
man. 
microcosmos (im-kro-koz'mos), n. Same as nii- 
rrnCOXMHS, 1. 
microcosmus (mi-kro-koz'mus), . [LL. (in 
defs. '2 and 3, NL.), < Gr. fuitpoKoafJof, a little 
world: SIM- w/V/'ooww.] 1. Same as microcosm, 
1. 2. A tunicate, ascidian, or sea-squirt : ap- 
plied by LinmiMis in 1735, and recently revived 
by Heller as a generic name. 3. [cap.] A 
genus of coleopterous insects. Chaudoir, 1878. 
microcoulomb (mi'kro-ko-lom'), . [< Gr. /- 
npo$, small, + E. i-diiliiinh.] One millionth of a 
coulomb. See coulomb. 
inicrocoustic (ml-kro-kos'tik). a. and a. [Invir. 
< Gr. futotf. small. 4- iiMirirrvKoV. pertaining ti> 
236 
3749 
hearing: ><' umuxtir.} I. <i. Sen-ing to aug- 
ment weak sounds; of or pertaining to an in- 
strument for augmenting weak sounds. 
II. n. An aural instrument designed to col- 
lect and augment small sounds, for the purpose 
of assisting the partially deaf in hearing. 
microcrith (mi'kro-knth), B. [< Gr. /uxpof, 
small, + ispiOr/, barley: gee critk.] In chent., 
the unit of molecular weight, denoting the 
weight of the half -molecule of hydrogen. 
macrocrystalline (im-kro-kris'ta-lin), a. [< Gr. 
fnnpi'if, small, 4- Kpvardfo.tvos, crystalline: see 
i-i-i/.-'inlliiii .\ Minutely crystalline : said of crys- 
talline rocks of which the constituents are in- 
dividually so minute that they cannot be dis- 
tinguished from each other by the naked eye; 
crypt ocrystalline. Many lithologisU use mia-ueryital- 
line and cryptocrystalline as synonymous. Rosenbusch, 
however, uses the former term to designate that structure 
of the ground-mass in which the constituent minerals can, 
with the aid of the microscope, be specifically determined, 
and the latter for a structure which can be recognized u 
crystalline, but in which the Individual components can- 
not be specifically Identified. 
microcrystallitic (mi-kro-kris-ta-lit'ik), . [< 
Gr. fiiifpAc,, small, 4- Kpioratf.of, crystal, 4- -ite 2 
+ -ic.] A term used by Geikie to designate a 
devitrification product in which this process 
has been carried so far that little or no glass- 
base appears, the original glassy substance hav- 
ing become changed into an aggregation of 
crystallites or "little granules, needles, and 
hairs." See microfelsitic. 
microcyst (mi'kro-sist), n. [< Gi.utKpof, small, 
+ KioTtc, the bladder, a bag, pouch.] In Myx- 
omycetes, the resting state of swarm-spores, 
which become rounded off and invested with a 
delicate membrane, or sometimes only with a 
firm border, and may return again under favor- 
able conditions to a state of movement. Bee 
Afyjcotnycetex, sicarm-spore. 
microcyte (mi'kro-sit), . [< Gr. ui*p6s , small. 
+ irfiTof, a hollow, cavity : seecyte.] 1. A small 
cell or corpuscle. 
The microcytes. Very small bodies, for the most part 
colourless, freely suspended In the plasma, 
Huxley ana Martin, Elementary Biology, p. 123. 
2. A small blood-corpuscle, in size from 2 to 6 
mieromillimeters, found, often in large num- 
bers, in many cases of anemia. 
microcythemia (nri'kro-si-the'mi-S), n. [< Gr. 
fUKfoc,, small, + MTof, a hollow (see microcyte), 
+ a'tfia, blood.] That condition of the blood in 
which there are many corpuscles of diminished 
size. 
microcytosis (mi'kro-si-to'sis), n. Microcythe- 
mia. 
microdactylous (mi-kro-dak'ti-lus), a. [< Gr. 
/UK/MS, small, + SaKn'/of, finger: see dactyl.] 
Having short or small fingers or toes. 
microdentism (mi-kro-den'tizm), n. [< Gr. 
ftmp6f, small, 4- L. den(t-)g, = E. tooth, + -ism.] 
Smallness of the teeth. 
Microdentism mere smallness of the teeth was 
chronicled in fourteen of the hundred cases. 
Lancet, No. 3432, p. 1152. 
micro-detector (mi'kro-de-tek'tor), . [< Gr. 
/tucpof, small, 4- E. detector.] A sensitive gal- 
vanoscope. 
Microdiptera (mi-kro-dip'te-rft), . pi. [NL., 
< Gr. utKpof, small, 4- ^TL. Diptera.] In entom., 
the smaller kinds of flies collectively consid- 
ered. 
Microdon (ml'kro-don), n. [NL.(Meigen, 1803), 
< Gr. /JiKpof, small. 4- orforf (odovr-) = E. tooth.] 
1. In entom., an important genus of syrphid 
flies, containing a few European and about 'JO 
North American species. They are Urge, nearly 
bare, usually short and thick-set, with flattened scutellum 
and short wings, in which there is a stump of a vein in the 
first posterior cell from the third longitudinal vein. The 
larvae are remarkable objects, resembling shells, and have 
twice been described and named as mollusks. *. globo- 
tus is an example. 
2. In ii-lit/i.. a genus of pycnodont fishes of the 
Cretaceous period. Agassiz, 1833. 3. Inconck., 
a genus of bivalve mollusks. Conrad, 1842. 
rnicrodont (mi'kro-dont), a. [< Gi.uuspAf, 
small, 4- orfoif (ocWr-) = E. tooth.] Having 
short or small teeth. 
The mierndont races are the low -caste natives of central 
and Mint hern India: the Polynesians; the ancient Egyp- 
tians; mixed Europeans not British; and the British. 
Science, IV. 638. 
micro-electric (mi-kro-e-lek'trik). a. [< Gr. 
uiKpof, small, 4- K. rliciric.] Having electric 
properties in a very small degree Micro-elec- 
tric metrology, the measurement of minute electric 
quantities. 
microfarad (mi-kro-far'ad), . K Gr. //<M>', 
small. 4- E. farnri.] The practical unit of eler- 
microgonidial 
trical caimcity. i-ipial to tlic millionth part of a 
farad. It is the rapacity of about three miles 
of an Atlantic cable. 
microfeisite (mi-kro-fel'sit), n. [< Gr. /unpor, 
small, 4- K.feMte.] In V&M., ;i bane or ground- 
mass having a microfelsitic structure. See 
microff-lttitic. 
microfelsitic (mi'kro-fel-sit'ik), a. [< miero- 
felsite + -ic.] The designation suggested by 
Zirkel for a devitrified glass when the devitri- 
fication has been carried so far that the hya- 
line character is lost, but not far enough to give 
rise to the development of distinctly individu- 
alized mineral forms, other lithologlsts hare used 
this word with different shades of meaning. Rosenbnsch 
defines it as follows: "This substance, which is distin- 
guished from micro- and crypto-crj talline aggregate* by 
the absence of any action on polarized light, and from 
what may properly be called glass by not being entirely 
without structure and by being decidedly lea* transparent, 
I call micro/elate or the micmfrMic ban." 
microfoliation (mi-kro-fo-li-a'shon), . [< Gr. 
fuxp6f, small, + E. foliation.] Microscopic foli- 
ation, or that which is not distinctly recognized 
by the naked eye: a term used by Bouney in 
discussing the effect of pressure in Paleozoic 
sedimentary rocks. Ouart. Jour. Geol. Hoc., 
XLIV. 44. 
Microgadus (mi-kro-ga'dus), n. [NL., < Gr. ui- 
Kp6f, small, 4- NL'. Gadus, q. v.] A genus of 
Atlantic Totncod.or Frost-fish \Mifrogadui t 
(From Report of U. S. I- ish Commission.) 
small gadoid fishes, established by Gill in 1865 : 
the tomcods. II. tomcodus is a well-known species of 
the Atlantic coast of the United States ; M. prorimut Is Its 
representative on the l*aciflc coast. 
Microgaster (mi-kro-gas'ter), . [NL. (La- 
treille, 1804), < Gr. fUKp6r., small, 4- yatrriip, sto- 
mach: see gastcrV.] 1. A notable genus of 
parasitic hymenopters of the family Braeonida; 
giving name to the subfamily Microgasterince. 
They are characterized by the three* submarg'inal cells of 
the fore wings (the second one often incomplete), and by 
having the hind tlbial spurs more than half the length of 
the tarsi. Many are known from Europe and North Ameri- 
ca, as M. subcomvletus of the former country, which is para- 
sitic on various lepldopterous larvae. 
2. ['. <.] A member of this genus. 
Microgasterinae (mi-kro-gas-te-ri'ne), n.pl. 
[NL.,< Microgoftter + -i<r.] A'large subfam- 
ily of Braconida;, typified by the genus Micro- 
gaster, having the mesonotal sutures invisible 
and the large marginal cell reaching to the end 
of the wing. There are many speclea, of 6 genera, the 
largest one of which, Apanteles, has 69 species In Great 
Britain alone. Their larvie parasitize many insects, espe- 
cially lepldopterous larvie, Issuing from the body of the 
host ana spinning cocoons either singly or in mass. A. 
glomeratui Is an abundant parasite of the cabbage-worm, 
Pitrit rapa, both In Europe and In North America. 
microgeological (mi-kro-ie-o-loj'i-kal), a. [< 
microgeolog-y + -ic-al.] Pertaining to micro- 
geology; dependent on or derived from the use 
of the microscope in relation to geology: as, 
microgeological investigations. 
microgeology (mi'kro-je-oro-ji), n. [< Gr. ui- 
xp6f, small, 4- E. geology.] That department 
of the science of geology whose facts are as- 
certained by the use of the microscope. 
Microglossa (mi-kro-glos'S), n. [NL., also J/i- 
(nifllossus, JUicroglossum, { Gr. fimp6^, small, 4- 
j/uo-fja, the tongue: see ylossa.] In ornith., a 
genus of cockatoos of the family Cacattiidtt, es- 
tablished by Geoffroy in 1809. It contains the 
great black cockatoos, as M. aterrimum, gotiath, and alec- 
to, all inhabitant* of New Guinea and other Island* of the 
Papuan region. 
microglossia (mi-kro-glos'i-a), n. [NL., < Gr. 
/iiKfiuf, small, 4- } taaaa, the tongue : see glotsa.] 
Congenital smallness of the tongue. 
Microglossid8e(mi-kr6-glos'i-de), n.pl. [NL.. 
< Microgloxxii + -iilii 1 .] A family of psittaciii'' 
birds, the black cockatoos: synonymous with 
'llid<F. 
Microglossinae (mi'kro-glo-si'ne). . pi. [NL., 
< Mirroglnssa 4- -in<r.] A subfamily of ' 
tiiiila'. rt'jiresonted by the genus Microglossa. 
and containing the black cockatoos. 
microgonidial (mi'kro-go-nid'i-al). a. [< mi- 
crogonidiuin + -al.] Of. pertaining to, or re- 
sembling a microgonidium. 
