TRO 
TRITOMA, in natural history, a genu* 
of insects of the order Coleoptera. Anten- 
nae clavate, the club perfoliate ; lip eniar- 
ginate ; anterior feelers hatchet-shaped ; 
shells as long as the body. Tiiere are ten 
species, found in different parts of the 
world. T. bipustalata, is black ; shells with 
a lateral scarlet spot. It inhabits Englanil, 
and is found on tree fungi. The glabra is 
found in Sweden, under the bark of trees. 
TRITON, in natural history, a genus of 
the Vermes Mollusca class and order. Body 
oblong ; mouth with an involute spiral pro- 
boscis ; tentacula twelve, six on each side, 
divided nearly to the base, the hind ones 
cheliferous. T. littoreous, inhabits Italy, 
in cavities of sub-marine rocks, and may be 
seen in various species of Lepas, particu- 
larly the anatefera. It is fully described 
in the “ Philosophical Transactions, ” vol. 
50. 
TRITURATION, in pharmacy, tlie act 
of reducing a solid body into a subtle pow- 
der ; called also levigation, and pulveriza- 
tion. 
TRIUMFETTA, in botany, a genus of 
the Dodecandria Monogynia class and or- 
der. Natural order of Columnifera;. Ti- 
liaceffi, Jussieu. Essential character: ealyx 
five-leaved; corolla five-petalled ; capsule 
hispid, opening in four parts. There are 
eleven species. 
TRIXIS, in botany, a genus of the Synge- 
nesia Polygamia Necessaria class and order. 
Natural order of Composit® Oppositifoli®. 
Corymbifera;, Jussieu. Essentia! charac- 
ter : corollets of the ray trifid ; seeds hairy 
at the tip, without any down ; receptacle 
chaffy. There are three species, all natives 
of the West Indies, 
TROCHAIC verse, in the Latin poetry, 
a kind ot verse, so called, because the tro- 
chees chiefly prevail, as the iambus does in 
the iambic. It generally consists of seven 
feet and a syllable the odd feet, for the 
most part, consist of trochees, though a ti-y- 
braches is sometimes admitted, except in 
the seventh foot ; these two feet are like- 
wise used in the other places, as is also the 
.spondsus, dactylus, and anapasstus. The 
following is an example. 
1 2 3 4 5 6 
Solus I out rex | aut po | eta j non quot I annis I 
7 i 
2 
nasci | tur, 
TROCHE, in pharmacy, a sort of medi- 
cine, made of glutinous substances, into lit- 
tle cakes, and afterwards exsiccated. 
TRO 
TROCHILUS, the humming bird, in na- 
tural history, a genus of birds of the order 
Pic®. Generic character : bill slender and 
weak ; nostrils minute ; tongue long, con- 
stituted of two united cylindric tubes, and 
missile; tail of ten feathers; legs weak. 
The bills of some al e curved, and of others 
strait, which forms the grand division of the 
genus. There are sixty species enumerated 
by Latham, and Gmelin has sixty-five. The 
birds of this genus are the smallest of all 
birds. They subsist many of them on the 
juices ot flowers, which they extract like 
bees, whf'.e on the wing, fluttering over 
their delicate repast, and making a consi- 
derable humming sound, from which they 
dei'ive their designation. They are gregari- 
ous, and build their nests with great neat- 
ness and elegance, lining them with the 
softest materials they can possibly procure. 
T. cohibris, or the red throated humming- 
bird, is rather more than three inches long, 
and is frequent in various parts of Norfli 
America. Its plumage is highly splendid 
and varying; it subsists on the nectar of 
flowers, particularly those of a long tube, 
like the conrolvus or tulip. They will suf- 
fer themselves to be approached very near- 
ly ; blrt on observing an effort to seize 
them, dart off with the rapidity of an arrow. 
A flower is frequently the subject of bitter 
conflict between two of these birds ; and 
they will often enter an open window, and 
after a short contest retire. They some- 
times soar perpendicularly to a considerable 
height, with a violent scream. If a flower 
which they enter furnishes them with no 
supply, they pluck it, as it were in punish- 
ment and revenge, from its stalk. They 
have been kept alive in cages for several 
weeks, but soon perish for want of their 
Usual food, for which nO adequate substi- 
tute has yet been found. Latham, how- 
ever; mentions the curious circumstance of 
their being preserved alive by Captain 
Davies for four months, by the expedient 
of imitating tubular flowers with paper, ap- 
propriately painted, and filling the bottom 
of the tubes with sugar and water as often as 
they were eniptied. They then took their 
nourishment in the same manner as when 
unconfined, and soon appeared familiarized 
and happy. They lived, however, only four 
months. These birds generally build on 
the middle of the branch of a tree, and lay 
two eggs in an extremely small and ad- 
mirably constructed nest. 
1 . minimus. This is the smallest of all 
the species, and is said, when just killed; to 
