LAC 
LAC 
* 
movements of the chameleon are extremely 
slow, and in passin;: from branch to branch 
its ► iil is coiled for security round one 
till its feet have been extended to the 
other. 
hi. salamandra, or the salamander, is of a 
deep brilliant black colour, varied with ir- 
refrulas patches of bright yellow. It is 
found in various parts of France, Germany, 
and Italy, abounding particularly in moist 
and woody situations, and making its ap- 
pearance chiefly during rain. In winter it 
secludes itself in clefts, or hollow trees. It 
is about seven inches long, lives principally 
upon insects and snails, can subsist by wa- 
ter as well as land, is slow in its movements, 
and lethargic in its habits. The idea of its 
being capable of enduring fire without in- 
jury, can bo accounted for, merely from its 
possessing a power of exuding in any state 
of irritation a white and glutinous substance, 
which must of course tend to render the 
application of fire less immediately destruc- 
tive to it than to some other animals, and 
considering what trifling causes have led, in 
innumerable cases to important inferences, 
this fact may probably have given rise to the 
notion of the salamander being insuscepti- 
ble of destruction, and even of injury in the 
midst of flames. The idea of its poisoning 
any large animal by its bite is equally ex- 
ploded. The common lizard, however, is 
stated to have been poisoned in conse- 
quence of the bite of the salamander, from 
some particular fluid contained in the skin 
of the latter. The salamander produces 
its young living, hatched from internal 
eggs, and frequently upwards of thirty in 
number. 
L. aqiiatica, or the common water newt, 
is eent :ally about three inches and a half 
in length, and is found in this country in al- 
most all its stagnant waters. Newts fre- 
qii sp y east their skins withtlie most com- 
p te wholeness, even to the exquisitely de- 
licate and filmy covermgs of the eye. In 
the power of reproduction they resemble 
the cancer genus. The loss of a leg is re- 
yiov'ed by Dr. Ulumenbaeh to be easily re- 
pai. d by renovation, and it is added that 
tl: same Circumstance occurs with respect 
to tie eyes. The tenacionsness of life exhi- 
bh J I)y tliese animals is remarkable. They 
ha- often been found inclosed in large 
IT s of ice, in wliich they must have been 
COD' -ned for days, weeks, or, even in some 
instances, for months ; and, on being freed 
froio their prison, liave soon displayed all 
the alertness and vigour of perfect health. 
LACHENALIA, in botany, a genus of 
the Hexandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Coronariae. Asphodel!, 
Jussieu. Essential character : corolla six- 
partad ; the three outer petals difForra ; 
capsule three-winged; cells many-seeded; 
seeds globular, affixed to the receptacle. 
There are twelve species, all bulbous rooted 
plants, and natives of the Cape of Good 
Hope. 
LACHES, in law, signifies slackness or 
negligence ; as when we say, “ there is a 
laches of entry,” it means the same as to 
say, there is lack or neglect of entry. 
LACHNfEA, in botany, a genus of the 
Octandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Vepreculas. Thymelaeas, 
Jussieu. Essential character : calyx none; 
corolla four-cleft, with an unequal border ; 
seed one,' like a berry. There are two 
species, vkz. L. eriocephala, woolly-headed 
lachnaea ; and L. conglomerata, cluster- 
headed laclmaea ; these are both shrubs, and 
natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 
LACHRYMAL, in anatomy, an appella- 
tion given to several parts of the eye, fiom 
their serving to seci’ete the tears. The 
lachrymal gland is situated in the orbit 
above the smaller angle, and its excretory 
ducts under the upper eye-lid : these are 
mucli more easily demonstrated in the eye 
of an ox than in a human one. 
LA CIS, in botany, a genus of the Poly- 
andria Digynia class and order. Essential 
character : calyx none ; corolla none ; fila- 
ments winged on both sides below; recep- 
tacle girt, with twelve spines ; capsule 
ovate, eight-streaked, one- celled, two-val- 
ved, many-seeded. There is but one species, 
■VIZ. L. fiuviatilis ; this plant is called by the 
natives mourerou ; it is a native of Guiana, 
and has been found only on the rocks of tlie 
great cascade of the river Sinemari ; it is 
always under water, except the flowering 
branches ; it is attached to the rocks by 
packets of small fibres. 
LACISTEMA, in botany, a genus of the 
Monandria Digynia class and order. Essen- 
tial character : calyx scale of tiie ament ; 
corolla four-parted ; filaments' bifid ; berry 
pedicelled, one-seeded. There is but one 
species, cis. L.myiicoides, found in Surinam 
and Jamaica. 
LACTATES, combinations of earths and 
alkalies, &c. w'ith the Lactic add, which 
see. 
LACTEAL umcis, in anatomy, fine sub- 
tle canals situated in the intestines and nie- 
