NUT 
NUTATION, in astronomy, a kind of 
tremulous motion of the axis of the earth, 
whereby, in each annual revolution it is 
twice inclined to the ecliptic, and as often 
returns to its former position. 
Sir Isaac Newton observes, that the moon 
has the tike motion, only very small, and 
scarcely sensible. 
NUTMEG, in natural history, the kernel 
of a large fruit, not unlike the peach, the 
produce of a tree called by botfinists My- 
RtSTicA, which see. 
The nutmeg is separated from its in- 
vestient coat, the mace, before it is sent 
over to US; except that the whole fruit is 
sometimes imported in preserve, by way 
of sweetmeat, or as a curiosity. See Mace. 
The nutmeg, as we receive it, is of a 
roundish or oval figure, of a tolerably com- 
pact and firm texture, but easily cut with 
a knife, and falling to pieces on a smart 
blow. Its surface is not smooth, but fur- 
rowed with a number of wrinkles, running 
in various directions, though principally 
longitudinally. It is of a greyish brown 
colour on the outside, and of a beautiful 
variegated hue within, being marbled with 
brown and yellow variegations, running in 
perfect irregularity through its whole sub- 
stance. It is very unctuous and fatty to 
the touch, when powdered, and is of an 
extremely agreeable smell, and of an aro- 
matic taste, without the heat that attends 
that kind of flavour in most of the other 
species. 
There are two kinds of nutmeg in the 
shops, the one called by authors the male, 
and the other the female. The female is 
the kind in common use, and is of the shape 
of an olive : the male is long and cylindric, 
and has less of the fine aromatic flavour 
than the other, so that it is much less 
esteemed, and people who trade largely 
in nutmegs will seldom buy it. Besides 
this oblong kind of nutmegs, we sometimes 
meet with others of perfectly irregular 
figures, but mere lusus naturae, not owing 
to a different species of the tree. The 
longer male nutmeg, as we term it, is call- 
ed by the Dutch the wild nutmeg. It is 
always distinguishable from the others, as 
well by its want of fragrancy, as by its 
shape : it is very subject to be worm-egjen, 
and is strictly forbid, by the Dutch, to be 
packed up among the other, because it will 
give occasion to their being worm-eaten 
by the insects getting from it into them, 
and breeding in all pai'ts of the parcel. The 
largest, heaviest, and most unctuous of the 
NYM 
nutmegs are to be chosen, such as are the 
shape of an olive, and of the most fragrant 
smell. 
NUTRITION. See Physiology. 
NYCTANTHES, in botany, a genus of 
the Diandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Sepiariae. Jasmineae, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character: corolla, salver 
shaped, with truncated segments ; capsule, 
two-celled, margined; seeds solitary. There 
are seven species, of which N. undulata, 
wave-leaved Nyctanthes, is a shrub about 
six feet in height, the young shoots are 
hairy ; leaves of a shining green, smooth, in 
pairs from the joints, bitter, without any 
smell; flowers white; calycine segments 
six; of the corolla six, seven or eight, 
narrow, much waved on the edge ; fruit 
superior, resembling a black cherry, con- 
taining a round hairy seed. It is a native 
of the East Indies, where it is much cul- 
tivated on account of the sweetness of the 
flowers, which are worn by the ladies in 
their hair. 
NYMPH, among naturalists, that state 
of winged-iiisects between their living in 
the form of a worm, and their appearing 
in the winged or most perfect state. 
The eggs of insects are first hatched into 
a kind of worms, or maggots ; which after- 
wards pass into the nymph-state, surround- 
ed with shells or cases of their own skins ; 
so that, in reality, these nymphs are only 
the embryo-insects, wrapped up in this 
covering; from whence they at last get 
loose, though not without great difliculty. 
NYMPHjE. See Anatomy. 
NYMPHjEA, in botany, water-lily, a 
genus of the Polyandria Monogynia class 
and order. Natural order of Succulent®. 
Hydrocharides, Jussieu. Essential cha- 
racter, calyx four, five, or .six leaved ; 
corolla many petalled ; berry many celled, 
truncated. There are six species, of which 
N. alba, white water-lily, has a tuberous 
root, creeping far and wide in tlie mud ; 
the whole plant is larger than the yellow 
water-lily ; petioles and peduncles round, 
within full of pores ; flowers large and very 
handsome, petals white, from .sixteen to 
twenty in number; stamens sixty-eight, 
or seventy ; germ roundish ; style none ; 
stigma rayed ; according to Linnmus, the 
flower raises itself out of the water and 
expands about seven o’clock in the morn- 
ing, closing again, and reposing upon the 
surface of the water soon after four in the 
evening. 
The roots have an astringent bitter taste; 
