COR 
efFervesce vvitli acids, nor do they afford an 
alkaline earth, as leal coral invarialtly 
does. 
CORALLINA, Coralline, in natural his- 
tory, a genus of the Vermes Zoophyta ; 
Animal growing in the form of a plant ; 
stem fixed, with calcareous subdivided 
branches, mostly jointed. C. otBcinalis is 
common on almost every shore, growing in 
clustered tufts from two to five inches long, 
about the thickness of a large thread ; white, 
greenish, yellowish, purple, or reddish, and 
frequently a mixture of all the colours. 
This is the species sometimes used in pow- 
der as an absorbent and vermifuge. C. 
flabellum inhabits the West Indies, of vari- 
ous colours, from a greenish-brown to milk- 
wliite ; sometunes of a flat kidney-shaped 
fbim, and about an inch high ; sometimes 
expanding to a large subdivided lobed and 
undulated mass from one to five inches high, 
and as many broad : stem terminated by a 
tuft of fine radical tubes. 
CORCHORUS, in botany, a genus of 
the Polyandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Columnifer®. Tiliaceae 
Jussieu. Essential character: corolla five 
petalled ; calyx five-leaved, deciduous j 
capsule many valved, many seeded. There 
are sixteen species. Natives of both In- 
dies. 
CORCULUM,in botany, a term used by 
Linnaius for the heart, or more properly 
embryo, of a seed, alluding to its shape, 
which in the walnut, and many other seeds, 
resembles the animal heart in miniature. 
It is the most important, and even essential 
part of a perfect seed, to which all tlie rest 
are subservient, being the point whence the 
future plant originates. In unimpreguated 
seeds it is deficient, or rather abortive ; in 
fertile ones it is closely connected with the 
cotyledons, on which it depends for the 
first supplies of nutriment, and other excit- 
ing causes of its evolution. The corculum 
consists of the radicle, which descends to be- 
come a root, and the plumula or feather 
which ascends and becomes the stem and 
leaves. 
CORD, magical, an instrument in great 
use among the Laplanders, and supposed to 
possess considerable virtues in certain magi- 
c.d rites and ceremonies. When properly 
prepared with knots, it is supposed to have 
power 0 .er tire winds ; and by means of it 
tlicy will sell a favourable wind to any one 
that has faitli enough to become a purchaser. 
If they untie only one of these knots, a 
moderate gale is to succeed j if two it is 
VOL. II. 
COR 
much stronger, and if three there is to be 
a storm. 
Cord of wood, a certain quantity of wood 
for burning, so called, because firrmerly 
measured with a cord. The dimensions of 
a statute cord of wood are eight feet long, 
four feet high, and four feet broad. 
CORDAGE, a term used, in general, for 
all sorts of cord, whether small, middling, 
or great, made use of in the rigging of 
ships. Cordage, cable-laid, as the seamen 
term it, is made with nine strands, i. e. the 
first three strands are laid slack, and then 
three of them, being closed together, make 
a cable, or cablet. See Cable, Rope, &c. 
CORDIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Pentandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Asperifoliae. Borraginae 
Jussieu. Essential character: corolla fun- 
nel-form ; style dichotomous ; drupe with 
two-celled nuts. There are tw'elve species, of 
which one is C. niyxa, smooth-leaved cordia, 
sebesten, or Assyrian plum. The leaves of 
this tree are about three inches long, oppo- 
site, flat, entire, on a round petiole half an 
inch in length ; peduncles panicled, termi- 
nating, subcorymbed ; petals whits, revo- 
lute ; fruit inferior, red, nearly an inch in 
diameter. The timber of this tree is tough 
and solid ; it is used for procuring fin; by 
friction. A native of Arabia and the East 
Indies. 
CORDIAL, in medicine, whatever raises 
the spirits, and gives them a sudden strength 
and cheerfulness. 
CORDON, in fortification, a row of 
stones, made round on the outside, and set 
between the wall of the fortress, which lies 
aslope, and the parapet which stands per- 
pendicular, after such a manner, tliat this 
difference may not be offensive to the eye : 
whence the cordons serve only as an orna- 
ment, ranging round about the place, being 
only used in fortification of stone-work. 
For in those made with earth, the void space 
is filled up w'ith pointed stakes. 
CORDWAINERS, a term whereby 
shoemakers are denominated in statutesj 
By a statute of Jac. I. the master and war- 
dens of the cordwainers company, &c. are 
to apjroint searchers and triers of leather ; 
and no leather is to be sold, before searched, 
sealed, &c. 
CORDYLOCARPUS, in botany, a ge- 
nus of the Tetradynamia Siliquosa class and 
order, Silique cylindrical, swelling into 
knobs, jointed, the uppermost joint distinct ; 
calyx closed. Two specie.s found in the 
Archipelago. 
C c 
