CUL 
hatched from the egg, measure about the 
tenth part of an inch. The eggs of the 
gnat are deposited in close set groiipes of 
three or four hundred together, and are very 
small: the whole groupe is placed on the 
surface of the water, close to the leaf or 
stalk of some water-plant It feeds on the 
minute vegetable and animal particles which 
it finds in plenty on stagnant waters, in 
which it resides, the head being armed with 
hooks to seize on aquatic insects, and other 
kinds of food. When arrived at its full 
growth, it casts its skin, and commences 
chrysalis. In this state, like the larva from 
which it proceeded, it is loco-motive spring- 
ing about in the water nearly in a similar 
manner. When ready to give birth to the 
included gnat, which usually happens in the 
space of three or four days, it rises to the 
surface, and the animal quickly emerges 
from its confinement. Gnats, as is known 
to every body, are very troublesome in all 
countries, but in Lapland during their short 
summer, the air is absolutely filled with such 
swarming myriads, tliat the poor inhabi- 
tants can scarcely venture out without first 
anointing their hands and feces with a com- 
position of tar and cream, which prevents 
their attacks. This circumstance is not 
without its advantages; as the legions of 
larvae which fill the lakes of Lapland, form 
a delicious and tempting repast to innumer- 
able multitudes of aquatic birds, and thus 
contribute to the support of the very peo- 
ple which they so dreadfully torment. The 
mosquito, of the West Indies and America 
is probably a variety of the common Euro- 
pean gnat. 
CULMINATION, in astronomy, the pas- 
sage of any heavenly body over the meri- 
dian, or its greatest altitude for that day. 
CULMUS, in botany, a straw, or haulm, 
the proper tnink of grasses which elevates 
the leaves, flower and fruit. 
CUPHEA, in botany, a genus of the 
Dodecandria Monogynia class and order. 
Calyx six-toothed, unequal ; petals six, un- 
equal, inserted into the calyx; capsule one- 
celled, with a three-sided follicle. There is 
but one species.* 
CULPRIT, a formal reply of a proper 
officer in court, in behalf of the king, after 
a criminal has pleaded not guilty, affirming 
him to be guilty, without which the issue 
to be tried is not joined. After an indict- 
ment, for any criminal matter, is read in 
court, the prisoner at the bar is asked whe- 
ther he is guilty, or not guilty, of the in- 
dictment? If he answers, not guilty, there 
CUI' 
is a replication by the clerk of the arraign- 
ments from the crown, by continuing the 
charge of the guilt upon him, which is ex- 
pressed in the word culprit. The term cul- 
prit is a contraction of the latin culpabilis, 
and the old French word prit now pret, im- 
porting that he i.s ready to prove the crimi- 
nal guilty. 
CULVERIN, in the military art, a large 
cannon, or piece of artillery. 
CUMIN UM, in botany, a genus of the 
Pentandria Digynia class and order. Na- 
tural order of Umbellataj. Essential cha- 
racter : involucres four-cleft ; umbellules 
four; fruit ovate, striated. There is but one 
species, viz. C. cyminum cumin. Native 
of Egypt. 
CUNILA, in botany, a genus of the Di- 
andria Monogynia class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Verticillat®, or Labiatae. Es- 
sential character: corolla ringent; upper 
lip erect, flat ; filaments two, bai-ren ; seeds 
four. There are four species. 
CUNNINGHAMIA, in botany, a genus 
of the Tetrandria Monogynia class and or- 
der. Essential chai-acter : calyx very 
small, four-toothed ; corolla four-cleft, with 
a short tube ; berry crowned with a two- 
celled two-seeded nut. One species, m. 
C. sarmentosa. 
CUNONIA, in botany, so called from 
Job Christopher, Cuno of Amsterdam ; a ge- 
nus of the Decandria Digynia class and or- 
der. Natural order of Saxifragae, Jussieu. 
Essential character: corolla five-petalled ; 
calyx five-leaved ; capsule two-celled, acu- 
minate, many-seeded ; styles longer than the 
flower. There is but one species, viz. C. 
capensis, a native of the Cape of Good 
Hope. 
CUP galls, in natural history, a name 
given to a curious kind of galls found on 
the leaves of tlie oak, and some other trees. 
They derive their name from their shape. 
Besides this species, the oak leaves furnish 
. us with several others, of various shapes and 
sizes, which appear on the leaves at different 
seasons of the year. They all contain the 
worm of some small fly, that passes through 
all its changes in this habitation, being some- 
times found in the worm, sometimes in the* 
nymph, and sometimes in the fly state, in 
the cavity. 
CUPANIA, in botany, so named from 
Francesco Cupani of Sicily, a genus of the 
Octandria Monogynia, or Polygamia Mo- 
noecia class and order. Natural order of 
Trihilatas. Sapindi, Jussieu. Essential 
character: calyx five-leaved; petals five- 
