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162 
and autumn. Its vivid vermilion or fcarlet hue, when 
young, is very ftriking : in deca’/ it turns brown or black. 
This common fpecies meafures, in fiz.e, an inch and fome- 
times more; now and then it is fhaped fomewhat like a 
bean. The filaments grow out of the interior pellicle of 
the bark: they are final], thin, ramofe, and thickly let. 
25. Mucor conicum : fcattered, conical; at firft red, 
then purplifh-violet. Found, very rarely, on the rotten 
trunks of trees. About one or two lines high, exa&ly 
conical, but obtufe, clothed with little fcattered fibrous 
granulations. Powder of a violet red. Perjbon's Synopjis. 
Albertini Scliweiniz Covjpe.flus Fuugorum. Withering. 
Gnie-lin's Linn. 
MU'COUS, adj. [mucqfus, Lat.] Slimy; vifcous.—The 
falamander, being cold in the fourth and moift in the 
third degree, and having alfo a mucous humidity above 
and under thelkin, may a while endure the flame. Brown. 
—About thefe the nerves and other veflels make a fine 
web, covered over with a mucous fubftance, to moiften 
thefe papillae pyramidales. Cheyne's Pldlof. Principles. 
Mucous Acid, a peculiar acid formed by the mutual 
decompolition of the nitric acid and gum mucilage. When 
nitric acid is moderately heated with half its weight of 
gum arable, only till nitrous gas begins to be difengaged, 
there depofits on cooling a white powder, which, when 
collected and walked, is the mucous acid. Its feel is 
granular, and tafte fllghtly four. When heated per fe to 
decompofition, it gives a red lharp-tafted oil, much car¬ 
bonic acid gas, and a portion of it fublimes in brown 
feales, fmelling like the benzoic acid. The dry mucous 
acid is very fparingly foluble in water. The hot fatu- 
rated folution depofits on cooling brilliant fcaly cryftals. 
It decoinpofes the carbonated alkalies at a boiling heat, 
expelling the carbonic acid, and forming perfeftly neutral 
lalts. 
This acid is found to be the fame as that difeovered by 
Scheele to be produced by the aftion of nitric acid on 
iugar of milk, and called faccholadlic acid ; as to which, 
fee the article Chemistry, vol. iv. p. 359. 
MU'COUSNESS, J\ Slime; vifeofity. 
MU'CRO, f. [Latin.] A point.—The macro, or point 
of the heart, inclineth unto the left, by this pofition it 
giving way unto the afcenfion of the midriff. Brown's 
Vulgar Errors. 
MU'CRONATED, adj. Narrowed to a fliarp point.— 
Gems are here fhot into cubes confifting of fix fides, and 
mucronated or terminating in a point. Woodward. 
MUCU'CHIS, a town of South America, in the vice¬ 
royalty of New Grenada: fifteen miles eart of Merida. 
MU'CULENCE, f. [from mucus, Lat.] Sliminefs; 
vifeofity. 
MU'CULENT, adj. Vifcous; flinty. 
MUCUL'LAGH ROC'KS, rocks in Tralee Bay, on the 
well coaft of Ireland : three miles north-north-wefl of 
Fenit Ifland. 
MUCUN'D, a town of Hindooftan, in Lahore : fourteen 
miles fouth of Lahore. 
MUCUNDNAU'X) a town of Lamjungh: 180 miles 
north of Fyzabad. Lat. 29. 27. N. Ion. 83. 50. E. 
MU'CUS, j'. [Latin.] It is more properly ufed for that 
which flows from the papillary proceffies through the os 
cribriforme into the noftrils ; but it is alfo ufed for any 
flimy liquor or moifture, as that which daubs over and 
guards the bowels and all the chief paflages in the body ; 
and it is feparated by the mucilaginous glands. Quincy. 
—In the aftion of chewing, the mucus mixeth with the 
aliment : the mucus is an humour different from the 
fpittle, and the great quantity of air which it contains 
helps to diffolve the aliment. Arbuthnot on Aliments. 
Mucus is a fubftance obiervabie in many animal fluids, 
refembling vegetable mucilage in being foluble in water, 
not coagulable by heat, infoluble in alcohol, infipid, and 
giving a flimy conflftence to the fluids with which it is 
mixed ; and on this account denominated mucus. Animal 
mucus is conlidered by Mr. Hatchett as merely a modifi- 
M U D 
cation of gelatin; but Dr. Boftock has pointed out a very 
decifive difference between the two with regard to the 
manner in which they are afted upon by Goulard’s ex- 
traft, a preparation of lead produced by faturating boil¬ 
ing vinegar with litharge. This liquor, when added to 
any fluid containing animal mucus, gives a copious white 
precipitate; whereas it is not rendered fenfibly turbid by 
a folution of pure jelly. The infufion of galls or tan, 
which inftantly precipitates jelly, has no or fcarcely any 
effect on mucus. Neither gelatin nor mucus is altered 
by the folution of corrofive fublimate, which copioufly 
precipitates albumen. Confequently, albumen, gelatin, 
and mucus, mixed together, may be leparated with toler¬ 
able accuracy by the fucceflive application of corrofive 
fublimate, infufion of galls, and acetated litharge. Ani¬ 
mal mucus is generally combined with gelatin and albu¬ 
men, and always with fome falts ; upon the whole, it is 
one of the lead abundant of the animal fluids. 
The following tefts have been given to diftinguifh pus 
from mucus, which is of confiderable importance in cafes 
where the formation of pus is fufpefted in the lungs. 
1. Pus is .foluble in fulphuric acid, and precipitated by 
water: mucus fwims. 2. Pus may be ditfufed through 
water, diluted fulphuric acid, and brine; but mucus is 
not. 3. Pus is foluble in alkaline folutions, and is 
precipitated by water; but this is not the cafe with 
mucus, 
MUD, f. [nwder, Germ, modd, Su. Goth.] The flime 
and uliginous matter at the bottom of Hill water.—Water 
in mud doth putrefy, as not able to preferve itfelf. Bacon's 
Natural Hijiory. 
The pureft fpring is not fo free from mud 
As I am clear from treafon. Shukejpeare's Henry VI. 
To MUD, v. a. To bury in the flime of mud : 
Would I were muddecl in that oozy bed 
Where my fon lies. Shakefpeare's Tempejl. 
To make turbid; to pollute with dirt; to dafli with dirt j 
to foul by ftirring up the fediment.—I fhall notllirin the 
waters which have been already mudded by fo many con¬ 
tentious enquiries. Glanville's Scepfis. 
MUD-INGUA'NA. See Murtena firen. 
MUD I'SLAND, a finall fortified ifland of United 
America, in the river Delaware. 
MUD LA'KE, a fmall lake of New York, a little to 
the fouth of Crooked Lake. 
MUD'-SUCKER, j\ A fea fowl.— In all water-fowl, 
their legs and feet correfpond to that way of life; and in 
mud-fuclters, two of the toes are fomewhat joined, that they 
may not eafily fink. Derham. 
MUD-WA'LL, f. A wall built without mortar, by 
throwing up mud and fuftering it to dry.—If confidence 
contract rufl or foil, a man may as well expeft to fee his 
face in a mud-wait, as that fuch a confidence fliould give 
him a true report of his condition. South. 
MUD'-WALLED, adj. Having a mud-wall: 
As folks from mud-wall'd tenement 
Bring landlords pepper-corn for rent; 
Preferit a turkey, or a hen, 
To thole might better fpare them ten. Prior. 
MUD'-WORT, in botany. See Limosella. 
MU'DA, a town of Italy, in the Bellunefe : ten miles 
north-north-weft of Belluno. 
MUDA'NIA, or Mundanxa, a town of Afiatic Turkey, 
in the province of Natolia, lituated in a gulf, in the fouth ■ 
eaft part of the Sea of Marmora. The inhabitants are 
chiefly Greeks or Jews, with fome Turks. The arch- 
bilhop of Burfa has a palace here. The commerce is very 
confiderable in grain, lilk, faltpetre, white wine, variety 
of fruits, and the manufaftures of Burfa, which are 
brought here for exportation. It is fifteen miles north- 
north-well of Burfa. Lat. 40.14. N. Ion. 2S. 54. E. 
MUDAU', or Mudech, a town of Germany, in the 
circle 
