Each of these 15 subjects appears in only one of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. None is long enough to carry a page by itself, so they are gathered here by letter. Anything that grows moves out to a page of its own.
a sect toward the close of the 4th century, so denominated from the little cakes which they offered to the Virgin Mary. The sect consisted chiefly of Arabian women, who met on a certain day of the year to celebrate a solemn feast and to render divine honors to the Virgin as to a goddess, eating the cakes which they offered in her name. While pagans they had been accustomed to offer similar cakes to Venus or Astarte.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
GEORGE, the Elder, an English dramatist; born in Florence, Italy, April 28, 1732. "The Deuce Is in Him," "New Brooms," "The Separate Maintenance," and several other comedies, proclaimed him a man of wit. He died in London, Aug. 14, 1794.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a genus of plants, order Araceæ. The leaves of the colocasia are peltate, the stem herbaceous, the juice milky, the rootstocks tuberous. India is the home of the genus, though species are now cultivated in most hot countries. The rootstocks of C. himalensis form a chief portion of the food of some hill tribes. C. ant C. antiquorum, called by Linnæus Arum C., the best known species, is cultivated in India, Egypt, etc., for its leaves, which though acrid are boiled till they are wholesome, and eaten as spinach. It has been introduced into greenhouses. The stems and the tubers of C. indica are eaten in Brazil. The rootstocks of C. esculenta macrorhiza, called "tara" or "kopeh" in the South Sea Islands, are used as food. The leaves of C. esculenta have a quivering motion at uncertain intervals every day.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a native pigment similar to the Vandyke brown in its uses and properties as a color. Republic of South
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a seaport town, the capital of Ceylon, on the S. W. coast, and about 70 miles W. by S. of Kandy, with which it is connected by railway. It is a pleasant town with an extensive fort, within which are some of the best houses. On the margin of the sea is the Pettah or Black Town, inhabited chiefly by Singhalese, while in the environs are most of the houses occupied by the English. Through the construction of a breakwater and other works there is excellent harbor accommodation; and numerous vessels call here. Pop. about 215,000.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the commander of a regiment, whether of cavalry, infantry, or artillery. Any rank above a Colonel constitutes the bearer of it a general officer. In the British service the rank of Colonel is honorary, except in the artillery and engineers, and is usually bestowed upon officers of superior rank and princes of the blood. In the United States army a Colonel is commander of troops below a Brigadier-General, and above a Lieutenant-Colonel.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a department of Uruguay, on the Plata, below the Ur Uruguay river. The uplands are barren, but in the fertile valleys and plains are numerous European colonies, engaged in agriculture and stock-raising. Area, 2,192 square miles; pop. (1917) 82,596. The capital, Colonia del Sacramento, on the Plata, about 100 miles above Montevideo, has a good harbor.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
SOCIETY OF, women's patriotic society founded at New York City in 1890, with the object of fostering a spirit of patriotism, caring for the historical relics of colonial and Revolutionary times, and of celebrating the success of the American Revolution. To become a member one must have had an ancestor of distinction who resided in the colonies prior to the year in which the Declaration of Independence was issued. There are chapters of the society in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Paris, San Francisco and Shreveport, La.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
SOCIETY OF, a patriotic organization founded in New York City in 1892. There are many State societies with a general society made up of officers and delegates. Their object is to keep alive the memory of men and events of the colonial and Revolutionary times. They admit to membership men who are descended from those who fought for or served in the establishment and preservation of the American colonies as a nation. In addition to the collecting of many papers valuable for throwing light upon colonial times they have erected valuable memorials to American heroes: one at Louisburg on Cape Breton Island, one at Fort Oswego and Fort Ticonderoga, and a very striking monument at Lake George.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the dark resin obtained by distilling turpentine.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
the visual impression derived from the hue of any object. The color of any source of light, or of any object which we see, is solely dependent upon the wave-lengths of the vibrations of the light which come to our eyes from the object. In the case of self-luminous objects these wave-lengths are principally dependent on the temperature temperature of the object and the character of the su surrounding absorbing atmosphere, if it has any such or, in the case of gaseous masses, likewise upon their electrical condition and the pressure to which the gas is subjected. In the case of the non-luminous bodies the wave-lengths are dependent upon the reflecting nature of their surfaces, and are also modified by surrounding atmospheres if they have such.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a peculiar defect of sight in which those who are affected are incapable of distinguishing different colors. Some see everything either to be light or dark, and have no conception of any other colors. This condition is, however, happily rare.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a vision of colors, which in some persons is thought to accompany their peception pece of sounds. also Known as Color Audition.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a line of social distinction drawn between the white people and negroes in the United States.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
a beetle first described by Thomas Say, in 1824, from specimens found by him near the Upper Missouri. He called it Doryphora decemlineata. The genus doryphora had been previously founded by Illiger. The genus is American, and is placed under the chrysomelide. The larva of the species distinguished as decemlineata feeds greedily on the potato, and having attracted notice in Colorado for its ravages among the crops of that esculent in the Territory, it moved eastward year by year, till in 1874 it had reached the Atlantic seaboard.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia