Volatile Oils
essential oils; oils which can be distilled without decomposition. They are classed under two heads; mineral and vegetable; the former being composed of carbon and hydrogen, and generically known as paraffins. The vegetable oils, which are generally procured by distilling the odoriferous substance with water, may be divided into three great classes: (1) Oils composed of carbon and hydrogen (binary volatile oils), of which oil of turpentine may be considered the type; (2) oils containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (oxygenated oils), which include most of those used in medicine and perfumery; and (3) oils containing sulphur (sulpheretted oils), characterized by their extreme pungency and suffocating odor, such as oil of mustard, asafœtida, etc. The volatile oils are generally more limpid and less unctuous than the fixed oils, and are almost colorless after rectification. They are soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in water, and mix in all proportions with the fixed oils.
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Vole
the Arvicola, a genus of rodents typical of the sub-family Arvicolinæ, which also includes the lemmings (Mylodes), the musk rats (Fiber), and several related genera. The genus Arvicola includes over 40 species distributed over Europe, Asia, and North America-all more or less like rats and mice. In Great Britain there are three-the water vole (A. amphibius), the field vole (A. agrestis), and the bank vole (A. glareolus). The water vole is about the same size as the brown rat, and rat it is often called. It has dark brown or black fur, a tail about half the length of the body, and very strong hind feet, with five rounded pads on their lower surfaces. It burrows by the banks of streams and feeds for the most part on vegetable food. In summer the female has three or four litters of two to seven young. The water vole does not occur in Ireland. The field vole or short-tailed "field mouse," is about the size of a common mouse, but the body is plumper and the tail shorter. It has brownish-gray fur; its hind feet have six pads. It lives in fields and woods, feeds on vegetable food, is very prolific, and often does damage. bank vole is like the field volembut has a "more or less rusty or rufous-colored back, larger ears, and a longer tail." Its habits are like those of the field vole.
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Volhynia
a province in Poland, bounded on the W. by the Polish provinces, from which it is separated by the Bug river. The surface in the N. of the province is low, and plains and morasses, covered with forests, abound; in the S. there are hills and fertile, cornbearing land. Among the rarer mineral products are lithographing stone and porcelain clay. Volhynia was the scene of almost constant military operations during the World War. The area (27, 743 square miles) is larger than that of Greece; pop. about 3,600,000. The capital is Zhitomir; pop. about 80,000 .
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Volkmann
ALFRED WILHELM German physiologist; 01. (folk'män), a born in Leipsic, Germany, June 1, 1801. He was Professor of Physiology in Halle and made special studies of the nervous system and the sense of sight. Among his works are: "Anatomy of Animals, Illustrated with Plates " (1831-1833); "Contributions to the Physiology of the Sense of Sight" (1836 ); "The Independence of the Sympathetic System of the Nerves" (1842) ; "Dynamics of the Blood" (1850); " Physiological Re searches in the Department of Optics" (1863-1864); "Elasticity of Muscles" (1856). April 21. 1877. 56). He died in Halle, Germany, a
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Volkmann (II)
RICHARRD VON geon; born in Leipsic, Germany, Aug. (RICHARD LEANDER), German surin the University of Jena. Among his 17, 1830. He was Professor Surgery professional writings are: the Motor Organs" (1865); "Manual of "Diseases of Surgery" (1865) ; "Contributions to "Reveries at French Firesides," a series Surgery" ( 1875). of tales (1871; 22d ed. 1894); "From He wrote also: ed. 1885); "Short Poems" (2d ed. 1889); Student Times" (1876 ); "Poems" (3d "Old and New Troubadour Songs" (2d. ed. 1890). He died in Jena, Germany, Nov. 28, 1889. our German theological writer; born in
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Vologda
the capital of the province of Vologda, on the Vologda, a tributary of the Suchona; 2814 miles N. of Moscow, is an old wide town, largely built of wood, the residence of the governor and a bishop. It has over 50 churches, a theological seminary, a gymnasium, and several monasteries. Before the World War there were extensive manufactures of sailcloth, leather, soap, matches, linen cloth, glass, white lead and jewelry. Vologda was founded in the 12th century. During the 16th it was a great center of trade with England, and many English settled here. Pop. about 30,000.
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Volsci
a people of ancient Latium, whose language proves them to have been a branch of the Umbro-Sabellian stem, and who, holding the Pontine Marches, the valley of the Liris, and the Volscian Hills, extended from the sea-coast to the Samnite frontier. With Rome they seem from an early period to have waged constant wars, with one of which the legend of Coriolanus is associated, but Rome had entirely subdued them by 338 b. c., from which date they vanish as a separate race from history.
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Volsk
or VOLJSK, town of a Russia, province of Saratov; on the Volga; 80 miles N. E. of Saratov. It has several churches, a technical school, normal school, etc. There are large quays along the river, and trade in tallow and skins with Petrograd, in fruit with Nijni Novgorod, and in corn with Astrakhan and Rybinsk was carried on before the World War. A great market is held in autumn. Pop. about 40,000.
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Volta
COUNT ALESSANDRO, an Italian natural philosopher; born in Como, Italy, Feb. 18, 1745. Two treatises, published in 1769 and 1771, in which he gave a description of a new electrical machine, laid the foundation of his fame. He was successively Professor of Physics at the gymnasium in Como and in the University of Pavia. He invented the electrophorus, electroscope, electrical condenser, elec electrical pistol, and the voltaic battery in the form known as "crown of cups." He also devised several other electrical appliances, and in 1800 the voltaic pile. To him is due the theory that electricity is generated by the contact of dissimilar metals, a correction of Galvani's animal electricity theory. In 1782 he made a tour through France, Germany, England, and Holland. In 1801 Napoleon invited him to France, where a medal was struck in his honor. In 1810 he was created a senator of Italy, with the title of count; and in 1815 was made director of the philosophical faculty of Padua. Volta's name is COUNT ALESSANDRO VOLTA perpetuated in a large number of electrical terms. He died in Como, March 5, 1827.
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