VITELLUS 239 VITORIA flattery. To these he owed his rapid rise and his favor with Tiberius, Caius Caligula, Claudius and Nero. On the death of Galba he was proclaimed em- peror by the soldiers at Koln, Jan. 2, A. D. 69, and having crushed his rival Otho he secured undisputed possession of Italy. Though undoubtedly a man of low character, he did not proceed to ex- treme measures against the adherents of his rival. His chief passion was sensual gluttony, and he spent enormous sums of money in eating and drinking. Vespa- sianus revolted, and was proclaimed em- peror July 1 at Alexandria, and Anto- nius Primus declared for the new em- peror and hastened into Italy at the head of a powerful force. He defeated the generals of Vitellius twice and en- tered Rome, Dec. 21 or 22, A. D. 69. The fallen emperor was seized, dragged with every mark of ignominy through the streets and murdered. VITELLUS, or YOLK, the name given to a part of the eggs or ova of animals. It varies in form and size in different eggs, some being "large-yolked," and others "small-yolked." The hen lays a large-yolked egg, the embryo being de- veloped from a mere speck on the sur- face, named the cicatricula or tread. The name vitellin was formerly given to the essential substance of which the vitellus was believed to consist, but this sub- stance has been shown to be merely a form of albumen and casein, and not a special product of organic chemistry. The vitellus consists of highly-concen- trated protoplasmic or albuminous mat- ter, along with mineral substances, and it contains the nutritive matter from which the early tissues of the embryo are formed. In many respects the egg yolk resembles milk in its nature. VITERBO, a town of Italy, province of Rome; 42 1/2 miles N. W. of the city of Rome. It lies to the N. of the Cimin- ian forest, and is surrounded by forti- fications erected by the Lombards. Of its 17 churches, the chief are the cathe- dral of St. Lorenzo, founded in the 12th century, and the much-venerated church of St. Rosa, containing the mummy of a saint. In the former, an Englishman, Pope Hadrian IV., made the Emperor Friedrich I. hold his stirrup in token of homage. Other interesting buildings ai'e the bishop's palace, the Palazzo Publico, with a museum, and the Palazzo Vesco- vile, where between 1261 and 1281 six papal elections took place. Viterbo used to be called "the city of beautiful foun- tains and beautiful maidens." Of the former the finest are the Fontana Grande (1206), and another in the court of the Palazzo Publico. There are some manufactures of leather, paper, playing cards, lucifer matches, soap, etc. In the neighborhood are the Bulicame sulphur springs, and 10 miles to the W. the great Etruscan cemetery city of Castel d'Asso. Pop. about 25,000. VITET, LUDOVIC (ve-ta'), a French author; born in Paris, Oct. 18, 1802. While a journalist on "L'Univers," he wrote three dramatic poems, "The Day of the Barricades" (1826), "The States of Blois" (1827), and the "Death of "Henri III." (1829), which gave him reputation. In 1845 he became a mem- ber of the Academy. Subsequently he held official posts till the revolution of 1848. Of his later works the best known are: "Fragments and Medleys" (1846), artistic, literary and archaeological criti- cisms; "Studies of the History of Art" (1864) ; "Letters on the Siege of Paris" (1870-1871). He died in Paris, June 5, 1873. VITEX, in botany, the typical genus of Viticese, calyx short, campanulate, five-toothed; corolla irregular, five-lobed, somewhat labiate; stamens four, didyn- amous; fruit a globular berry, covered at its base by the calyx, and containing four one-seeded cells. V. agnus-castus is the chaste tree, a native of southern Europe. It has digitate leaves, with five to seven leaflets, fragrant flowers, and globular fruits with an acrid and aro- matic taste. V. trifolia, the wild pepper, is a small tree or shrub, wild in India and Burma. The roots yield a sweet, greenish oil. It is believed that an oil can be extracted also from the seeds. The plant is anodyne, diuretic and em- menagogue. V. negundo is a shrub with pretty blue flowers, found in India, Cey- lon and Cochin China. Its ashes are largely used as an alkali in dyeing. A pillow stuffed with the leaves is said to relieve headache, and a vapor bath pre- pared with them is employed in Mysore in fever, catarrh, and rheumatism. The bark and roots of V. leucoxylon, a large deciduous tree from India and Burma, are astringent; its fruit is eaten by the Burmese. VITORIA, a town of Spain ; capital of the province of Alava; 76 miles N. E. of Burgos. The chief buildings are four parish churches, a palace of depu- ties, an academy of music, theater and prison. The manufactures comprise pa- per, cabinet work, carriages, earthen- ware, etc. Here, on June 21, 1813, Wel- lington defeated the French under King Joseph and Marshal Jourdain, Pop. about 35,000.
