MEU
MENIANTHES, in botany, the fame with Mtnyantbes, a diitinet genus of plants. See the article Menyanthes, Suppl.
MENlSPERMUM, in botany, the name of a diftinct genus of plants, the charaders of which are thefe : The cup is a deciduous perianthium, compofed of fix ovato-oblong leaves, crecto- patent, and of the length of the corolla ; which con- 1 fifls of fix ovato-oblong, obtufe, hollow petals, --erecto-pa- tent, like the leaves of the cup ; the itamina are fix very ftiort filaments ; the antherae are iimple, and fhorter than the co- rolla ; the germ uta are three, luboval, and terminate in as many paten ti- reflex ftyles, of the length of the corolla ; the ftigmata are obtufe and^emarginated. The fruit is compofed of three oval berries, each containing a fingle ceil t alid in ic a large, fingle, lunulated, comprcilcd feed. Linntsi Gen. Plant, p. 155. ' '
Plukenet calls this genus the one-leaved Virg'inIaa/Wf?-.fl,.with the leaves of convolvulus.
MERCURY (Suppl.) — %»-Mercury, called Jqng- fraw by the German miners, is ufed for that which diicovers itfelf without the affiftance of fire. This is fometimes feeu in "drops, globules, or larger mafies in the ore, or falls in drops from the crevices in the roof or walls of the mine, or finally is found in large quantities in the hollows .W the rocks. Thefe large collections of pure virgin quickfilver often difcover themfelves by burfting out in fmall lireams in the mines of Friuli. They fometimes are furprifed 'with a ftream of it like a thread, which gradually increafing to the thicknefs of a packthread, continues to run three or 'four days, and difcharges in that time a vaft quantity of the quick- filver ; if the miners can follow this fpring to the head, they generally obtain a large quantity more ; and often this fort of fpiinging up of it leads them to very rich veins of the mine which they did not before know of. They give the fame name of 'Jungfraw or virgin-quickfilver alfo to that Mercury which has no need of fire for the feparation, but is wafli'd out of its ores by a neve and large quantities of water, continually and forcibly running on it.
The ores of quick-filver often contain a large quantity of that mineral embedded in them in this form, and often fo mix'd in other parts with fulphurs, as to be difguifed into cin- nabar; in this cafe a great deal is feparated by this wafhing, which at the fame time frees the ore from dirt, and renders it fitter for the operation of the fire, by which a great deal more is then extracted.
The union of Mercury with antimony is very difficult, but has been effected by Monf. Malouin. See Hiil. Ac. Scienc.
1740-
The fame gentleman fucceeded alfo in uniting Mercury with
■ tin and lead, fo as to improve thefe metals in fome refpects, rendering them harder, whiter, and more fonorous. Hift. Ac. ibid.
'Bngl'ijb Mercury, the nameof a diftinct genus of plants, called by botanifts' Cbenopod'ium. Sec the article Cheno- podium, Suppl.
MERLIN, in ornithology, the Englifh name of the yellow- legged Falctiy with a variegated back, and a brown and white belly. See the article Falco, Suppl This bird is alfo called Oefalon. See the article CEsalon, Suppl.
MESHES of nets, the openings and vacancies in net-woiks. Ruir. Diet, in voc.
MESSES of foldierS) in what refpect ufeful. See the article Diet, Append.
METALS are expanded by Heat, but in different degrees. See the articles Heat and Pendulum, Append. By what may be learned from the analyfes of metals, Co far as that fubject has yet been profecuted, it feems that they all contain a running Mercury fixed in them, as water is fixed in dry, animal, and vegetable fubftances ; and joined with a fulphur or an inflammable part, and an earth, with a little fait in fome of them. Shaw's Lectures, p. 162.
METHQN1CA, in botany, the name given by Tournefort to a diftinct genus of plants, called by Linnaeus Gloriojh. See the article Gloriosa, Append.
METOPE (Cycl.) — Le Clerc obferves, that the beauty of Metopes coniifts in their regularity, on appearing to be per- fect fquares ; and yet when they are equally fquare, they ap- pear to be lefs in height than in breadth, on account of the projedture of the little bandelet ; for which reafon they fhould be made a minute or two more in height than in breadth, in order to make their appearance uniform. • He alfo obferves, that when the triglyphs and Metopes fol- low each other regularly, the columns muft only fraud one by one ; excepting thofe of the inner angles, which ought al- ways to be accompanied by two others, one on each fide ; and here it is worth remarking, that thefe two columns which accompany that of the angle, are not lefs neceflury on ac- count of the folidity of the building, than of the regularity of of the intercolumniations.
MEU, Mew, or Spjgnel, a name fometimes given to the Meum of botanifts. See the article Meum, Suppl.
M O I
MEWING, a diforder incident to all kind of birds, being tfi9 calling of their feathers. Ruft. Di£t. in voc.
MIDAS's Ear-Jbell, j a name ufed by fome for a fpecies of buccinum, or trumpet-fhell. See the article Trumpet- Jbell, Suppl.
MJLFpIL, a name fometimes given to the Millefolium, or yarrow, of other writers.! bee the -article Millefolium, Suppl. 1
MlLK-vetcb, the name of a genus of. plants, called by bota- nifts AJlragalus. bee the article Astragalus, Suppl.
Bajlard MlLK-Vetcb, a name fometimes given to the Plsaca, or Ajlragulcides, of botanifts. , ' Seethe article AsTRACA- loides, Suppl. 1. . ....
MiLK-iiwf, the name .of a diftinfl genus of plants', called by authors Polygala. See the article Polygala, Suppl.
MlLK-wort, or W/,JT-t»rl, is alfo a name ibmetimes given to the Eup horbia. See the-article Euphorbia, Suppl.
MILLET, "the Englifh name of a diftindt genus of plants, cal- led by authors MUhm. - See the article, Milium, Suppl.
MiLLEr-grafs, in botany. See the article G&A6S, Append.
MILT-waJle, theEngliih name of a diitinft genus of plants, known among authors by that of Afplenium. See the article Asplenium, Suppl.
MINERAL Juices. See 'the article Juices mineral, Suppl.
Mineral Kermes. See the article Kermes mineral, Suppl.
MINERALOGY, the ftudy which ^teaches the previous part of metallurgy, the way of finding, judging of, and dig— ing mines ; with the ufes of filts and earths for the making of fluxes in order to the allaying, and making of ores to fe- parate their metals. This art requires a confiderable com- pafs of knowledge," before it can be piaiftis'd to advantage ; for as it includes the difcovery, finking, and working of mines, it requires a competent knowledge7of the nature of effluvia, and ' the effeas of all mineral matters, falls, ful^ phurs, &c. as well as the knowledge of all valuable mineral fubftances, as earths,' bitumens, ffones, ores, gems, and me- tals. It likewife requires a knowledge in the' internal ftruflure of the earth, and its various ftrata, with a 1 competent Ikill in menfuration, hydraulics, meafuring, and mechanics ; for without thefe we can never judge what mountain, plain, or valley is proper to be dug, or in what manner to dig it, how to difcharge the water that may flow into the works, how the beds of ore and ftone will dip and run, how the various kinds of earth, marble, and other mineral or metalic matter, are to be cut through or broken, or how the general procefs of mining fhould be conducted, in order to procure, with the leaft expence, the matter of the ore. Sbazv's Lectures, p. 240.
MINT (Suppl. ) — Corymliferous MlN T, in botany, a name given by fome to a fpecies of Tanzy. See the article Ta-
NACE'TUM, Suppl.
Spear-MlUT, the name commonly given to the narrow leaved fpiked Mint. See the articles Mentha and Mint, Suppl.
Cat's-MiNT, the Englifh name of a gehus of plants, called by botanical writers Cataria. See the article Cataria, Suppl. ,
MlliK-Drum, and MiRE-Snipe, names ufed in different parts of the kingdom for the ardeajlellaris, or bittern. See the articles Bittern and Heron, Suppl.
MISCARRIAGE, the popular term for Abortion. Seethe ar- ticles Abortion, Cycl. andPREGNANCY, Suppl.
MISLETOE, the Englifh name of a diftinct genus of plants, called by botanifts ~Vifcum. See the article Viscum, Suppl.
MITCHELS, among builders, are purbeck ffones, from fif- teen inches fquare to two feet, fquared and hewed ready tor paving. Ruff. Diet, in voc.
MITHR!DATE-OT«/?arrf, in botany, the name by which fome call the Tblafpi, or treacle muftard. See the article Thla- spi, Sittipl.
BaJlard-MiTHKlDATZ-7nu/lard, a name fometimes given to the Iblajpidium of botanifts. See the article Thlaspi- dium, Suppl.
MYVKE-Jhell, the Englifh name of the fmooth and (lender buccinum, with a fplit roftrum. See the article Trum- ?ET-jheil, Suppl.
MOCK.-orangc, a name by which the fyringa, or pipe-tree, is fometimes called. See the article Syringa, Suppl.
MoCK-pnwf, a name fometimes given to the Pbyllerea of bo- tanifts. See the article Phyllerea, Suppl.
MODILLION (Cycl.) — In the Corinthian order it is ufual to have a leaf which takes up the whole breadth, and almoft the whole length, of the modillions ; but Le Clerc is of opinion, that they would be more graceful if this leaf were lefs, both in length and breadth. The leaf ought likewife to be of the fame kind with thofe which make the ornament of the capi- tal. Build. Diet, in voc.
MOISTURE. The bad effeas of too much moijlure, in re- gard to health, has been confidered under the article Mar- shy Countries, Append.
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