SUOVETAURILIA. 706 SUPERIOR. derived its name from the three animals of which it consisted, a boar, a ram, and a bullock. In all cases the animals were led three times around the gathering or territory to be purified, and then sacriliced. SUP AN, suo'iiiin, Alexander (1847 — ). An Austrian geographer, born at Innichen, Tyrol. Having studied at the universities of Gratz, Vi- enna, Halle, and Leipzig, and taught at Laibach, he qualified as privat-docent at Czernowitz. Cu- kowina. and was made professor in 1880, but re- moved to Gotha in 1884 to assume the redaction of Petcrinaiiiis Miflcihingen. The publication of its geographical literary reports, since 1885, is due to his initiative. He wrote : Lchrhuch der Geoyraphie fiir ocstcrreicJiische Mittelschulen (1874; 10th ed. 1901) ; Grundsilge der physischen Erdkiinde (3d ed.. 1003) ; Geographie von Oester- reich-Ungarn (1889); Deutsche Schulgeographie (6th ed. 1903) ; and numerous contributions to the ilitteiJuiigcn. SUPEREROGATION, Works of (Lat. supcrcrogatiu, payment in addition, from super- erogare, to pa}' in addition, from super, above + erogare, to expend, especially after asking con- sent, from e, out -- rogarc, to ask). A class of good works which, in the Roman Catholic system, are described as not absolutely required of each individual as conditions to his eternal salvation. Roman Catholics found this definition on the dis- tinction between what they believe to be com- manded and what they hold to be only counseled. (See Evangelical Counsels.) For works of supererogation, as for all supernaturally good works, they hold that the assistance of God's grace is indispensably necessary; and they do not ascribe to them any merit, except that which arises from God's own free and gratuitous prom- ise. A further consequence of this doctrine is that God may accept the superabundant works of one in atonement for the defective service of another; and hence, in the Catholic theorj- of in- dulgences ( q.v. ) , along with what they regard as the infinite and inexhaustible treasure of the merits of Christ, they also regard, although in a degree infinitely inferior, the superabundant merits of the saints as forming part of that 'treasure of the Church' which is applied in the form of indulgences. The idea of such works is rejected by Prot- estants generally, and the Anglican Articles de- clare that they "cannot be taught without ar- rogancy and impiety." SUPERFICIES (Lat.. surface). At civil law, the hereditary and alienable right to maintain and use a building on land belonging to another. Unless a term be fixed in the contract, the right is perpetual. The owner of the land is tech- nically owner of the building (superficies solo cedit) ; but practically the owner has no right except to an annual ground-rent (solarium) . Even when the ground-rent has not been paid for several years, the right of the superficiary is not forfeited unless this be expressed in the eon- tract. In the absence of such express agreement, the owner of the land can only attach and sell the superficiary right. Historically, sjtperficies was first established at Rome in public or municipal land. It was orig- inally lease (locatio conductio) , but it soon be- came a different thing, because the superficiary was recognized as having possessory right (see Possession) and actions in rem. — advantages which the Roman lessee did not enjoy. In the later development of the Roman law superficiary right could be established on private land and also in a special story or floor of a building. Superficies is analogous to emphyteusis (q.v.), but tile rights of the superficiary are greater than those of the emph^-teutist. Median-al jurists regarded superficies and em- phyteusis as cases of divided ownership, "analo- gous to the feudal tenures. The landlord had dominium, directum, the tenant dominium utile. Some of the modern legislations recognize divided ownership in a different sense; the landlord is said to own the land, the superficiary the house or floor. See Dominium; Emphyteusis; Prop- erty. SU'PERECETA'TION (from Lat. superfcc- tare, to conceive anew when already pregnant, from super, above, over -(- fcctare, to breed, from foetus, offspring; connected with Gk. (pieiv, phi/ein, to generate, Skt. (/i«, to become, and ultimately with Eng. be), and Superfecundation. The cir- cumstance of two distinct conceptions occurring in the same woman at an interval of weeks or months, so that two foetuses of different ages, and possibly the offspring of different fathers, may coexist in the uterus. True superfcetation takes place when a second ovule has been impreg- nated while the uterus already contains an ovum which has arrived at a considerable degree of de- velopment. By superfecundation is meant the impregnation, at or near the same period of time, of two separate ovules before the decidua lining of the uterus has been formed, which is believed by many to interpose an insuperable obstacle to subsequent impregnation. The possibility of this occurrence has been proved on numerous occa- sions by the birth of twins bearing the stamp of fathers of different races, i.e. white and black. The question of superfcetation has given rise to much discussion owing to its medico-legal im- portance. Against the possibility of this occur- rence it is urged that ovulation is suspended when impregnation has taken place: that the de- cidua (afterbirth) so completely fills the uterine cavity that the passage of spermatozoa is im- possible, and that their ascent is prevented by the plug of mucus filling the cervix. It is now be- lieved that none of these obstacles is insuperable. The medico-legal aspect of the question may be summed up as follows; A woman may be un- justly suspected of conjugal infidelity when, de- livery of a mature or premature child having taken place, she is (without having meanwhile seen her husband, or submitted to coitus), in the course of one, two, or three months, de- livered of another child, either mature or pre- mature. Cases of this kind may be explained, as indicated above, by twin pregnane}' with ex- pulsion of the foetuses at an interval of several weeks or months; by the existence of bilobed uterus, the two cavities expelling their contents at different times; or by trvie superfcetation. When the children are of different race or color the fidelity of the female may be justly ques- tioned. See Bonner, in Edinburgh Medical Jour- nal (1864-6.5); Witthaus and Becker, Medical Jurisprudence (New York, 1894) ; Playfair, Midu-ifcrg (Philadelphia, 1803). SUPE'RIOR. A port of entry and the county- scat of Douglas County, Wis., adjacent to Duluth,
