evaporating the solution till it crystallizes, and exposing the crystals in a crucible to a red heat till the nitric acid is driven off.

2. Strontian thus obtained is in porous masses, of a greyish white colour; its taste is acrid and alkaline; and it converts vegetable blues to green. Its specific gravity, according to Hassenfratz, is 1.647. It does not act so strongly on animal bodies as barytes, nor is it poisonous.

It does not melt when heated like barytes; but before the blow pipe it is penetrated with light, and surrounded with a flame so white and brilliant that the eye can scarcely behold

it.

3. When water is sprinkled on strontian it is slacked, becomes hot, and falls to powder exactly like barytes; but it is not so soluble in water as that earth. One hundred and sixtytwo parts of water, at the temperature of 60°, dissolve nearly one part of strontian. The solution, known by the name of strontian water, is clear and transparent, and converts vegetable blues to a green. Hot water dissolves it in much larger quantities; and as it cools, the strontian is deposited in colourless transparent crystals. These are in the form of thin quadrangular plates, generally parallelograms, the largest of which seldom exceeds one-fourth of an inch in length. Sometimes their edges are plain, but they oftener consist of two facets, meeting together, and forming an angle like the roof of a house. These crystals generally adhere to each other in such a manner as to form a thin plate of an inch or more in length, and half an inch in breadth. Sometimes they assume a cubic form. They contain about 68 parts in 100 of water. They are soluble in 51.4 parts of water, at the temperature of 60°. Boiling water dissolves nearly half its weight of them. When exposed to the air, they lose their water, attract carbonic acid, and fall into powder. Their specific gravity is 1.46.

4. Strontian is not acted on by light; neither does it combine with oxygen.

5. Sulphur and phosphorus are the only simple combustibles with which it unites.

The sulphuret of strontian may be made by fusing the two ingredients in a crucible. It is soluble in water by means of sulphureted hydrogen, which is evolved. When the solution is evaporated, hydrosulphuret of strontian is obtained in crystals, and hydrogenated sulphuret remains in solution. These compounds resemble almost exactly the sulphuret, hydrosulphuret, and hydrogenated sulphuret of barytes; and do not therefore require a particular de scription. The same remark applies to the phosphoret of strontian, which may be prepared by the same process as the phosphoret of barytes.

6. Strontian does not combine with azote; but it unites readily with muriatic acid, and forms the substance called muriat of strontian. 7. Strontian has no action upon metals; but it combines with several of their oxyds, and forms compounds which have not hitherto been examined.

8. It does not combine with alkalies not with barytes. No precipitation takes place when barytes and strontian water are mixed together.

9. Strontian has the property of tinging flame of a beautiful red, or rather purple colour; a property discovered by Dr. Ash in 1787. The experiment may be made by putting a little of the salt composed of nitric acid and strontian into the wick of a lighted candle; or by setting fire to alcohol, holding muriat of strontian in solution. In both cases the flame is of a lively purple. In this respect it differs from barytes, which when tried in the same way is found to communicate a blueish yellow tinge to flame.

10. The affinities of strontian, as ascertained by Dr. Hope and Mr. Vauquelin, are as follows:

Barytes and strontian resemble each other in their properties as closely as potass and soda : hence, like these two alkalies, they were for some time confounded. It is in their combination with acids that the most striking differences between these two earths are to be observed.

STRONTIAN, a,village of Scotland, in Argyleshire, and the district of Ardnamurchan. It is noted for its lead mines, in which a new kind of mineral was discovered in 1787. See the preceding article.

STRONTIANITE, in mineralogy, a stone, which, like strontian, has hitherto only been found at Strontian in Argyleshire, whence M. Werner has given it the name above. Its colour is a clear asparagus-green, passing to greenish or yellowish-white, or apple-green. It is met with in mass, the rifts or cavities of which are often lined with bundles of circular crystals, the form of which approaches to the four or six-sided prism. Its longitudinal fracture is narrow, straight, and divergingly radiated with a shining pearly lustre; the cross-fracture fine-grained, uneven, passing to splintery, its lustre only glimmering. Its fragments are wedge-shaped, or indeterminate. Found in thin, scapiforin, wedge-shaped, distinct concretions. It is more or less translucent, sometimes in thin pieces, semi-transparent; it is moderately hard, brittle, and easily frangible. Sp. gr. 3.67 Klapr. 3.4-3.64 Kirw.

Before the blow-pipe it becomes white, and calcines but does not melt. When strongly heated in a clay crucible, it runs into a dense, hard, clear, yellowish-green glass, with a loss of 30 per cent. When intensely heated in a charcoal crucible it becomes of a grey colour, and loses 31 per cent of its original weight, but does not melt. In diluted nitric or muriatic acids, it dissolves readily with a copious effervescence.

Though Werner has made a distinct species of this stone, it has a very close approach to the carbonated strontian of the preceding article.

STROOK. The preterit of strike, used in poetry for struck (Waller).

STROPHADES, two islands in the Ionian a, on the western coasts of the Peloponnesus, nated Strophades froin creepw, verto, because Zethes and Calais, the sons of Boreas, returned from thence by order of Jupiter, after they had driven the Harpies there from the tables of Phineas. The feet of Æneas stopped near the Strophades.

STROPHIE. (Greek.) A stanza, or certain Lumber of verses including a perfect sense; succeeded by another, consisting of the same tumber and measure of verses, and in the same disposition and rythmus, called antistrophe. What the couplet is in songs, and the stanza in epic poetry, the strophe is in odes.

STROPHIUS, a son of Crisus, king of Phocis. He married a sister of Agamemnon, called Anaxibia, by whom he had Pylades, celebrated for his friendship with Orestes. After the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra and Agisthus, the king of Phocis educated at his own house with the greatest care his nephew, whom Electra had secretly removed from the dagger of his mother, and her adulterer. Orestes was enabled by means of Strophius to revenge the

death of his father.

STROPHULUS. A papulous eruption, peculiar to infants, and exhibiting a variety of forms, which are described by Dr. Willan, under the titles of intertinctus, albidus, confertus, volaticus, and candidus.

1. Strophulus intertinctus, usually called the red gum, and by the French, efflorescence Lenigne. The papulæ characterizing this affection rise sensibly above the level of the cuticle, are of a vivid red colour, and commonly distinct from each other. Their number and extent varies much in different cases. They appear most constantly on the cheeks, fore-arm, and back of the hand, but are sometimes diffused over the whole body. The papulæ are, in many places, intermixed with stmata, and often with red patches of a larger size, which do not, however, occasion any elevation of the cuticle. A child's skin thus variegated somewhat resembles a piece of red printed linen ; and hence this eruption was formerly called the red gown, a term which is still retained in several counties of England, and may be found in old dictionaries. Medical writers have changed the original word for one of a similar sound, but not more signifi cant. The strophulus intertinctus has not, in general, any tendency to become pustular, a few small pustules containing a straw-coloured, watery fluid, occasionally appear on the back of the hand, but scarcely merit attention, as the fluid is always re-absorbed in a short time, without breaking the cuticle. The eruption usually terminates in scurf, or exfoliation of the caticle; its duration, however, is very uncertain, the papula and spots sometimes remain for a length of time, without an obvious alteration, sometimes disappear and come out again daily; but, for the most part, one eruption of them succeeds another, at longer

intervals, and with more regularity. This complaint occurs chiefly within the two first months of lactation, It is not always accompanied with or preceded by any disorders of the constitution, but appears occasionally in the strongest and most healthy children. Some authors connect it with aphthous ulcerations common in children, supposing the latter to be a part of the same disease diffused along the internal surfaces of the mouth and intestines. The fact however seems to be, that the two affections alternate with each other ; for those infants who have the papulous eruption on the skin are less liable to aphthæ; and when the aphthæ take place to a considerable degree, the skin is generally pale and free from eruption. The strophulas intertinctus is, by most writers, said to originate from an acídity, or acrimonious quality of the milk taken into a child's stomach, communicated afterwards to the blood, and stimulating the cutaneous excretories. This opinion might, without difficulty, be proved to have little foundation. The pre-disposition to the complaint may be deduced from the delicate and tender state of the skin, and from the strong determination of blood to the surface, which evidently takes place in infants. The papulous eruption is, in many cases, connected with a weak, irritable state of the alimentary canal, and consequent indigestion. For if it be by any means suddenly repelled from the surface, diarrhea, vomiting, spasmodic affections of the bowels, and often general disturbance of the constitution succeed; but as soon as it re-appears, those internal complaints are wholly suspended. Dr. Armstrong and others have particularly noted this reciprocation, which makes the red gum, at times, a disease of some importance, though in its usual form it is not thought to be in any respect dangerous. On their remarks a necessary caution is founded, not to expose infants to a stream of very cold air, nor to plunge them unseasonably in a cold bath. The most violent and even fatal symptoms have often been the consequence of such imprudent conduct.

2. The strophulus albidus, by some termed the white gum, is merely a variety of strophulus intertinctus, but deserves some notice on account of the different appearance of its papulæ. In place of those described as characterizing the red gum, there is a number of minute, whitish specks, a little elevated, and sometimes, though not constantly, surrounded by a slight redness. These papula, when their tops are removed, do not discharge any fluid; it is however probable that they are ori ginally deformed by the deposition of a fluid, which afterwards concretes under the cuticle. They appear chiefly on the face, neck, and breast, and are more permanent than the pa'pula of the red gum. In other respects they have the same nature and tendency, and require a similar plan of treatment. Although a distinctive name has been applied to this eruption, when occurring alone, get it is proper to observe that in a great number of

very smooth and shining, whence they appear to be of a lighter colour than the adjoining cuticle. They are diffused, at a considerable distance from each other, over the loins, shoulders, and upper part of the arms; in any other situation they are seldom found.

This eruption affects infants about a year old, and most commonly succeeds some of the acute diseases to which they are liable. Dr. Willan has observed it on their recovery from a catarrhal fever, and after inflammations of the bowels or lungs. The papulæ continue hard and elevated for about a week, then gradually subside and disappear.

STROUD, a town in Gloucestershire, with a market on Friday. It is seated on a brook, whose waters being peculiarly adapted to the dying of scarlet, its banks are crowded with the houses of clothiers; and a navigable canal accompanies its progress to the Severn. This canal is now extended to join the Thames at Lechlade. Stroud is 11 miles S. by E. of Gloucester, and 100 W. by N. of London.

STROUD, a considerable village in Kent, which joins the N. end of Rochester bridge, being parted from the city by the river Med

way.

STROVE. The preterite of strive.

To STROUT. v. n. (strussen, German.) To swell with an appearance of greatness; to walk with affected dignity: now strut.

To STROUT. v. a. To swell out; to puff out; to enlarge by affectation (Bacon).

To STRÓW. v. n. (See To STREW.) 1. To spread by being scattered (Milton). 2. To spread by scattering; to besprinkle (Dryden). 3. To spread (Swift). 4. To scatter; to throw at random (Waller).

To STROWL. v. n. To range; to wander (Gay).

To STROY. v. a. (for destroy.) (Tusser). STRUCK. The old preterit and participle passive of strike.

STRUCKEN. The old part. pass. of strike. STRUCTURE. s. (structure, Fr. structura, Latin.) 1. Act of building; practice of building (Dryden). 2. Manner of building; form; make (Woodward). 3. Edifice; building (Pope).

To STRUGGLE. v. n. 1. To labour; to act with effort. 2. To strive; to contend to contest (South). 3. To labour in difficulties; to be in agonies or distress (Dryden).

STRUGGLE. s. (from the verb.) 1. Labour; effort. 2. Contest; contention (Atterbury). 3. Agony; tumultuous distress.

STRUMA. (from struo, to heap up.) This term is applied by some authors to scrofula, and by others to an induration of the thyroid gland, which is endemial to the Tyrolese and Swiss. STRUMARIA, in botany, a genus of the class hexandria, order monogynia. Corol superior, six-petalled, spreading; style thickened beneath the middle, or cohering with the filaments; stigma three-cleft; capsule roundish, three-celled. Six species, all Cape plants, some with reddish, others with violet spathes, and white flowers.

STRUʼMOUS. a. (from struma.) Having swellings in the glands (Wiseman). STRUMPET. s. A whore; a prostitute. To STRUMPET. v. a. To make a whore; to debauch (Shakspeare).

STRUMPFIA, in botany, a genus of the class pentandria, order monogynia. Calyx five-toothed, superior; corol five-petalled; anthers cohering; berry one-seeded. One species only, strumpfa maritima, a maritime plant of Curacao.

STRUNG. The pret. and part. pass. of string.

To STRUT. v. n. (strussen, German.) 1. To walk with affected dignity; to swell with stateliness (Ben Jonson). 2. To swell; to protuberate (Dryden).

STRUT. s. (from the verb.) An affectation of stateliness in the walk (Swift).

STRUTHIO. Ostrich. Cassowary. Bill subconic; nostrils oval; wings short, unfit for flight; feet formned for running. Four species, as follow.

1. S. camelus. Feet two-toed.

Though the power of flying may be considered as the distinguishing attribute of the feathered tribes in general, yet there are some particular families to which nature has denied that endowment; while she has granted it to a few of the quadrupeds, and even of fishes. It is thus that she displays the extent of her power, by the variety of her productions, and disdains to be confined within the narrow limits prescribed to her by the systems of philosophers. As we descend from the class of quadrupeds to contemplate that of birds, we find the connecting links, which unite these two orders into one great chain, very short, and almost imperceptible; for, while the flying squirrel, the bat, and some of the inferior quadrupeds, are invested with the power of fight and with other properties of birds, the ostrich, dodo, and cassowary, are, by their enormous size, confined to the ground, and indicate, by their habits, a near affinity to the four-footed animals. Thus, as we descend from those swift and slender birds, which are destined to move in the higher regions of the air, we find them growing, by gradual and almost imperceptible degrees, heavier and less agile, till, at length, being wholly destitute of the qualities necessary for flight, they are incapable of rising from the surface of the earth.

The ostrich is the largest of all birds, and, from this prerogative in a great measure, is incapable of flight, the great prerogative of the order. Its weight is about fourscore pounds; its height, from the top of the head to the ground, is from seven to nine feet; length, from the beak to the top of the tail, is about the same. When walking, it seems as tall as a man on horseback. The plumage of the ostrich, however, as well as its weight, is an insuperable bar against its ever rising into the air. The vanes of the wing-feathers are separate and detached, like hairs, and incapable of making any impression on the atmosphere. Those of the tail, and, indeed, of the whole