Acanth urus

[ Gr.akanthos, spine; our a, tail.] ( Zool.) The Surgeon-fish, a genus of acanthopterygious fishes, fam. Teuthida, chiefly distinguished by the sharp and lancet-like spines with which they are armed on each side of the tail. They abound in the tropical seas, where they are generally seen in large shoals of two or three hundred each, swimming with great strength, and feeding principally on different kinds of sea-weed. The genus contains a large number of species, many of which are extremely beautiful, both in form and color. Fig . 17.-SURGEON, ( Acanth urus phlebotomus . ) Acan'thus, n. [Lat., from Gr. a kantha , a thorn.] ( Arch .) The name by which the broad raffled leaf used in the enrichment of the Corinthian capital is known. It is thus called because of its general resemblance to the leaves of a species of the acanthus plant; or rather because of a pretty traditional story which the Roman author Vitruvius tells of the fancied origin of the Corinthian capital, in which the leaves are said to be imitated from those of the acanthus. (See CAPITAL, CORINTHIAN.) The that it is nowhere to be found, either in the Greek islands, or in any part of the Peloponnesus; and that the plant which Dioscorides must have meant was the Acanthus spinosus , still called Acantha , which is found, as he describes it, in rocky, moist situations. It differs from Acanthus moll is in having a dwarfed stem, flower tinged with pink instead of yellow, and spiny leaves. Acanus, n. [Gr. akanos, a prickle.) ( Pal .) A genus of fo il fishes allied to the perches. Acan'zii, n . pl . Turkish light-horse. A'capella. ( Mus .) Italian words applied to compositions sung in the old church style, without instrumental accompaniment; as, a ma a capella -i.e., a ma purely vocal. Acapulco, a city of Mexico, situated on a bay of the Pacific ocean. The harbor is very commodious, and defended by a strong castle; but the town is mean and unhealthy. On December 4, 1852, an earthquake destroyed all its principal buildings, besides a great portion of the houses of the inhabitants. - Exp . , silver, indigo, cochineal, and skins. Pop. 3,000. Acar'idæ, and Acaridans, n. pl. ( Zool .) A tribe of Arachnid a, including mites or acari and ticks . A carn an i a, a division of ancient Greece, now forming, with Ætolia, a department of the kingdom of Greece. Area, 1,571 square miles. Desc., mountainous and woody, intersected with fertile valleys, several of which contain beautiful lakes. Prod ., flocks and herds: has some copper, and abundance of sulphur and coal. Pop., with Ætolia, 162,020. Acaroid resin. ( Chem .) The resin of the Xanthor rhea has til is, a liliaceous tree growing in New Holland; also called resin of Botany Bay. It has a yellow color, an agreeable odor, and is soluble in alcohol, ether, and caustic potash.