Couchant

[Fr.] Lying down; squatting. "Changes oft his couchant watch." -Milton. crystalline principle, found largely in the Tonka or Tonquin bean (see DIPTERYX), the common melilot, and in the sweet-scented vernal gra . It is to this odoriferous principle that the pleasant scent of new-mown hay is due; and by combining the e ential oil of Tonka beans with other scents, perfumers are accustomed to imitate with great accuracy the odor of a field of newmown hay. It is easily extracted from the Tonka-bean by digesting the powdered seeds in alcohol. On evaporating the alcoholic solution, crystals of C. are obtained, which may be decolorized by digestion with animal charcoal and subsequent recrystallization. It melts at 1220, boils at 518°, at which temperature it may be distilled uualtered. Its vapor has an agreeable aromatic odor. It has a burning taste, and is but slightly soluble in cold water: warm water di olves it readily, depositing it in silky crystals as the solution cools. It forms several substitution compounds with chlorine, iodine, bromine, and nitrous acid. A most irregular and somewhat anomalous compound is formed by its union with teroxide of antimony. On treating it with perchloride of antimony di olved in hydrochloric acid, a compound is formed having a composition indicating the union of an atom of C. with an atom of teroxide of antimony. Boiled with a solution of potash, C. a imilates the elements of water, and becomes transformed into coumaric acid, which unites with the potash. Coumaric acid is obtained in brilliant transparent plates by decomposing a solution of coumarate of potash with hydrochloric acid. Council, n. [Fr. concile; Lat. cons ilium, from conceio , to bring or a emble together - con , and ceio , to move, to put in motion.] An a embly of men met for consultation, deliberation, and advice; a body of men specially designated to advise a sovereign or chief magistrate in the administration of the government; as, COMMON C., (see COMMON;) PRIVY-COUNCIL, q. v.; COUNCIL OF STATE, q. v. ( Eccl .) An a embly of prelates and other spiritual persons for the regulation of ecclesiastical matters. Such councils are either national or œcumenical; the latter being those in which the whole body of the clergy throughout the world is represented, and are convened for the settling of points of universal interest. The Roman Catholics hold that the decisions of œcumenic or general councils are infallible, and for the most part allow their superiority to the popes themselves. See ECUMENICAL COUNCIL. (Mil.) A C. of war is an a embly of military officers convened to discu matters pertaining to the conduct of military operations. Council Bluffs, in Iowa , a city, the cap. of Pottawattomie co., on the Mi ouri river, opposite Omaha, about 500 m. N.W. from St. Louis. It received its name from a council held there with the Indians by Lewis and Clark in 1804. It is an important manufacturing centre, a principal distributing point for farming implements, trades largely in horses, and is surrounded by an extensive fruit and gardening district. Pop . (1890) 21,476; (1897) about 26,000.