Anguilla

(an-ghee'lah,) or SNAKE ISLAND, one of the British West India Islands, Leeward group; Lat. 18° 8' N., Lon. 63° 12′ Ε. Anguillidæ, (ăn-gwil'li-de.) (Zool.) The Eel fam., containing Malacopterygious fishes having the body much elongated, cylindrical, and covered with a thick, soft skin. The scales, when present, as in the common eel, are scattered, and deeply imbedded in the skin. The common fresh and salt-water eel (Anguilla boston i ens is) of the U. States, is 12 to 60 inches in length. The Roman Muræna (Muræna helena) of the Mediterranean, so highly prized by the ancients, is mottled with brown and yellowish. The Electrical Eel (Gym not us electric us), of the warm regions of S. America, is 5 or 6 feet long. It po e es an internal electrical apparatus from which, at the will of the animal, a shock can be transmitted to another animal. These shocks are so violent that even horses are stupefied by them. In this way the animal obtains its prey. Anguineal, (an-gwin'ě-al.) [From L. anguis, a serpent.] Belonging to, or resembling, a snake. Hence, we say, an anguineal curve, hyperbola, verse, . Anguis, (ang wis,) a gen. of Saurian reptiles, fam. Chalcide, to which belongs the Blind or Slow Worm, A. fragilis, whose body is very brittle, and which remains torpid during the winter. It is a harmle animal, and its eyes are very small, whence its common name. Anhalt, (ahn'hahlt,) a state of central Germany, mostly between Lat. 51° and 52° N., and Lon. 11° and 13º E., surrounded by Pru ian Saxony. A. was until 1863 divided into the three independent duchies of A.-Bernberg; A.-De au; and A.-Köthen. C. De au. Pop. 197,041. Anhydrite, (an'hy-drīt.) (Min.) Anhydrous sulphate of lime. (an-hydrus.) [From Gr. a, priv., and udor, water.] (Chem.) Without water;-a term often applied to salts, and to acids when deprived of water.. (Zool.) See CUCULIDE. (an'e-lin.) [From Po. anil, indigo.] (Chem.) A transparent, colorle , oily liquid, having a somewhat pleasant odor and aromatic burning taste. It is miscible in all proportions with alcohol, ether, and fixed and volatile oils. It is inflammable, burning with a bright smoky flame. It is a powerful base, and saturates acids, forming salts. Boiling-point 360°; sp. gr. 1.02; Form. C12H7N. Aniline, which a few years ago was a substance of scientific interest only, is now prepared by hundreds of tons for the manufacture of its colored derivatives, known as aniline dyes. The first of these made commercially available was Perkins' mauve-purple (Mauvine), obtained by treating sulphate of aniline with bichromate of pota ium. By the use of this and other salts every shade of purple maybe obtained from it, from the deepest royal to faint lilac; every variety of blue, from a pale sky tint to the deepest ultramarine; all the gradations of scarlet and crimson (Rosaniline), including ro seine, magenta, .;besides many shades of yellow, orange, black, brown, and other colors. The dyes thus obtained are very intense, a few pounds' weight of the dye being capable of coloring some miles of fabric. A pound of it will impart a perceptible tint to a large pond of water. [s. 32]