Larch

(lahrch.) [ L. larix.] (Bot.) A tribe of trees belonging to the gen. Abies, but sometimes placed in a distinct gen.called Larix. Its needle-shaped leaves are at first arranged in tufts, but subsequently become separated one from the other by the lengthening of the branch upon which they grow. They fall off at the approach of winter. The cones are small, erect, somewhat egg - shaped, but blunt-pointed, and the scales have irregular margins; for these reasons the larch is sometimes placed in a distinct genus, and called Larix europe a. The wood of the larch is much prized, and very durable; its bark is employed by tanners, and it, as well as the trunk, affords what is known as Venice turpentine, which differs from most other kinds of turpentine in not becoming hard by exposure to the air for a considerable period. A kind of sugary matter exudes from the larch in summer-time, and is collected under the name of Manna of Briançon. The larch attains a great size, and forms a most beautiful object on the mountain sides in Switzerland and other Alpine districts of Europe. Not le valuable and beautiful is the Hackmatack or Red American L., Abies tenuifolia, which is common in the northern parts of N. America, and on the Alleghany Mountains. It is much cultivated for ornamental purposes. Lard, (lah rd.) [Fr., from L. lar dum.] The melted and refined fat of swine, consisting of the layers of adipose matter lying between the skin and the flesh of the animal. It is extensively used in medicine, cookery, and the arts, and forms an important article of export from the U. States, where, at Cincinnati and Chicago, its refining for the European markets is carried on on an extensive scale. After the separation of the stearine and margarine from the raw material, the fluid product called Lard-oil is obtained, while the stearine left enters largely into the manufacture of soap and candles. Lardizabalaceæ, (lahr-de-za-bal-a'se-e.) (Bot.) A small O. of plants, all. Men is per males, differing from Menispermacese in their compound leaves. Laredo, (lah-ra'do,) in Texas, a vill., C. of Webb co., on the Rio del Norte, 500 m. S.W. of Austin. Pop. 2,046. Large, (lah rj.) (Fr., from L. lar gus.] (Naut.) A ship is said to sail large, when going free with the wind athwart her counter. Larghetto, (lahr-gel'to.) [It., largely.] (Mus.) A movement of time one degree quicker than LARGO, q. v. Largo,(lahr'go.) [It., large.] (Mus.) A movement whose time is one degree quicker than grave, and two degrees faster than adagio. Laridæ, (lar'e-de.) (Zool.) The Gull fam., comprising swimming -birds (0. Nat a to res) which have the bill generally shorter than the head, straight at the base, more or le curved at the tip, nostrils linear, and wings long and pointed. They frequent the shores of all countries, and also wander far inland. The SkuaGulls, or Jagers, gen. Stercorarius, of both hemispheres, are abt 20 inches long. The Glaucous Gull, or Burgomaster, Larus glauscescens, of the Arctic regions and southward, is 30 inches long, bill strong, tail nearly even, colors light, head white. The Kittiwakes, gen. Ri a, of the northern regions, are 14 to 17 inches long. The Terns, or Egg-birds, gen. Sterna, have the bill slender, wings long and pointed, tail long and forked, and are generally white, or light, below; black, and bluish, above: they feed upon small marine animals, which they dart down upon. The Black Skimmer, Rhynchops nigra, of the Atlantic, is 19 inches long, and skims its food from the surface of the water. (lar'e-mur,) in Colorado Ter., a N. co., skirted by Wyoming; area, 1,800 sq. m.; C. La Porte. Pop.2,000. (lah-ris's ah,) or YENISHEHR, a city of Turkey in Europe, C. p. The aly, on the Salembria, 75 m. S.W. of Salonica. Pop. 25,000. (lahr-is-tahn',) a p. of Persia, bordering upon the Persian Gulf, bet. N. Lat. 26°-29°, E. Lon. 550-580; area, 16,000 sq. m. It is a sterile region, inhabited by a number of nomadic tribes who pursue a vagrant sort of existence. (lah rk.) (Zool.) The common name of birds comprising the gen.Alauda and Sturnella, fam. Icteridæ. The Sky-lark, or Laverock, A. Arvensis, of Europe (Fig. 435), the most harmonious of this musical tribe, commences its song early in the spring, continues it during the whole summer, and is one of those few birds that chant while on the wing. When it first rises from the earth, its notes are feeble and interrupted; as it ascends, however, they gradually swell Fig. 435.- SKY-LARK. to their full tone, and long after it is lost to the sight it still continues to charm the ear with its melody. It mounts almost perpendicularly, but descends in an oblique direction, unle threatened with danger, when it drops like a stone. The Meadow L., Slurnella magna, of N. America, abt. 10 inches long, somewhat resembles the Sky-lark in its habits, but its song is not so sweet and harmonious. [s. 528] IMG:p0573_0.jpg:Gravür