SAPPHIRE

(Gr. oaQupos.) A very hard gem, consist ing e entially of crystallized alumina. It is of various colours; the blue variety being generally called the sap phire, the red the oriental ruby, the yellow the oriental topaz. SAPROPHAGANS, Saprephaga. (Gr. omrf>os,decompos ing matter, and 0ayto, / eat.) The name of a tribe of Co leopterous insects, comprising those which feed on animal and vegetable substances in a state of decomposition. SAPWOOD, is He external part of the wood of Exo gens, which, from being the latest formed, is not filled up with solid matter, or with the colouring principles which are deposited in wood after a certain time. For these reasons, sapwood is that through which the ascending fluidf 1087 [s. 1101]