Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 03.djvu/193

LEFT CORCEBUS 157 CORONER ringapatam, and compelled Tippoo Saib to submit on humiliating terms. Having performed this important service, Lord Cornwallis returned to England, was raised to the rank of marquis, and made Master-General of Ordnance. In 1798 he was sent to Ireland as Lord-Lieuten- ant; and in the trying and terrible scenes of the rebellion so conducted him- self as to gain the good opinion of the public, while vigorously upholding and vindicating the la^vs. In 1801 he was sent on a mission to France, where, in 1802, he signed the peace of Amiens. In 1805, he was a second time appointed Governor-General of India; but soon after his arrival in India, he died in Ghazepore, Oct. 5, 1805. CORCEBTTS, a native of Elis, who was the conqueror at the Olympic games in 776 B. c, from which period the Olym- piads are reckoned. COROLLA, the inner whorl of two series of floral envelopes, occurring in the more highly developed plants. It is situated within the outer of these en- velopes called the calyx, and exteriorly to the stamens and pistils. In all cases its divisions, which are called petals, al- ternate with those of the calyx. They are generally colored — i. e., in botanical language, they are some other color than green. The corolla is, as a rule, larger than the calyx, but in some plants this is not the case. When the petals of a corolla are all distinct, they are said to be polypetalous, which is the normal type of a corolla. When they cohere con- tinuously by their margins they are gen- erally called monopetalous (one-petaled), which is a not quite accurate term; a better one is gamopetalous, meaning that the petals have in a certain sense contracted what may be poetically called a marriage union. The petals of a co- rolla are really only modifications of leaves. The corolla is not essential to the reproduction of a plant. It shades the productive organs inside it from in- jury, and, in some cases, by secreting honey attracts bees and other insects to aid in their fertilization. COROLLARY, a proposition the truth of which appears so clearly from the proof of another proposition as not to require separate demonstration. COROMANDEL COAST, the E. coast of the Indian peninsula, Madras presi- dency, or that portion of it between Palk's strait and the Pennar river. It is open, sandy, and has no secure harbors, and the surf renders landing difficult. COROMANDEL WOOD, the wood of diospyros hirsuta, a tree found in Cey- lon. Its ground color is chocolate brown, with black stripes and marks ; it is hard, turns well, and makes very handsome furniture. CORONA (a crown), in astronomy, a halo or luminous circle round one of the heavenly bodies; specifically the portion of the aureola observed during total eclipses of the sun, which lies outside the chromosphere or region of colored prominences. In botany, the corona is an appendage of the corolla in some flowers, coming as it were between the corolla and the stamens, well seen in the cup of the dafl'odi). In architecture, it is the lower member of the projecting part of a cornice. See Halo. CORONA AUSTRALIS (the southern crovsTi), one of Ptolemy's southern con- stellations, containing 12 stars. CORONA BOREALIS (the northern crown), one of Ptolemy's northern con- stellations, containing 21 stars. CORONACH, a name formerly used for the funeral dirge among the Irish and Scottish highlanders. The dirge, disused in Scotland, is in Ireland com- monly known as the keen. CORONEA, a small town of Boeotia, S. W. of Lake Copais, where in 447 B. C. the Boeotians defeated the Athenians, and in 394 Agesilaus defeated the allied Greeks. CORONELLA, a genus of ophidians, the typical one of the family Coronelli- dse. C. austriaca is common in Europe. CORONELLID^, a family of ophi- dians, suborder Colubrina. They are broad snakes, flat beneath, with the shields of the head regular. CORONER, a functionary whose name coroner — anciently coronator, from Lat. corona — a crown — implies that he has principally to do with pleas of the crown or in which at least the crown is con- cerned. His office is very ancient, men- tion being made of it in A. D. 925. His court is a court of record in which, after sight of the body of one who has died in prison, or so suddenly that suspicions of violence may be excited, a jury sum- moned for the purpose pronounce deci- sion as to the cause of death. "Acciden- tal death" is a frequent verdict, but there are cases in which it is "Willful murder against some person or persons unknown," or an individual is named. In this the proceedings under the auspices of the coroner prepare the way for a criminal prosecution. He also officiates as a sheriff's substitute when the sheriff himself is interested in a suit, and can- not therefore act in it himself. From four to six are appointed for each coun- 11— Vol. Ill— Cyc