Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/306

* EUNUCH. Z warriors or hunters. Vestiges of precisely simi- lar functions are found among the actual eunuchs of the Eastern Hemisphere. EUNUCHUS, u-nuk'iis (Lat., Eunuch). One of the brightest and most successful comedies of Terence, derived from the Eunuchus and the of Menander. It was produced in B.C. 161. It suggested Sir Charles Sedley's Bella mini, Brueys's Le Muet, and La Fontaine's L'Eunuque. EUOM/PHALUS. A fossil gastropod with wide, depressed, spiral shell. Many species are known from rocks of Silurian to Triassic age, but they are most common in those of the Car- boniferous period, especially in Europe. Allied genera of importance are Ophileta and Maclurea (qq.v.) of Ordovician age. EUON'YMUS. See Spindle-Tree. EUOK/NITHES (Neo-Lat. num. pi., from Gk. eS, eu, well + Spns, ornis. bird). A prime divi-. siun of birds, embracing all except the Archaeop- teryx (q.v.), which is hence regarded as a repre- sentative of another and very different ancient structural type of birds, the Archaeornithes. Equivalent terms are Xeornithes and Eurhipi- duraa, the latter meaning 'fan-tailed' (euornith- ic) as opposed to the arch-ornithic Saururse, or 'lizard-tailed' type. EU'PATO'RIA. A seaport and district town in the Russian Government of Taurida, situated on the western coast of the Crimea. 38 miles northwest of Simferopol (Map: Russia, D 5). Its harbor, an inlet of the Black Sea. is unpro- tected, but free from ice the entire year. The city is picturesque in appearance, having an Oriental character. Among its numerous mosque-, the most noteworthy is that built by Delvet-Ghiri Khan in 1552, modeled after the Mosque of Saint Sophia in Constantinople. There are a number of Tatar high schools, synagogues, Turkish baths, etc. The town has a number of tanneries, soap and candle factories, and there is a considerable trade in grain, wool, and salt. The salt lake of Saki, on which Eupatoria is situated, is one of the best bathing resorts in the Crimea, and the population of the town is swelled every summer by many visitors. Eupatoria was an important place under the Tatars. With its annexation to Russia in 1784 it received its present name from an old fort constructed during the reign of Milliii dates Eupatbr in the Crimea. A portion of the al- lied Anglo-French forces effected a landing at Eu- patoria on September 14. 1 S.">4, and held the town for four days. The town was also the scene of a battle between the Russians and the Turks on Feb ruary 17. 1855, in which the la it it wire victorious. EU'PATO'RIUM (Lat. eupatoria, Gk. ixnra- rbpiov, eupatorion, the plant hemp-agrimony; named in honor of Mithridates Eupator). A genu- of plants of the natural order Composite?, having small Rower-heads in corymbs, with the florets all tubular. ( The species, about 100 in number, are mostly American, a few occurring in Europe and Asia. One only i- British, the coi n hemp-agrimony {Eupatorium eannabi- num i. a slightly aromatic perennial plant . grow- ing -il in marshy place- and on the banks of treams. The root was formerly employed ; i- a purgative, and the plant was also used as a diuretic and as a vulnerary. Thoroughwort, or bone el [Eupatorium perfoliatum), a s] ies having the opposite leaves joined at the base, is common in lofl grounds in North America, '2 EUPHORBIACEiE. and is a popular medicine often administered in intermittent fevers, also as an emetic and purga- tive, and, in small doses, as a tonic. It con- tains eupatorin (a bitter glucoside), a volatile oil, tannin, etc. The whole plant is very bitter. Other North American species possess similar properties, and the root of one, known as gravel- root, or joe-pye weed [Eupatorium purpureum), is employed as a diuretic for the relief of the disease from which it derives its name. The ayapana (Eupatorium triplinerve) , a half- shrub- by species, native of the north of Brazil, has a high reputation in that country as a cure for snake-bites, and has been introduced into the East Indies. It is a very powerful sudorific, and is also diuretic. The Peruvian vulnerary, matico, has been referred, but uncertainly, to a shrubby species of this genus (Eupatorium glutinosum). Guaco, or huaco, much valued in Peru as a cure for snake-bites, is supposed to belong to the allied genus Mikania. For illustration, see Plate of Boxeset. EUPAT'RID^3 (Lat., from Gk. cv-arplSai., eupatridai, nom. pi. of eOirarplS-qs, eupatrides, hav- ing a noble father, from ci, eu, well + irar-rtfi, pater, father). The old aristocracy of birth in Athens. They held the full citizenship, and had exclusive political rights and priestly functions, of which they were deprived by the Constitution of Solon. Their influence was, however, long preserved by their territorial possessions. EUPEN, oi'pen. A town of the Prussian Rhine Province, situated in a .beautiful valley, within two miles of the Belgian frontier, and about 10 miles south of Aix-la-Chapelle (Map: Prussia, B 3 ) . Eupen is known for its extensive woolen mills, and. in addition, it has iron- foundries, tanneries, dye-works, and breweries. Population, in 18f>0, 15,445; in 1000, 14,294. EUPHEMA. A genus of parrakeets (q.v.). EU'PHEMISM (Gk. d(p-qp.is, euphemis- mux, from ev(prjp,ii'(n>. euph&mizem, to speak aus- piciously, from ci!<pr)p,os, euphemos, auspicious, from eB, eu, well -f <pi]p.-i), plume, voice, from cpAmL, phanai, to speak). A figure of rhetoric by which an unpleasant or offensive matter is designated in indirect and milder terms. Thus, instead of directly calling up an unpleasant image by the word died, we say. "He was gathered to his fathers." and the elves and fairies of modern superstition are spoken of as 'good neighbors.' Dickens and others have employed euphemisms for comic effect. EU PHOR'BIA. See Spurge: ErpiionniAci:.i:. EU PHOR'BIA'CE.flB ( Xeo-Lat. nom. pi., from Lat. euphorbeum, euphorbea, Gk. evfoppiov, eu- phorbion, the plant spurge; named in honor of Euphorbus, a celebrated Greek physician at the Mauretanian Court!. A very extensive order of dicotyledonous plants, the 'spurge family.' con- taining 220 genera and upward of 4000 species — trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. They abound chiefly in warm countries, and most of all in tropical America. The few species found in tin colder parts of the world arc all herba- ceous. The common box reaches a more north- ern limit than anj other shrubby specie-. 'I lie -pe<ie- common to the 1 nited states are differ- ent kinds of spurge (Euphorbia), croton, three - led mercury, spurge-nettle, and queen's de- light. The Euphorbiacese usually abound in an acrid and poi-onou- milky juice, although