Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 11.djvu/865

* LAEI. 781 LARK-BUNTINQ. LA'S! (Xeo-Lat. nom. pi., from Lat. Inru-i, Gk. dpo!, giill). An Older of birds, inchuling gulls, terns, skuas, and skimmers (qq.v. ), char- acterized by their long, pointed wings, nostrils open but not tubular, hind toe small and free, or rarely wanting. The bill is very variable, but never has lanielhe. The feet are fully webbed, and provided with compressed curved claws. The plumage is soft, dense, and simply colored ; bright colors are rare, except on the bill and feet, and the sexes are alike in color. The nest is ordinarily on the ground, and the eggs are about three, white with heavy blotches. They are chiefly marine birds, but are also found about large bodies of fresh water. More than 125 sjjecies are known, residing in all parts of the world. LAB'IGOT (OF. Varigot, the flageolet). A stop of the organ, which is usually termed the 'nineteenth.' It is tuned an octave above the twelfth stop, or two octaves and a fifth above the diapasons. It has a single rank of metal pipes, and is found in some organs as one of the ranks of the mixture stops. Its tone is exceed- ingly shrill. LARIO, la're-6, Lake (Lago di Lario). An- other name for Lake Como (q.v.), Italy. LAR'IOSAU'KTTS (XeoLat.. from Lat. La- riiis, ancient name of the Lago di Como -(- Gk. (TttOpos, filiiiros, lizard). A small extinct reptile, three feet long, of the order Sauropterygia, found fossil in the Triassic shales of Xprthern Italy. It is related to the Plesiosaurs. See Plesiosau- ISrS: PtEPTILE. LARIS'SA. The capital of the nomarchy or province of the same name in Thessaly, Greece (Map: Greece, D 2). It is situated on the Sa- lamvria (ancient Peneus), 33 miles northwest of the port of Volo, with which it is connected by rail. It carries on an important transit trade, has manufactures of silk and cotton goods, and is a military headquarters, as well as the seat of a Greek metropolitan. Population, in 1899. 13,- 610; in 1896, 15,.517, of whom 5000 were Turks. In ancient times Larissa ( Larisa ) was regarded as the capital of Thessaly and was the residence of the reigning family of the Aleuadse. It was a large and wealthy city far into the Middle Ages. It was the headquarters of the Greek Army in the war ag.ninst Turkey in the spring of 1897. LA RIVE, la rev, ArccSTE DE. See De la Rive. LA RIVE, Charles Gaspard de (1770-18.34). A Swiss chemist, born in Geneva. He studied medicine and the natural sciences in Edinbvirgh ; became associate in the Academy of Geneva in 1802. and distinguished himself by researches in chemistry and natural history. Among his works may be noted: Observations (upon the conversion of starch into sugar) ; and an Essai siir la thforie dcs proportions chimiqucs et sur Vinfltience chimique de Veleciricitd. La Rive took an active part in the political life of Switzerland: was a member of the provisional council in 1813, and in 1817 became president of both councils of the Republic. The museum of natural history and the botanic garden at Geneva were founded by him. LARIVEY, la'ro'vS'. Pierre de (c.l55n. '■.1012). French dramatist, born at Troves. His family was Italian, and he was a canon of the Church of Saint Eticnne at Troyes, but aside Iroui tliese facts little is known of his life. la 1577 he began to write a series of prose comedies adapted from the Italian. Their fresh, natural dialogue and lively scenes make them the most important contribution to this kind of literature produced in the latter part of the sixteenth cen- tury. They were borrowed from by Moli&re. Six of them apijeared in 1579, and three in 1011. They have been reprinted in Viollet-le-Duc and Jaiinefs 1/uncien theatre fran^ais, vols. v. to vii. (1S7(»). LA RIVIERE, la'ri-'vyar', Alpiioxse Aubed C'LfiiLEXT (1842 — ). A Canadian journalist and statesman. He was born in Montreal and was educated at Saint Mary's College, Montreal. His journali-stic experience was gained as special correspondent of La Minerve of Montreal, and as editor of Le Manitoba and of Lc Canada of Ottawa. In 1871 he was appointed to a position in the Dominion Lands OlRce, Winnipeg, and afterwards became prominent in the afl'airs of Manitoba, as member of the Provincial Assem- bly, Provincial Secretary, Minister of Agricul- ture, and Treasurer. He served as director of the Commercial Bank of Manitoba, and as president of the Board of Arts and Manufactures of the Province of Quebec, also as superintendent of Roman Catholic schools of Manitoba, and as niemljer of the council of the University of Mani- toba. In 1889 he was elected to the Dominion Parliament. LA'RIX. The name of a genus of coniferous trees. See Larch. LARK (AS. laferce, lauerce, OHG. Urahhu, ICrehha, lerilihu, Cier. Lerehe). Several dilTcrent birds are called iarks,' but properly only those of the family Alaudidie, of which skj'larks and shore-larks are good examples. The Alaudidie are a small family of scarcely more than 100 spe- cies, very well characterized by the structure of the feet, in which the hind claw is very long and straight, and the tarsi are scutellate behind as well as in front, and the two series of plates meet along a vertical groove on the inner side of the tarsus. By many this is regarded as a very generalized character, and the group is according- ly assigned to one of the lowest positions in the order Passeres. Larks are small, and mostly brownish birds, more or less streaked, but the shore-larks show more or less yellow, white, black, rufous, and pinkish. They are most abun- dant in .frica, but are common in Europe and parts of Asia, while uncommon in Australia and America. Only a single genus occurs in the New World, that of the shore-larks (Otocoris). All of the larks are terrestrial birds, which nest and feed on the ground, and the food consists of seeds, worms, and insects. They are generally migra- tory, and some of them are great wanderers. Ex- cept during the breeding season they are very gregarious, and are often seen in enormous num- bers. The nests are generally made in open fields and the eggs, four or five in mimljer. are dull and more or less speckled and blotched. The titlarks and meadow-larks of America arc not true larks, but belong to totally distinct families. See Shore-Lark ; Skylark : and Plate of Larks ami Starlint.s. LARK-BinfTING. An American fringilline bird I Cniatnn.ipizn nielnnoeoriis) which inhabits the plains and mountain valleys of the West