Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/721

* MOBIITS. 643 MOCHNACKI. (1818-21). His inipurtant astronomical and liiathenialical memoirs appeared from this time (in, in the Af^tronoinischr ydchrichlcn, ('i*elli*'s Journal, and the lierichle of the Scientific Society of Leipzig. His leading mathematical work was Der harycentrische Calcul (1827). This con- tained a novel discussion of homogeneous coor- dinates, presented the first systematic discussion of the essential diflferences between the modern and the ancient geometries, set fortli the general- ization of figures, stated the invariant property of cross ratios, and made extensive use of the principle of duality. He also wrote the following works: Die Haiiptmtze der Astronomie (183G; 7th ed. 1890) ; Leiubiich der HIatik (1837) ; Die Elcmeitte der Uechnnik des Himmels (1843). His GesammeUe ^yerke have been edited by Bal- tzer, Klein, and Scheibner(4 vols., Leipzig, 1885- 87 I. MOBIUS, Karl August (1825—). A Ger- man zocilogist. He was born in Eilenburg: stud- ied at Berlin, and in 1808 was made professor of zoology at Kiel. There he became especially interested in marine animals, and he w'as a mem- ber of the commission of 1871 and 1872 for the investigation of German writers. Jliibius went to Berlin in 1887 as director of the zoiilogieal mu- seum. His publications include: Die Xester der genelligen Wespen (1856).- Die echten Perlen (1857) ; Neue Seesterne (1859) ; Fauna der Eie- ler Bucht (1866-72); Die Ausier (1877); Die Fisclie der Ostsee (1883) : Aexthetische Betrach- tung der Ticre (1895) ; and Aesthetische Beur- ieilnnti der Hiiugetiere (1900). MOBIUS, Theodor (1821-90). A German philologist, one of the foremost students of old Norse literature and language, son of August Ferdinand Jlijbius, the mathematician. He was born at Leipzig, studied there and in Berlin, and in 1852 became docent of Scandinavian lan- guages at Leipzig. He was promoted to professor in 1859, and in 1865 became a member of the faculty of Kiel. Mobius's most valuable work was as an editor. Especial mention should be made of Forns6.7ur(with Vigfusson, 1860) ; Edda Sa-mundar (1800); Islendingahok (18001; Kor- mdkssaga (1886) ; Mrilshdttakvwthi (1873) : and Snorre's Hdttntal (1879-81). His other work includes the dissertation. Die ;n Shoe Manu- FACTUHK. MOCCASIN-FLOWER. See Lady's-Slipper ; al>o ( olored Plati' of American Orchids. MOCCASIN SNAKE, Water IIoccasin, or CoTTONMouTii. An !i(|uatic. fish-eating, venom- iiii~ pit-viper (Aniintrodon piKrivorii.t) of the Southern United States, allied to the copperhead. It may grow to be four feet long; is thick and hea'j' in body; has a tapering tail, without any rattle or s[)ine; and in color is dark chestnut brown, with light marks on the lips. oliscire hlael<ish bars on the sides, and the abdomen black blotched with vellowish white. The interior of the mouth, displayed when llie snake is about to strike, is cottony while. This serpent exists in large numbers from southern Indiana and south- eastern irginia to the Rio Grande in swamps, marshes, on overflowed lands, and along rivers and bayous, where it is fond of lying in the sun- shine upon banks, tussocks, driftwood, or bushes and trees overhanging the water. It never goes far away from such places, and is really a water- • snake; its food is mainly frogs and fishes. When disturbed it may escape by swinnning, but is ((uite as likely to turn and light fearlessly. It is one of the most virulent and deadly of all American serpents, but fortunately it does not wander into places where men usually go, except in the irrigated rice fields, where it is greatly dreaded. In captivity it is one of the most un- tamable and ferocious of known reptiles. It pro- duces eight or ten young annually in midsummer, all fully prepared for oH'cnse or defense. The moccasin is 'mimicked' by the quite harmless water-snake Natrix, which, however, is usually much smaller, has a narrower, less triangular and forbidding head, and may always be distinguished by the double row of scales on the under side of the tail. Consult Stejneger, Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1893 (Wa.shing- ton, 1895). Compare Copperhead; Rattle- snake. MOCENIGO, m6-che-ne'g6. The name of a prominent Venetian family which furnished sev- eral able commanders and doges to the Republic. The most noted was Tomaso. Doge from 1414 to 1423. At a time when Venice was mistress of extensive possessions. Mocenigo endeavored to maintain her position by a policy of peace. His chief opponent was Francesco Foscari, the ne.xt Doge, who urged a policy of conquests on the mainland of Italv. Mocenigo was able to with- hold Venice from this course, which afterwards proved so disastrous to her power. To him was due the building of the present Doge's palace. At the time of Tomaso's death Venice had reached the zenith of her glory. MOCHA, mo'ka. A strongly fortified .seaport, and once the capital, of the Province of Yemen, in Arabia. It is situated on the Red Sea, at the head of a little bay near the Strait of Bab-el- !Mandeb, and 130 miles west-northwest of Aden (Map: Turkey in Asia, Q 13). It formerly ex- ported large amounts of eolfee and other produce, which are now distributed through the ports of .Aden and Hodeida. Pojnilation. !5000. MOCHA STONE, or Dendritic Agate. A name given to those erypto-crystanine varieties of quartz, such as agate and chalcedony, which con- tain moss-like or dendritic forms, usually con- sisting of manganese dioxi(ie distributed through the mass. They were originally brought into Europe from Mocha. Of a siniihir n;t>ire is the moss-agate. MOCHNACKI, nK'.K-niits'kf, MAinnx-Y (1803- 35). A Polish publicist and critic, born at P.ojaniec. (Jalicia. He took part in the revolu- tion of 1830-31. and. after the capture of Warsaw. left liis native country and spent the remainder of his life in France. He was the defender of the Romantic School in Poland, and is said to have dealt the death blow to Classicism in that coun- try. His works are: A flistori/ of Polish Litera- ture in the Xineteenth Century (1830), and a