Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 19.djvu/511

* TREE-KANGAROO. 443 TREGELLES. tralia and New Guinea inhabit trees, although they creep awkwardly about the branches, as if not yet well adapted to an arboreal life. They constitute the genus Dcndrolagus, and embrace .several species of which the black one (Dcndro- lagus ursiiius) of New Guinea, which is very dark in color, except the whitish face, and about 20 inches long, exclusive of the tail, is one of the best known. See Plate of IvANGAKOOS. TREE OF HEAVEN. See Ailanthus. TREE-PORCUPINE. One of the small, shnrt-s]iinod, prehensile-tailed arboreal porcu- pines of South America of the genus Sphingarus. See Porcupine, and Plate of Pokcupines and HEnOEIIOGS. TREE-SHREW, or SgrnRREL-SiiREW. One of the curious insectivorous animals of the fam- ily Tupaiid;p, of the Oriental region and eastward to Borneo. They are related to the hedgehogs, but outwardly have almost exactly the appear- ance of ordinary squirrels, except for the long, flexible, shrew-like nose. Some 20 species have been named, of which the Malayan banxring {Tupaia fcrruginea) is one of the best known, and often becomes a pet, or resides, half-tame, in gardens and village shade-trees. The Jladras tree-shrew (Tupaia ElUoti) is found through- out India. All are much alike, feeding on both insects and fruits, and expressing emotion by a short, whistling cry. TREE-SNAKE. Many snakes are more or less arboreal in habits, but some are so dis- tinctively so as to merit the name especially. Many of the smaller boas (see Tree-Boa) live almost wholly in tree-tops, as is necessary in the flooded parts of the Amazonian region. Among the colnbrine groups of that region is the genus Leptophis, whose species are very slender, with long whip-like tails. The best knoAvn (Lrptophis liocerux) is a beautiful creature six feet long, the upper surface golden green, the lower yellow or white ; it subsists upon small reptiles and birds and their eggs. An Oriental genus (Deiirlropliis) has the ventral scales keeled and notched, enabling them to take hold of a surface so securely that they are able to glide up the branches of trees in almost straight lines. A group of tropical green tree-snakes (Dipsadomorphse) exists, the species of which are highly poisonous; and in Africa are found 'tree-vipers' (q.v.). TREE-TOAD. See Tree-Feog. TREE- VIPER. A genus (Atheris) of rather small, arboreal vipers of Africa. They are of bright green and yellow colors, so as to be readily concealed in foliage. Their tails are especially prehensile, like those of boas. Four species are known. TREE-WORSHIP. See Natube-Worship, paragraph Dendrolutry. TREFOIL. A frequent charge in heraldry (q.v.), representing the clover-leaf, which is al- wavs depicted as slipped, i.e. furnished with a stn'lk. TREFOIL (OF. frifoU. irefeul. Fr. trefle, from Lat. trifoliiim, trefoil, three-leaved, from tres, three -[- folinm, leaf), Bird's-Foot (Loius). A genus of plants of the natural order Legu- minos.!;. The pods are cylindrical, somewhat Vol. XIX. —29. spongy within and imi)erfectly divided into many cells. The name bird's-foot trefoil is derived from the resemblance of the clusters of pods to a bird's foot. The numerous species arc natives of the temperate and colder regions of the Old World. Tlio conunon bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus coniicul(ihis) is conunon in European pastures. The spreading decumlient stems, 4 to 10 inches long, arise from a short, thick rhizome and bear innl)el-like cymes of five to ten yellow flowers, which have a rich, honey-like odor. The leaves have tlirec obovate leaflets, and at the base of each leafstalk there arc two large leaf-like ovate stipules. The plant is by some regarded as the shamrock (q.v.) of Ireland. It is nutritious and much liked while young by all kinds of stock. It has been introduced into the United States, BIRD'S-FOOT TREFOIL, (LotVS COmiCUljltUS). where it is common, especially in the South. A larger species, very similar, with stem nearly erect, more compact heads of smaller flowers, and much smaller seeds, is the greater or narrow- leaved bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus major) of much the same range. The characteristic dif- ferences remain imder cultivation in every va- riety of soil and situation. Mar.sh bird's-foot trefoil (Lotvs ■uliginosus) is a species common in damp meadows. The winged pea (Lotus Tetragonolobiis), remarkable for four mem- branous wings which run along its pods, is a native of Southern Europe, where it is grown for salads and as an ornamental plant. It is cultivated in the United States mainly as a forage plant and a winter crop for plowing under in spring as green manure. In some parts of Europe its seeds are used as a substitute for cofl'ee. TRE FONTANE, tra fon-til'nft (It., Three Fountains), The traditional scene of Saint Paul's martyrdom, a spot outside of Rome, three miles from the Porta San Paolo. According to the legend, when the Apostle's head was struck olT, it made three bounds, and at each spot a spring gushed forth. Over the springs stands the Church of Saint Paul without the Walls, which contains also the column to which Saint Paul was bound. TREGELLES, tre-gclz'. Samuel Prideaux ( ISLS-TiJ) . An English scholar and New Testa-