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for the same colors, from the thirty-eight thousandth to the sixty thousandth part of an inch. The theory of ethereal undulations is applicable not only to the phenomena of light, but also to those of heat.

length, the gallon of 8.3389 pounds avoirdupois of water at 39.8º Fahr. (about 231 cubic inches) for liquid measure, etc.; in Great Britain, the pound sterling, the pound troy, the yard, or -- Unit of power. (Mach.) See Horse power. -- Unit of resistance. (Elec.) See Resistance, n., 4, and Ohm. -- Unit of work (Phys…

ed; as, to unseal a letter. Unable to unseal his lips beyond the width of a quarter of an inch. Sir W. Scott.

A fir pole of from four to seven inches diameter, and twenty to forty feet long, sometimes roughly hewn, used for scaffoldings, and sometimes for slight and common roofs, for which use it is split. [Spelt also ufer.] [Eng.] Gwilt.

er of a steam engine, which is nearly exhausted of air or steam, etc.; as, a vacuum of 26 inches of mercury, or 13 pounds per square inch. Vacuum brake, a kind of continuous brake operated by exhausting the air from some appliance under each car, and so causing the pressure of the atmosphere to apply the brakes. -- Va…

en algæ, in which the whole frond consists of a single oval or cylindrical cell, often an inch in length.

A Spanish measure of length equal to about one yard. The vara now in use equals 33.385 inches. Johnson's Cyc.

or to the service of vespers; as, a vesper hymn; vesper bells. Vesper sparrow, the grass finch. See under Grass.

spreading leaves are often over five feet in diameter, and have a rim from three to five inches high; its immense rose-white flowers sometimes attain a diameter of nearly two feet.

pevine, especially Erythroneura vitis. See Illust. of Grape hopper, under Grape. -- Vine inchworm (Zoöl.), the larva of any species of geometrid moths which feed on the leaves of the grapevine, especially Cidaria diversilineata. -- Vine-leaf rooer (Zoöl.), a small moth (Desmia maculalis) whose larva makes a nest by r…

A large burrowing South American rodent (Lagostomus trichodactylus) allied to the chinchillas, but much larger. Its fur is soft and rather long, mottled gray above, white or yellowish white beneath. There is a white band across the muzzle, and a dark band on each cheek. It inhabits grassy plains, and is noted for its e…

city (Physiol.), the breathing capacity of the lungs; -- expressed by the number of cubic inches of air which can be forcibly exhaled after a full inspiration. -- Vital force. (Biol.) See under Force. The vital forces, according to Cope, are nerve force (neurism), growth force (bathmism), and thought force (phrenism),…

Dimensions; compass; space occupied, as measured by cubic units, that is, cubic inches, feet, yards, etc.; mass; bulk; as, the volume of an elephant's body; a volume of gas.

A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water, the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is considered a…

ents. Wafer cake, a sweet, thin cake. Shak. -- Wafer irons, or Wafer tongs (Cookery), a pincher-shaped contrivance, having flat plates, or blades, between which wafers are baked. -- Wafer woman, a woman who sold wafer cakes; also, one employed in amorous intrigues. Beau. & Fl.

ater, as coals, oysters, etc. The water-measure bushel was three gallons larger than the Winchester bushel. Cowell.

Any one of numerous species of finchlike birds belonging to Estrelda and allied genera, native of Asia, Africa, and Australia. The bill is large, conical, and usually red in color, resembling sealing wax. Several of the species are often kept as cage birds.

rds belonging to Ploceus and allied genera of the family Ploceidæ. Weaver birds resemble finches and sparrows in size, colors, and shape of the bill. They construct pensile nests composed of interlaced grass and other similar materials. In some of the species the nest is retort-shaped, with the opening at the bottom of…

The chaffinch. [Prov. Eng.]

The chaffinch, whose cry is thought to foretell rain. [Prov. Eng.]