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The science of nature, or of natural objects; that branch of science which treats of the laws and properties of matter, and the forces acting upon it; especially, that department of natural science which treats of the causes (as gravitation, heat, light, magnetism, electricity, etc.) that modify the general properties…

r the history of the development of vital activities, in the individual, being one of the branches of ontogeny. See Morphogeny. Haeckel.

ctions, or the history of the paleontological development of vital activities, -- being a branch of phylogeny. See Morphophyly. Haeckel.

The branch of science which treats of fossil plants; -- usually called paleobotany, sometimes paleophytology.

cies of small tortricid moths of the genus Retinia, whose larvæ burrow in the ends of the branchlets of pine trees, often doing great damage. -- Pine mouse (Zoöl.), an American wild mouse (Arvicola pinetorum), native of the Middle States. It lives in pine forests. -- Pine needle (Bot.), one of the slender needle-shap…

hes, and hemlocks, but is now limited to those trees which have the primary leaves of the branchlets reduced to mere scales, and the secondary ones (pine needles) acicular, and usually in fascicles of two to seven. See Pine.

Any plant of the genus Lechea, low North American herbs with branching stems, and very small and abundant leaves and flowers.

Any lophobranch fish of the genus Siphostoma, or Syngnathus, and allied genera, having a long and very slender angular body, covered with bony plates. The mouth is small, at the end of a long, tubular snout. The male has a pouch on his belly, in which the incubation of the eggs takes place.

The class of Vertebrata that includes the fishes. The principal divisions are Elasmobranchii, Ganoidei, and Teleostei.

A group of fishes including the sharks and rays; the Elasmobranchii; -- called also Placoidei.

To cut partly, or to bend and intertwine the branches of; as, to plash a hedge. Evelyn.

The cutting or bending and intertwining the branches of small trees, as in hedges.

A hedge or fence formed of branches of trees interlaced, or plashed. [Obs.] Carew.

Force. -- Plastic operation, an operation in plastic surgery. -- Plastic surgery, that branch of surgery which is concerned with the repair or restoration of lost, injured, or deformed parts of the body.

Same as Prosobranchiata.

To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to interlock. "The pleached bower." Shak.

in which there is an excessive development of small entangled twigs, instead of ordinary branches.

Having hairs branching out laterally, like the parts of a feather.

The branch of meteorology treating of the automatic registration of the precipitation of rain, snow, etc.; also, the graphic presentation of precipitation data.

That branch of science which treats of the mechanical properties of air and other elastic fluids, as of their weight, pressure, elasticity, etc. See Mechanics.