A ZO

359

AZY

AZELFOGE, a fixed star of the second magnitude, in theswan’s tail

AZEM, AS FA!, ASSEM, or ACIIAM, a country of Asia ,N. of Ava, little known to Europeans. It is said to he very fer-tile, and to contain mines ol gold, silver, iron, and lead, all whichbelong to the king, who, in consequence of enjoying the produce,requires no taxes from his people. They have also great quanti-ties of gum lac, and coarse silk. It is thought that the inhabitantsof Azem were long ago the inventors of cannon and gunpowder;and that from them the invention passed to the inhabitants of Pegu,and from thence to the Chinese .

AZEMEC1I, the Arabian name for the star called the Virgin’sSpike.

AZERGUE, a river of France , in the department of Rhoneand Loire.

AZIMUTH, in astronomy, an arch of the horizon intercept-ed between the meridian of the place and the azimuth, or verticalcircle passing through the centre of the object, which is equal tothe angle of the zenith formed by the meridian and vertical cir-cle. It is found by this proportion : as the radius to the tangentol the latitude of the place, so is the tangent of the sun’s or star’saltitude to the co-sine of the azimuth from the south, at the timeof the equinox.

Azimuth Circles , called azimuths, or vertical circles, aregreat circles of the sphere, intersecting each other in the zenithand nadir, and cutting the horizon at right angles in all the pointsthereof. These azimuths are repre ented by the rhumbs on com-mon sea-charts, and on the globe they are represented by the !quadrant of altitude when screwed in the zenith. On these a/.i- jmaths is reckoned the height of the stars, and of the sun, whimnot in the meridian.

Azimuth Compass, an instrument adapted to find, in a moreaccurate manner than by the common sea-compass, the sun orstar’s magnetical amplitude, or azimuth. It is also used Intaketlie hearings of headlands, ships, and other objects at a distance.'1 he azimuth-compass dillers from the common sea-compasS inthis, that the circumference of the card, or box, is divided intodegrees, and there is fitted to the box an index with two sights,which are upright pieces of brass placed diametrically opposite toeach other, having a slit down the middle of them, through whichtlie sun, or star, or other object, is to be view ed, at the time of ob-servation. See Compass .

Azimuth Dial, one whose style or gnomon is at right anglesto the plane of the horizon.

Azimuth , Magnetical, an arch of the horizon interceptedbetween the azimuth, or vertical circle, passing through Ihe centreof any heavenly body, and the magnetical meridian. This isfound hv observing the object with an azimuth-compass.

AZMF.R, a province and town of India .

AZO, a town of Asia , in the East Indies, on the frontiers ofAzem.

AZONI, [from « privative, and £«>i, country,] in mythology,a term anciently applied to such of the gods as were not the pri-vate divinities of any particular country, but w ere acknowledgedin everv country, and worshipped by every nation.

AZOOPHAGl S, [from «, jaw*, animal, and freyiu, to eat,] innatural history, a term Used by authors to express such insects oranimals as feed on herbs, never eating the flesh of any livingcreature.

AZORES, or WESTERN Isles, nine islands in the At-lantic Ocean, belonging to Portugal . Their names are St. Maria,St. Michael, Tercera, Si. George, Graciosa, Fayal , Pico, Flores,and Corvo. They were first discovered in 1439, hy John Vail-jderberg, a merchant of Bruges .

AZOTE , or NITROGEN, in chemistry, a substance hitherto Iconsidered as elementary, existing abundantly in nature, forming Jfull three-fourths of the atmosphere. It is a peculiar and almostcharacteristic ingredient of animal matter, the basis of nitric acid,and one of the cinstituents of volatile alkali. Pure azote is known

only in the form of gas; it is then synonymous with (he phlogisti-cated air of Scheele and Priestley, the mephitic air of Lavoisier ,and the nitrogen gas of Chaplal. Azote may be proem ed by tin-following processes: If a quantity of iron filings and sulphur,mixed together, and moistened with water, is put into a gk.s,-vessel full of air, it will absorb all the oxygen in the course of afew days ; but a considerable residuum of air will still remain in-capable of any farther diminution, 'Phis residuum of air has ob-tained the appellation of azotic gds. There are other methodsof obtaining it more speedily. If phosphorus, for instance, issubstituted for the iron tilings and sulphur, the absorption is com-pleted in less than 24 hours. The following nK’thod, first pointedout by Berthollet , furnishes verv pure azotic gas, if the properprecautions are attended to. Very much diluted aqua-fortis, ornitrous acid, as it is called in chemistry, is poured upon a pieceof muscular flesh, and a heat of about 100° applied. A consi-derable quantity of az.otic gas is emitted, which may be receivedin proper vessels. Mr. kirwan examined tiic specific, gravity ofazotic gas obtained bv Scheele’s process ; it was 0,00120; it istherefore somewhat lighter than atmospheric air; it is to atmo-spheric air as yttj to 1000. According to the experiments ofLavoisier , its specific gravity is only 0,00115, cr it is to common'air as 942,(5 to 1000. This gas is invisible and elastic, like com-mon air; and like it too, capable of indefinite condensation anddilatation. It is exceedingly noxious to animals ; if obliged to re-spire it, they drop down dead almost instantly. No combustiblewill burn in it. Hence the reason why a candle is extinguishedin atmospherical air as soon as the oxygen near it is consumed.

AZOT H, AXOTUS, or ASHDOD , one of the five citiesot the Philistines , and a celebrated sea-port on the Mediterranean,between F.kron and Ascalon.

AXLM, a,j)ort of Abyssinia on the Red Scq.

AXLRE, among painters, at present signifies a fine blue co-lour resembling that of the sky, was formerly appropriated toLapis Lazuli , and to the blue prepared from it, called ultrama-rine. It is more properly the blue colour prepared from the'lapis armenus; this colour is frequently called Lambert's blue.

Azure, in heraldry, the blue colour in the arms of any personbelow the rank of a baron. In the escutcheon of a nobleman,it is called yapphire; and in that of a sovereign prince, Jupiter.In engraving, this colour is expressed by Iiims_or strokes drawn"horizont ally . Tins" coToTir may signify Justice, Perseverance,”aiul Vigilance; but according to G. Leigh, when compounded,with

.<7t' 1

ft4-r.

Or

Arg.

Gul.

Ver.

Pur.

Sab.

Cheerfulne-s.

Vigilance.

Readiness.

Enterprise.

2 { Goodness,k Mournful ness.

AZYGOS, in anatomy, a vein rising within the thorax, onthe rigid side, having no fellow on the left; whence it is calledor vena shit' pari. See Anatomy.

AZYMA, or AZYMES, [from » negative, and fer-

ment,] the feast of unleavened bread, among the Jews .

AZ\ MITES, in church history, Christians who administerthe eucharist with unleavened bread.

AXYMOUS, [re'^u©-, Gr.] something unfermented, or madewithout leaven ; as unleavened bread. Sea-biscuit is ot this kind.

AZYM l"S, a term milch used in the disputes betwixt those ofthe Greek, and Romish Church : the lafter of whom contend,that the bread in the mass ought to be azyinlis, unleavened, inimitation of the paschal bread of the Jews , and of our Saviour,who instituted the sacrament on the day of the passover; and theformer strenuously maintaining the contrary, from tradit'on andthe constant usage of the church. In the council of Florence itwas decreed that the point lay at the discretion of the church ;and that either leavened or unleavened bread might be used.'Hie 'western church lias preferred the latter.