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ERM

communicates with Lake Ontario by the Niagara . The line of di-vision, between the United States and Upper Canada, runsthrough it. Its navigation is rendered dangerous by numerousprojections of perpendicular craggy rocks into the water from itsN. shore for many miles ; and its banks and island on the W. areequally dangerous to land on, being much infested with rattle-snakes, and a peculiar species of poisonous reptile, called the His-sing Snake.

Erie Fort, a strong fort of Upper Canada , on the N. coast ofLake Erie, and W. bank of the Niagara , 27 miles S. by E. ofFort Niagara . Lon. 78° 20' 30" \V. Lat. 42. 59. N.

ERIGERON, Flea-Bane, in botany, a genus of the poly-gamia superflua order, and ■syngenesia class of plants; naturalorder, Composita;. Receptacle naked ; pappus hairy ; florets ofthe radius linear, and very narrow. There are thirty species.

ER1GONE, in fabulous history, the daughter of Icarus, diedof grief for her father’s death, was translated into heaven, andmade the sign Virgo.

ERIN, an ancient name of Ireland .

ERINACEUS, the Hedgehog, in zoology, a genus of qua-drupeds of the order, Ferae. Generic character : two fore-feetli,both above and below, those of the upper jaw distant, those of thelower approximated; five tusks on each side of the upper jaw,three on each side of the lower ; four grinders on each side, bothabove and below ; body covered on the upper part with spines.There are six species.

1. E. Europ/Eus, Common or European Hedgehog , is foundin most of the temperate parts of Europe and Asia , and, accordingto Mr. Pennant, is also seen in Madagascar. It commonly mea-sures about 11 inches in length. Its colour is generally grey-brown, but it sometimes is found totally white, or of a yellowishwhite. It feeds principally on the roots of vegetables ; but it alsoeats worms, well as beetles and other insects. It wanders aboutchiefly by night, and during the day conceals itself in its hole,under the roots of some tree, or mossy bank. It produces fouror five young at a birth, which are soon covered with prickles likethose of the [parent animal, but shorter and weaker. The nest islarge, and is composed of moss. The hedgehog, when disturbedrolls itself up into a globular form, and thus presents to its adver-sary an invulnerable ball of prickles. From this state of security,it is not easily forced ; scarcely any thing but cold water obligingit to unfold itself. It swims perfectly well when thrown into wa-ter. The hedgehog is one of those animals which, during thewinter, are supposed to continue in a state of torpidity. In thatseason it lies concealed in its hole, surrounded with a bed of moss,secure from the rigours of the most piercing frost, and at the re-turn of spring recommences its wanderings. The hedgehog maybe rendered in a considerable degree domestic ; and lias frequentlybeen introduced into houses for the purpose of expelling thosetroublesome insects the blatta:, or cockroaches, which it pursueswith avidity, and is fond of feeding on. It is itself an occasionalarticle of food in some places, and is said to be best in the monthof August. The hedgehog is generally considered as a harmlessinoffensive animal, but has been frequently supposed (and to thisWay the absurd notion prevails in manv places) to suck the teatsof cows by night, and thus cause by its prickles those exulcera-tions which are sometimes seen on cattle. From this accusation,however, it is completely absolved by Mr. Pennant, who ob-serves, that its mouth is by far too small to admit of this practice.See Plate LXY1.

2. E. Auritius, the Long-Eared Urchin of Pallas and Gme-lin, or SirerianFIedgehoG of Pennant,has long oval oars, nostrilscrested at the edges, and all the manners of the European . Itinhabits Asiatic Russia, near the Volga and Ural, where it issmaller than the European, and beyond lake Baikal , where it islarger.

3. E. Eoavdatus, the Tanrec of Burton, and AsiaticII edgehog of Pennant, is nearly as large as a rabbit, and has avery long slender muzzle, but no tail. It inhabits India and Ma-dagascar.

4. E. Ixauris, the White American Urchin of Seba, orGuiana Hedgehog of Pennant, is 8 inches long, and has noexternal ears. It is a native of S. America .

5. E. Malaccensis, the Malacca Urchin of Brisson, orShort-tailed Porcupine of Liunaetis, has pendulous ears, and

inhabits Asiat From this species is procured the Piedra del Porcu,formerly much esteemed, supposed by Mr. Kerr, to be a kind ofBezoar. See Plate LXYI.

6. Setosus, the Tendrac, has spines only on the hrad, neck,tail, and withers; is scarce six inches long, and inhabiis India andMadagascar.

ERINN YS, [E.;i**v;, i, f. an avenger of crimes,] in mythology,a name common to the Furies. See Furies.

ERINUS, in botany, a genus of the angiospermia order, anddidynainia class of plants ; natural order, Per.onaUe. Calvx pen-taphyllous ; corolla border quinquefid and ecpial ; with its lobesemanrinuted, upper lip very short and retlexed ; capsule bilocu-lar. Thirteen species chiefly natives of Africa .

ERIOCAUEON, in botany, a genus of the trigynia order, andtriandria class of plants ; natural order, Knsata-. The commoncalyx is an imbricated capitulum or knob; there are three equalpetals ; and the stamina are on the* gennen. It has six species.

ER10CEP1IALUS, ill botany, a genus of the polvgamia nocessaria order, and syngenesia class of plants ; na'ural order, Cumposita?. Recrptatde somewhat villous; no pappus; calvx deca-phyllous and equal ; the radius has live florets. Two species, na-tives of the Cape of Good Hope .

ERIOP1IOHUM, a genus of the monogvnia order, and trian-dria class of plants ; natural order, Calamaria*. Glumes palea-ceous, imbricated all around; no corolla; seed one, furnishedwith a very long down. There are six species.

EIUOSPEKMUM, in botany, a genus of the hexandria mo-nogynia class and order. Corolla six-pelaled, canipanubte, per-manent; filaments dilated at the base; capsule three-celled ; seedsinvested with wool. There are three species,

ElllOb l EML'M, in botany, a genus of the decandria mono*gynia class and order. Calvx live-parted; petals live, sessile;stamina flat, ciliate ; anther* pedicelled terminal; style from thebase of the germ ; capsules five, united, seated on a nectary co-vered with protuberances ; seeds coated. One species, viz. E.australasia. '

ER1PHYLE, in fabulous history, the sister of Adrastns kingof Argos, wife of Amphiaruus, and daughter of Talaus and Lisi-maclie.

ERIS, or A CE, the goddess of Discord among the Greeks,and the Discordia of the Latins. She w as represented by Aristides,with fiery eyes, a pale countenance, livid lips, and wearing a dag-ger in her bosom.

EUISICHTIION, in fabulous history, a Thessalian, son ofTriops, who derided Ceres, and cut down her groves. 'Ibis im-piety irritated the goddess, w ho afflicted him w ith continual hunger.

ER1THALIS, a genus of the monogvnia order, and pentamiriaclass of plants. Corolla qninqueparlite; calyx bladder-like;berrv decemlocular, inferior. It lias two species.

ElUYAN, a city of Persia, in Asia , and capital of Persian Ar-menia. It is a large, dirty, ill-looking place, in which (here are nohandsome buildings, the houses being very mean, and raised withearth or mud; but it is full of gardens and vineyards. J,on. 44.50. E. Lat. 40. 20. N. v

Erivan , Persian Armenia, or Greater Armenia, a pro-vince of Persia , (5.10 miles long, and 180 broad, of which the abovecitv is the capital.

Erevan, an extensive lake in the above province, 60 miles incircumference.

ERKELKNS, a town of Germany, 10 miles N. W. of Juliers .

ERLANG, a town of Germany, In the circle of Franconia , ISmiles N. \V. of Nuremberg.

EKMELAND, a province of Prussia. The chief towns areFrauenbourg, Braunsbcrg, and Heilsburg.

ERMINE , in zoology. See Mustei.a.

Ermine , or Ermin, in heraldry, denotes a white field or fur,powdered or interspersed with black spots, called powdering. Itrepresents the skin of an animal <o named. There is, however, noanimal whose skin naturally corresponds to the herald’s ermin.The animal is milk white; and so far from having spots, that tradi-tion reports, it will rather die or be taken, than sully its whiteness;hence its symbolical use. But white skim having for ages beenused for the linings of the robes of magistrates and great men, thefurriers, to add to their beauty, sewed hits of the black tails ofthose creatures upon the white skins; which alteration was intro-7