EVOLUTION

EVOLUTION, the act of unfolding or unrolling. In physiology it is used to denote that theory of generation which maintains that the embryo or germ pre-exists in the parent, and that its parts are merely unfolded and developed by the procreative acts. This theory stands opposed to that of Epigenesis, in which the germ is held to be formed by virtue of the procreative powers of the parent. See PHYSIOLOGY.

EVORA or EBORA, the ancient Liberalitas Julia, a city of Portugal, capital of the province of Alemtejo, is situated on an eminence in the centre of a fertile plain, 85 miles E. by S. of Lisbon. It is surrounded by ramparts flanked with towers, and has two forts, but these are all in a ruinous condition, and quite useless as means of defence. The streets are narrow, crooked, and filthy, and the houses old and ill-built. The cathedral is a magnificent Gothic edifice with an altar in the Italian style, extremely rich, and decorated with variously coloured marbles. Evora is the see of an archbishop, and besides the cathedral has several churches, convents, and hospitals, a house of charity, barracks, diocesan school, and museum. This city was in existence in the time of the Romans, and was for a lengthened period the headquarters of Quintus Sertorius, by whom it was fortified and adorned with several fine public buildings.

Evremond. An ancient aqueduct in good preservation, and the ruins of a temple, of which some columns are still standing, evidently belong to the best period of Roman architecture. Pop. about 12,000.