in commerce, a powder prepared from the leaves of the Egyptian privet, in which the peo- ple of Cairo drive a considerable trade. It is much used by the Turkish women, to give a golden colour to their Fig. 1. Alca or Razor bill

Fig. 2. Alcedo or King's Fisher their nails and hair. In dying, it gives a yellow colour, when steeped with common water; and a red one, when infused in vinegar. There is also an oil extracted from the berries of alcanna, and used in medicine as a calmer.

**ALCANA.** See **ICHTHYOCOLLA.**

**ALCANTARA,** a city of Spain, in the province of Extremadura, on the frontiers of Portugal; 7° O. W. long. 39° 10' N. lat.

**Knights of Alcantara,** a military order of Spain, which took its name from the above-mentioned city.

The knights of Alcantara make a very considerable figure in the history of the expeditions against the Moors.

**ALCARAZ,** a town of Spain, in the province of New-Castile, situated on the river Guadarema; 3° O. W. long. 38° 3' N. lat.

**ALCAZAR de Sal,** a small town of Portugal, in the province of Extremadura, near the confines of that of Alentejo.

**ALCE,** or **ALCES,** in zoology, the trivial name of a species of the cervus, belonging to the order of mammalia pecora. See **CERVUS.**

**ALCEA,** or **VERVAIN-MALLOW,** in botany, a genus of the monodelphia polyandria clas. There are only two species of this genus, viz. the rosea and ficifolia. This genus differs little from the common mallow, either in figure or medical virtues, excepting that the leaves of the alcea are more deeply divided.

**ALCEA vesicaria,** in botany, an obsolete name of a species of the ketmia. See **KETMIA.**

**ALCEDO,** or the **KING'S-FISHER,** in ornithology, a genus of the order of piec. The alcedo has a long, strait, thick, triangular bill; with a flethy, plain, short, flat tongue. There are seven species of the alcedo, viz. 1. The ifpida, or common kings-fisher, with a short tail, blue above, and yellowish below. It haunts the shores of Europe and Asia. 2. The erithaca, with a short tail, a blue back, a yellow bill, a purple head and rump, and the throat and opposite part of the neck white. It is a native of Bengal. 3. The alcyon, with a short black tail, white belly, and ferruginous breast. It is a native of America. 4. The todus, with a short green tail, a blood-coloured throat, and a white belly. It is a native of America; and is the green sparrow, or green humming-bird of Edwards. 5. The imyrmensis, with a short green tail, ferruginous wings, and green back. It is a native of Africa and Asia. 6. The rudis, with a brown short tail variegated with white. It is a native of Persia and Egypt. 7. The dea, with two very long feathers in the tail, a blackish blue body, and greenish wings. It is a native of Surinam. All the species of this genus dive in the water, and catch fish with their long beaks.

**ALCHEMILLA,** or **LADIES-MANTLE,** a genus of the tetrandria monogynia clas. The leaves of this genus are serrated. The cup is divided into eight segments; the flowers are apetalous, and collected in bunches upon the tops of the stalk; the seed-capsules generally contain two conic seeds in each. There are only three species of the alchemilla, viz. the vulgaris of the shops, which is esteemed a powerful vulnerary; the minor, or least ladies-mantle; and the alpina, or cinque-foil ladies-mantle; all of which are natives of Britain.

**ALCHEMIST,** a practitioner in alchemy. See **ALCHEMY.**

**ALCHEMY,** that branch of chemistry which had for its principal objects the transmutation of metals into gold; the panacea, or universal remedy; an alkahest, or universal menstruum; an universal ferment; and many other things equally ridiculous. See **CHEMISTRY, Introduction.**

Alchemy is also sometimes used as a synonymous term for chemistry in general.

**ALCHIMILLA.** See **ALCHEMILLA.**

**ALCHIMY,** **ALCHYMY,** and **ALCHYMIST.** See **ALCHEMY,** and **ALCHEMIST.**

**ALCHITRAM,** or **ALCHITRAN,** a term among alchimists for the oil of juniper, &c.

**ALCIBIUM,** or **ALCIBIADUM,** in botany, an obsolete term of a species of echium. See **ECHIUM.**

**ALCMAER,** a town of N. Holland, remarkable for the fine pastures in its neighbourhood, and the great quantities of butter and cheese made there.

**ALCMANIAN,** in ancient lyric poetry, a kind of verse consisting of two dactyls and two trochees; as,

Virgini|bus pue|rifque|canto.

**ALCOA arbor,** the name of a tree in St Helena, said to emulate ebony.

**ALCOBACO,** a small town of Portugal, in the province of Extremadura: It is defended by a pretty strong castle; but what makes it most remarkable, is the abbey of St Bennet, which is the burying-place of most of the kings of Portugal.

**ALCOHOL,** or **ALKOOL,** in chemistry, spirit of wine highly rectified. It is also used for any highly rectified spirit.—Alcohol is extremely light and inflammable: It is a strong antiseptic, and therefore employed to preserve animal substances. For the other qualities of alcohol, see **CHEMISTRY.**

Alcohol is also used for any fine impalpable powder.

**ALCOHOLIZATION,** among chemists, the process of rectifying any spirit. It is also used for pulverization.

**ALCOLA,** a term among chemists for the tartar of urine.

**ALCORAN,** or **ALKORAN,** the name of a book held equally sacred among the Mahometans, as the Bible is among Christians.

The word alkoran properly signifies reading; a title given it by way of eminence, just as we call the Old and New Testaments Scripture. See **MAHOMETANISM.**

Alcoran, in a figurative sense, is an appellation given to any books full of impostures or impiety.

**ALCORAN,** among the Persians, is also used for a narrow kind of steeple, with two or three galleries, where the priests, called Moravites, say prayers with a loud voice.

ALCORANISTS, among the Mahometans, an appellation given to those who adhere closely to the alcoran as the ultimate rule of faith: Such are the Persians, in contradistinction from the Turks, Arabs, &c., who admit a multitude of traditions besides the alcoran.