in zoology, a genus of insects belonging to the hymenoptera order. The mouth is armed with jaws, but has no proboscis; the sting is spiral, and mostly concealed within the body. The quercus folii, or oak-leaf cynips, is of a burnished shining brown colour. The antennæ are black; the legs and feet of a chestnut-brown; and the wings white, but void of marginal spots. It is in the little smooth, round, hard galls, found under the oak-leaves, generally fastened to the fibres, that this insect is produced, a single one in each gall. These latter are ligneous, of a hard compact sub- substance, formed like the rest, by the extravasation of the sap of the leaf, occasioned by the puncture of the gall-fly when it deposits its eggs. Sometimes, instead of the cynips, there is seen to proceed from the gall a larger insect of a brown colour, which is an ichneumon. This ichneumon is not the real inmate of the gall, or he that formed it. He is a parasite, whose mother deposited her egg in the yet tender gall; which, when hatched, brings forth a larva that destroys the larva of the cynips, and then comes out when it has undergone its metamorphosis and acquired its wings.

The quercus gemmea, or oak-bud cynips, is of a very dark green, slightly gilded: its antennae and feet are of a dun colour, rather deep. It deposits its eggs in the oak buds, which produces one of the finest galls, leafed like a rose-bud beginning to blow. When the gall is small, that great quantity of leaves is compressed, and they are set one upon another like the tiles of a roof. In the centre of the gall there is a kind of ligneous kernel, in the middle of which is a cavity; and in that is found the little larva, who feeds there, takes its growth, undergoes its metamorphosis, and breaks through the inclosure of that kind of cod in order to get out. The whole gall is often near an inch in diameter, sometimes more when dried and displayed; and it holds to a branch by a pedicle.

There are a great number of other species.

**Cynocephalus**, in zoology, the trivial name of a species of Simia.

**Cynoglossum**, hound's tongue: A genus of the monogyne order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 4th order, Alperifoliaceae. The corolla is funnel-shaped, with its throat closed up by little arches formed in it; the seeds depressed, and affixed to the style or receptacle only on their inner side. There are eight species, none of them remarkable for their beauty. The root of one of them, viz., the officinale, or common greater hound's tongue, was formerly used in medicine, and supposed to possess narcotic virtues; but it is discarded from the present practice. The smell of the whole plant is very disagreeable. Goats eat it; sheep, horses, and swine refuse it.

**Cynomitra**, in botany: A genus of the monozygous order, belonging to the decandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking with those of which the order is doubtful. The calyx is tetraphyllous; the antherae bifid at top; the legumen carious, crecent-shaped, and monofermous.

**Cynomorium**, in botany: A genus of the monandria order, belonging to the monococcia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 5th order, Amenaceae. The male calyx is an imbricated catkin; there is no corolla: the calyx of the female is in the same catkin; no corolla; one style; and one roundish seed.

**Cynophontis**, in antiquity, a festival observed in the dog-days at Argos, and so called ἀπὸ τῶν κυνῶν ποινῆς, i.e., from killing dogs; because it was usual on this day to kill all the dogs they met with.

**Cyntorexy**, an immoderate appetite, to the degree of a disease; called also fames canina and bulimy.

**Cynosarges**, a place in the suburbs of Athens, named from a white or swift dog, who snatched away part of the sacrifice offering to Hercules. It had a gymnasion, in which strangers or those of the half-blood performed their exercises; the case of Hercules, to whom the place was consecrated. It had also a court of judicature, to try illegitimacy, and to examine whether persons were Athenians of the whole or half blood. Here Antisthenes set up a new sect of philosophers called Cynics, either from the place, or from the marling or the impudent disposition of that sect.

**Cynoscephalæ** (anc. geog.), a place in Thessaly near Scotussa; where the Romans, under Q. Flamininus, gained a great victory over Philip, son of Demetrius king of Macedon. These Cynoscephalæ are small tops of several equal eminences; named from their resemblance to dogs' heads, according to Plutarch.

**Cynossema**, the tomb of Hecuba, on the promontory Mastusa, over against Sligeum, in the south of the Chersonesus Thracia; named either from the figure of a dog, to which she was changed, or from her sad reverse of fortune (Pliny, Mela).

**Cynosura**, in astronomy, a denomination given by the Greeks to urfa minor, or "the little bear," by which sailors steer their course. The word is formed of κυνοῦσα, q.d. the dog's tail. This is the constellation next our pole, consisting of seven stars; four whereof are disposed like the four wheels of a chariot, and three lengthwise representing the beam; whence some give it the name of the chariot, or Charles's wain.

**Cynosura**, Cynosura, or Cynosurus, (anc. geog.), a place in Laconica; but whether maritime or inland, uncertain. Here Aesculapius, being thunderstruck, was buried (Cicero).