etals five; the female calyx triphyllous, with five petals, and five barren and five castrated stamens. There are three capsules; and the seeds are arillated, or inclosed in a deciduous case.

Haruspices, pretenders to divination by certain signs or omens among the Romans.—The Roman haruspices were at first all taken from Etruria, where their art had most credit. Afterwards young Romans were sent into Etruria, in order to be brought up in the science. It consisted in foretelling future events by attending to various circumstances of the victims. First, it was an ill omen when the victim would not come to the altar without dragging, when it broke its rope, fled away, avoided the stroke, struggled much after it, made a great bellowing, was long dying, or bled but little. Secondly, Prelates were drawn from inspecting the noble parts of the victim when opened; as the heart, lungs, spleen, and especially the liver. If all these were found, if the top of the liver was large and well-made, and if its fibres were strong, it prefigured well for the affair in question. Thirdly, Knowledge was also drawn by the haruspices from the manner in which the fire consumed the victim. If the flame brightened immediately, was pure and clear, rose up in a pyramid without noise, and did not go out till the victim was consumed, these were happy signs. Fourthly, The smoke also was considered, whether it whirled about in curls, or spread itself to the right or the left, or gave a smell different from the common one of broiled meat. Fifthly, It was a lucky omen if the incense they burned melted all at once, and gave a most agreeable smell.

Haruspicy. See Haruspices and Divination.