a small island of Asia, at the bottom of the gulph of the same name, at the entrance of the Gulph of Persia. It is about two leagues from the main land, and about six leagues in circuit. They catch excellent oysters about the island; and it yields plenty of fine white salt; also a kind of shining black sand, which is used for dusting writings, and is transported in considerable quantity to Europe. There is neither sweet water nor grass upon it, the soil being of a salt sulphureous nature. It was taken by the Portuguese in 1507, who fortified it; and it was afterwards frequented by a vast number of merchants, who were extremely rich. In 1622 the Persians, by the assistance of the English, conquered this place, and demolished the houses, which were 4000 in number, containing 40,000 inhabitants. Some time after, the Persians rebuilt the fort, and placed a garrison in it; but they could never bring it to be a place of trade as before: however, it is the key of the Persian Gulph, as well on account of the importance of the place, as the commodiousness of the harbour. It is now almost deserted, for it produces nothing but salt, which sometimes is two inches deep upon the surface of the earth. E. Long. 56. 25. N. Lat. 27. 20.

Ornicus lapis, a name given by some authors to the sapphire of the ancients, which is a peculiar species of our lapis lazuli, in which the gold-coloured matter is not disposed in veins, but in separate spots, of the form of a star. It was first called ornicus and orinus, by corruption from aurinus, "golden;" and thence came at length the word ornicus.

Ornithiae, a name given by the ancients to certain winds, which usually blew in the spring, at the time when the birds of passage came over to them. Pliny says, that these winds blew from the west, and that by some the Etesian winds were called by this name. Others suppose that they blew from the north, or north-west.

Ornithogallum, Star of Bethlehem: A genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the hexandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 10th order, Coronariae. The corolla is hexapetalous, erect, persistent, and patent above the middle; the filaments altereddilated at the base. There are seven species; all of them herbaceous perennials, rising from six inches to three feet high, having stalks terminated with long spikes of hexapetalous, star-shaped, white, and yellow flowers. Six of the species are very hardy, and will prosper in any situation; but one, named the capensis, a native of the Cape of Good Hope, requires the assistance of artificial warmth to preserve it in this country. They are all easily propagated by off-sets from the roots. The bulbous roots of all the species are nutritious and wholesome.