(Qewo), a species of wood, brought principally from the East. It is exceedingly hard and heavy, of great durability, and susceptible of a very fine polish; and hence it is wrought into a variety of toys, and used in mosaic and other kinds of inlaid work. As a dye also it yields a fine green tincture. There are several varieties of ebony, namely, black, red, green, and yellow; but the black is the most valuable. Ebony is obtained from several species of Dio- Eboraecum pyros ebenus, a tree of the natural order Ebenaceae. The supply of this valuable wood comes principally from Madagascar, the Mauritius, and Ceylon. The heart of the tree yields the finest ebony. The best is jet black, free from veins and rind, of a very dense structure, astringent, and of an acid pungent taste. When laid on burning coals it yields an agreeable perfume; and when green it readily takes fire from its abundance of oil. See Botany, Nat. Ord. 135.

The facilities for staining pear-tree and other hard woods of a fine black colour has greatly limited the use of genuine ebony in modern times. It is stated in M'Culloch's Commercial Dictionary that the price of ebony varies in the London market from £5 to £20 a ton, and that the quantities imported are but inconsiderable.