fithii) abounds in the Himalayas, but is generally a small tree of 20 to 40 feet high. Its cones are larger than those of the common larch. One of the marked differences between these conifers and the pines and firs is their deciduous character. See Plate of TAMARACK AND LARCH. LARCHEY, lär'shâ', ETIENNE LORÉDAN (1831 -). A French author and antiquary, born at Metz, son of an artillery general. He was educated at the Collège Saint Louis and at the Ecole des Chartes. In 1852 he was first employed in the Mazarin Library; and after he had become its librarian went to the library of the arsenal as adjunct curator, of which he was appointed curator in 1880, and where he specialized in historical research and in linguistic study. He edited much correspondence and historical matter, and wrote: Un mois à Constantinople (1855); Origines de l'artillerie française (1862); and Planches autographiées d'après les monuments du XIVème et du XVème siècles (1863); and the linguistic studies: Les excentricités du langage (1860), reprinted in 1883, with the title, Dictionnaire historique, étymologique et anecdotique de l'argot français; as well as much miscellaneous matter. LARCH'MONT. A village of New York. See MAMARONECK. LARCH SAW-FLY. A saw-fly (Nematus Erichsonii) whose larvæ are very destructive to larch forests in the United States and Canada, especially in Northern New England. It also occurs in Northern Europe. The eggs are laid in a row upon and within the young larch-shoots in June or July, and the larvæ feed upon the leaves until August, sometimes defoliating all of the trees over a large area of hackmatack swamps. LAR COM, LUCY (1826-93). An American poetess, born at Beverly, Mass. She passed most of her childhood at the seaside, and worked as a young woman in the mills at Lowell, Mass. Here she contributed to the Lowell Offering, a periodical which existed about 1840-45 as a literary journal for the mill operatives. Her work attracted the notice of Whittier, with whom she afterwards compiled Child-Life and Songs of Three Centuries. Later she became a student in the Monticello Female Seminary in Illinois, and after that a teacher in the Wheaton Female Seminary, at Norton, Mass. In 1865 she became assistant editor (and from 1866 to 1874 editor) of Our Young Folks, since merged in the Saint Nicholas. Before this she published Similitudes (1854); Ships in the Mist, and Other Stories (1859); The Sun-Beam, and Other Stories (1860); and Leila Among the Mountains (1861). Her later years were passed chiefly at Beverly Farms, Mass. She died in Boston, April 17, 1893. Her Poetical Works were collected in 1885. Consult Addison, Life, Letters and Diary of Lucy Larcom (Boston, 1894). LARD (OF., Fr.. lard, from Lat. lardum, laridum, larida, fat of bacon; perhaps connected with Gk. Mápivos, larinos, fat, λapós, laros, pleasant). The fat of the hog. Until after the first quarter of the nineteenth century, lard was only used for culinary purposes, and as the base of various ointments. Owing to the enormous extent, however, to which nork was produced in America, numerous other uses for lard were discovered, and large quantities were pressed at low temperature to separate the stearine and oleine of which it is composed in the proportion of 62 parts of oleine to 38 parts of stearine and palmatine. The stearine was used for candle-making; and the oleine soon became a very important article of commerce, under the name of 'lard oil,' which was found to be a valuable lubricant for machinery. Ordinary lard is extracted from the fat of the entire animal; leaf lard is taken only from the fat that surrounds the kidneys. It is exported from the United States in large quantities, much going to France, where it is used as an adulterant of olive oil. Commercial lard itself is also often adulterated with such cheaper products, as cottonseed oil, tallow, and even water. See DiGESTERS; PACKING INDUSTRY. LARDER-BEETLE. See BACON-BEETLE; DERMESTID BEETLE. In LARD'NER, DIONYSIUS (1793-1859). A brilliant Irish popularizer of natural philosophy. lege there in 1817, and took holy orders, but deHe was born in Dublin, graduated at Trinity Colvoted himself almost entirely to scientific work. He first became known by his Treatise on Algebraical Geometry (1823), and by a work on the Differential and Integral Calculus (1825). 1827 he was appointed professor of natural philosophy and astronomy in London University, now University College. He published several original memoirs, but devoted himself mainly to the popular exposition of science, and published a number of excellent 'hand-books' of the various branches of natural philosophy; also a book, in 12 volumes, entitled Museum of Science and Art. He is best remembered, however, for his Cabinet Cyclopædia, for which he secured the collaboration of the best scientists and authors of the time. In 1840 he eloped with a Mrs. Heaviside, and found himself compelled to leave England. He spent five years (1840-45) in the United States, delivering courses of popular scientific lectures in all the principal cities. In 1845 he settled in Paris. His last months were spent at Naples. LAREAU, lå'ro', EDMOND (1848-90). Ꭺ French Canadian politician and author, born at Saint Grégoire d'Iberville, Quebec. After completing his education at Saulte Marie de Mannoir, Victoria College, and McGill University, Montreal, he was admitted to the bar (1870), and six years afterwards was appointed law professor at McGill. In 1886 he was elected to the Legis lature of Quebec Province as Liberal member for Rouville County, and retained his seat until his death. Besides editorial work, he wrote: Histoire du droit canadien (1872); L'histoire de la lit. térature canadienne (1874); Mélanges historiques et littéraires (1877). LAREDO, là-rā'dô. seat of Webb County, Texas, 153 miles by rail A city and the county. southwest of San Antonio; on the Rio Grande, opposite Nuevo Laredo, with which it is connected by bridges, and on the International and Great Northern, the Mexican National, and other railroads (Map: Texas, E 6). Among the features of the city are the market, a convent, Mercy Hospital, a fine court-house and jail, Laredo Seminary (Methodist Episcopal, South), established in 1882, and a city park of about 65 acres. Laredo is in a fertile agricultural and stockraising district, which has also valuable mineral deposits, especially of coal; is an important commercial centre with a large international and local trade, exporting bricks, wool, live stock, Bermuda onions, coal, etc.; and has extensive concentrating and sampling works, car and machine shops, brick-works, a tannery, foundry, furniture factory, etc. Settled by Spaniards and laid out in 1767, Laredo was long a frontier town of Mexico, and bore the reputation of a border town. It was first incorporated about 1848. Pop ulation, 1890, 11.319; 1900, 13,429. LA'RES (Latin plural; sing. Lar; early plural Lases; no satisfactory derivation of the word has been given). Local divinities of the ancient Romans. They belong to the original element in the Roman religion, and were in early times worshiped especially in the country. At cross-roads or where several pieces of property joined, were erected compita, or chapels for the Lares compitales, with an altar on each separate piece of property so that the owner could make his offerings on his own land. At the hearth also was an image or shrine of the Lar familiaris (the singular is always used till the time of Augustus), though properly he is the guardian of the land rather than the house. The worship of this guardian spirit seems to have been especially connected with the servants of the house or the slave tenants. At the Compitalia, an annual festival, the slaves were allowed much license, and the rustic feast was an occasion for general merry-making. At the hearth the Lar received an offering on the Kalends, Nones, and Ides, as well as at all family festivals. This was usually merely garlands or incense and wine; only on very solemn occasions, as after a death, was a victim sacrificed. Alongside these Lares privati were the Lares publici, who watched over the public lands, and whom the Arval Brothers (q.v.) invoked in their ancient hymn. The worship of the Lares compitales even entered the city of Rome, though under the Republic it does not seem to have been found within the ancient limits of the Septimontium. The college compitalicia, who celebrated this worship, were made up of freedmen and slaves, belonging thus to the lower classes, and proving so fruitful a source of disorder that the Senate in B.C. 64 attempted their suppression, and they were finally abolished by Cæsar. Under Augustus the whole worship received a new direction. He established a Compitum in each of the Vici into which he divided the city of Rome, where the Lares, now called Lares Augusti, were worshiped, and between them the Genius of the Emperor. This worship spread through Italy and the provinces, and even was adopted in the household cult, where we now find the two Lares with the Genius of the house owner between them. The Lares are regularly represented as dancing youths, in short tunics, a cup or patera in one hand, into which they pour wine from a horn held aloft in the other. The type was an old one, and evidently refers to the feasting and dancing of the early rural festival. LARGE (OF., Fr. large, Sp., Port., It. largo, from Lat. largus, large, abundant). The longest note or mark of duration in mensurable music; indicated by the sign: as, for instance, beginning with semibreve, then breve, long, large; the proportion of time being as 1, 2, 4, 8. The breve is now the longest note in use, though its original signification did not indicate prolongation, but brevity of sound, the measure or unit of time in music having materially changed since the terms above given were in common use in the Gregorian music of the Roman Church. See MUSICAL NOTATION. LAR'GESS, or LARGESSE (OF., Fr. largesse, It. larghezza, bounty, from Lat. largiri, to give generously, from largus, large, abundant). Literally a giving freely; later meaning equal to bounty. It was a term used commonly by the heralds in the Middle Ages, who cried a largesse.' At a later period it became the custom to grant certain fees to heralds for their services on state occasions, and these were called a largesse. According to Skeat "the term is still used in some parts by gleaners, who cry 'largesse' when they see a stranger passing by." LAR GIBBON. See GIBBON. LARGILLIÈRE, lär'zhêl'yâr', NICOLAS (16561746). A French painter, born in Paris. His family afterwards settled at Antwerp, and he In 1674 studied there under Antoine Goubau." he went to England and worked under Sir Peter Four Lely, who employed him in restorations. years afterwards he came back to Paris, and, befriended by Lebrun and Van der Meulen, he made a reputation as a portrait painter. He returned to London in 1685 and painted portraits of James II. and his Queen, but declined flattering offers to remain, and afterwards lived in Paris, where he became rector (1722) and chancellor of the Academy (1743). He is at his best as an historical portrait painter, and a fine example of this kind of work is his votive picHe ture at Saint Etienne du Mont (1694). painted portraits of all the celebrities of the time, with lively color and much elegance, and is said to have produced more than fifteen hunHis works have often been endred portraits. graved, notably by Drevet. LARGO, lärʼgo (It.. large). A word used in music to denote the slowest of all the tempi, and especially in compositions where the sentiment is quite solemn. It is very seldom used for entire movements, because the characteristic heaviness of this tempo is too oppressing. For a short introduction (q.v.) to a following allegro the largo is very effective, and a great favorite with com posers writing in the sonata form. Beethoven in his Sonata op. 13 employs this tempo in a masterly manner for the introduction, and also, for the sake of contrast, for an episode within the allegro itself. The diminutive of largo is larghetto, and denotes a time somewhat faster than largo. LARGS, lärgz. A favorite resort for sea-bath ers, on the Firth of Clvde, 18 miles below Green ock (Map: Scotland, D 4). Population, in 1901. 3243. Here, in 1263, Alexander III. of Scotland, in the course of a war with the Norwegian col onies of Man and the Isles, defeated the King of Norway, who, with 160 ships and 20.000 men. had descended upon the coast of Ayrshire. LARI, läʼre. A city in the Province of Pisa Italy, eight miles by stage from Pontedera, which is 13 miles by rail east of Pisa (Map: Italy, E 4). The city has an infant asylum and a theatre. The country produces grain, wine, and oil, and there are hot springs in the vicinity. Popula tion of commune, in 1901, 12,432. LA'RI (Neo-Lat. nom. pl., from Lat. larus, Gk. Mápos, gull). A suborder of birds, including gulls, terns, skuas, and skimmers (qq.v.), characterized by their long, pointed wings, nostrils open but not tubular, hind toe small and free, or rarely wanting. The bill is very variable, but never has lamellæ. The feet are fully webbed, and provided with compressed curved claws. The plumage is soft, dense, and simply colored; bright colors are rare, except on the bill and feet, and the sexes are alike in color. The nest is ordinarily on the ground, and the eggs are about three, white with heavy blotches. They are chiefly marine birds, but are also found about large bodies of fresh water. More than 125 species are known, residing in all parts of the world. LAR'IGOT (OF. l'arigot, the flageolet). A stop of the organ, which is usually termed the 'nineteenth.' It is tuned an octave above the twelfth stop, or two octaves and a fifth above the diapasons. It has a single rank of metal pipes, and is found in some organs as one of the ranks of the mixture stops. Its tone is exceed ingly shrill. LARIO, läʼrê-ô, LAKE (Lago di Lario). Another name for Lake Como (q.v.), Italy. LAR'IOSAURUS (Neo-Lat., from Lat. Larius, ancient name of the Lago di Como + Gk. σaûpos, sauros, lizard). A small extinct reptile, three feet long, of the order Sauropterygia, found fossil in the Triassic shales of Northern Italy. It is related to the Plesiosaurs. See PLESIOSAURUS; REPTILE. LARIS'SA. The capital of the nomarchy or province of the same name in Thessaly, Greece (Map: Greece, D 2). It is situated on the Salamvria (ancient Peneus), 33 miles northwest of the port of Volo, with which it is connected by rail. It carries on an important transit trade, has manufactures of silk and cotton goods, and is a military headquarters, as well as the seat of a Greek metropolitan. Population, in 1889, 13,610; in 1896, 15,517, of whom 5000 were Turks. In ancient times Larissa (Larisa) was regarded as the capital of Thessaly and was the residence of the reigning family of the Aleuada. It was a large and wealthy city far into the Middle Ages. It was the headquarters of the Greek Army in the war against Turkey in the spring of 1897. LA RIVE, lá rêv, AUGUSTE DE. See DE LA RIVE. LA RIVE, CHARLES GASPARD DE (1770-1834). A Swiss chemist, born in Geneva. He studied medicine and the natural sciences in Edinburgh; became associate in the Academy of Geneva in 1802, and distinguished himself by researches in chemistry and natural history. Among his works may be noted: Observations (upon the conversion of starch into sugar); and an Essai sur la théorie des proportions chimiques et sur l'influence chimique de l'électricité. La Rive took an active part in the political life of Switzerland; was a member of the provisional council in 1813, and in 1817 became president of both councils of the Republic. The museum of natural history and the botanic garden at Geneva were founded by him. LARIVEY, lå'rê'va', PIERRE DE (c.1550c.1612). A French dramatist, born at Troyes. His family was Italian, and he was a canon of the Church of Saint Etienne at Troyes, but aside from these facts little is known of his life. In 1577 he began to write a series of prose comedies adapted from the Italian. Their fresh, natural dialogue and lively scenes make them the most important contribution to this kind of literature produced in the latter part of the sixteenth century. They were borrowed from by Molière. Six of them appeared in 1579, and three in 1611. They have been reprinted in Viollet-le-Duc and Jannet's L'ancien théâtre français, vols. v. to vii. (1879). LA RIVIÈRE, lå'rê'vyâr', ALPHONSE ALFRED CLÉMENT (1842-). A Canadian journalist and statesman. He was born in Montreal and was educated at Saint Mary's College, Montreal. His journalistic experience was gained as special correspondent of La Minerve of Montreal, and as editor of Le Manitoba and of Le Canada of Ottawa. In 1871 he was appointed to a position in the Dominion Lands Office, Winnipeg, and afterwards became prominent in the affairs of Manitoba, as member of the Provincial Assembly, Provincial Secretary, Minister of Agriculture, and Treasurer. He served as director of the Commercial Bank of Manitoba, and as president of the Board of Arts and Manufactures of the Province of Quebec, also as superintendent of Roman Catholic schools of Manitoba, and as member of the council of the University of Manitoba. In 1889 he was elected to the Dominion Parliament. LA'RIX. The name of a genus of coniferous trees. See LARCH. LARK (AS. laferce, lauerce, OHG. lerahkā, lerehhā, lērihhā, Ger. Lerche). Several different birds are called 'larks,' but properly only those of the family Alaudidæ, of which skylarks and shore-larks are good examples. The Alaudida are a small family of scarcely more than 100 species, very well characterized by the structure of the feet, in which the hind claw is very long and straight, and the tarsi are scutellate behind as well as in front, and the two series of plates meet along a vertical groove on the inner side of the tarsus. By many this is regarded as a very generalized character, and the group is according ly assigned to one of the lowest positions in the order Passeres. Larks are small, and mostly brownish birds, more or less streaked, but the shore-larks show more or less yellow, white, black, rufous, and pinkish. They are most abundant in Africa, but are common in Europe and parts of Asia, while uncommon in Australia and America. Only a single genus occurs in the New World, that of the shore-larks (Otocoris). All of the larks are terrestrial birds, which nest and feed on the ground, and the food consists of seeds, worms, and insects. They are generally migra tory, and some of them are great wanderers. Except during the breeding season they are very gregarious, and are often seen in enormous numbers. The nests are generally made in open fields and the eggs, four or five in number, are dull and more or less speckled and blotched. The titlarks and meadow-larks of America are not true larks, but belong to totally distinct families. See SHORE-LARK; SKYLARK; and Plate of LARKS AND STARLINGS. LARK-BUNTING. An American fringilline bird (Calamospiza melanocorys) which inhabits the plains and mountain valleys of the West |