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THALASSINIDJE 327 THALLENE of legs large; sternal plate long and narrow. THALASSIOPHYLLTJM, in botany, a genus of algals, akin to Laminaria, but having the frond spirally wound around the stem. Found on the N. W. shores of Arctic America. THALASSOCHELYS, in zoology, the loggerhead turtle; a genus of Chelonidffi, equivalent to the genus Caouana of older authors, with two or three species from tropical seas. Plates of the carapace not imbricated; 15 plates on the disk; jaws slightly curved toward each other at their extremity. THALASSOPHRYNE, in ichthyology, a genus of Batrachidse, with two species, from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America. The spinous dorsal is formed by two spines only, each of which is hollow, like the opercular spine, and conveys the contents of a poison bag situated at the base. The poison bags have no external muscular layer, and are situated immediately below the thick, loose skin which envelops the spines; the ejection of the poison can therefore only be effected by the pressure to which the poison bag is subjected the moment the spine enters another body. THALBERG, SIGISMOND, a Swiss pianist; born in Geneva in 1812, where he received his early education under the supervision of his mother, the Bar- oness Wetzlar. At the age of 10 he was removed to Vienna, where he continued his studies under the best masters, in preparation for a diplomatic career. Thalberg's first appearance as a pianist was at the age of 14, when he played at an evening party at Prince Metter- nich's. This success was followed up by numerous appearances in Paris, till, over- coming his father's scruples, he was al- lowed to abandon diplomacy for music. He made tours in 1839 through Belgium, Holland, England, and Russia, and after- ward through Spain, Brazil, and North America, finally settling down at Naples in 1858. Thalberg married Madame Boucher, daughter of the celebrated La- blache. His musical compositions com- prise more than 90 numbers, principally fantasies and variations. His operas "Cristina" and "Florinda"— the latter played before the queen in London in 1851 — were absolute failures. As a pian- ist, in graceful and brilliant execution and in manual dexterity, he had scarcely a rival. He died in Naples April 27, 1871. THALER, a silver coin formerly in use in Germany, of the value of about 75 cents. THALES, the earliest of the Greek philosophers, called the father of philoso- phy; born in Miletus 640 B. C. He was the founder of the Ionic school, one of the chief sources of Grecian philosophy. He visited Egypt for instruction in the sciences professed by the priesthood. Be- sides abstract philosophy, he s'.udied geometry and astronomy, and tradition credits him with predicting a solar eclipse. His ancient biographers men- tion among his services to astronomy a calculation of the length of the year, and of the interval between solstices and equi- noxes. He left nothing in writing. He died about 550. THALIA, one of the nine Muses. She was the patron of comedy, and is usually represented with the comic mask and the shepherd's crook in her hand. One of the Graces was also called Thalia. THALICTRUM, in botany, meadow- rue; a genus of RanuncuUtceoe, tribe Anemoneae. Known species 50, frofti the temperate and colder parts of the North- ern Hemisphere. Three familiar species are T. alpinum, the Alpine ; T. minus, the lesser; and T. flavum, the common meadow-rue. The most common is T. minus. It has three or four pinnate leaves, with roundish or wedge-shaped leaflets, trifid and toothed, and diffuse panicles of generally drooping flowers. It is found in stony pastures, especially in limestone or chalky districts. There are four sub-species. The root of T. foliolosum, from the temperate parts of the Himalayas, is given in India as a tonic and aperient in convalescence after fever, in chronic dyspepsia, etc. THALITE, in mineralogy, a variety of saponite occurring in amygdaloidal rocks on the N. shore of Lake Superior. THALIUM, in mineralogy, a name given to a supposed new element which apparently has no existence. THALLEIOCHIN, in chemistry, dal- leiochin; a green substance produced by th6 action of chlorine and then ammonia on a solution of quinine. In dilute solu- tions it remains dissolved as a bright emerald green color, and forms a highly delicate test for the presence of small quantities of quinine. THALLENE, a solid hydrocarbon isomeric with anthracene obtained from the last products which pass over in the distillation of American petroleum. It