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THURSTON 383 THYRSUS of the Steam Boiler," about 300 mono- graphs. He died Oct. 25, 1903. THWAITES, REUBEN GOLD, an American historian; born in Dorchester, Mass., May 15, 1853. After a high school training he pursued by self instruction a collegiate course and took the post- graduate studies at Yale University in 1874-1875; was managing editor of the "Wisconsin State Journal," Madison, in 1876-1886. In the latter year he became secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. His publications include "Historic Waterways" (1888) ; "The Story of Wisconsin" (1890) ; "The Colo- nies 1492-1750" (1891); "Stories of the Badger State" (1900). He also edited •'The Wisconsin Historical Collections" (vols, ix-xv, 1888-1900) ; "Chronicles of Border Warfare" (1895); "History of the University of Wisconsin" (1900) ; and "The Jesuit Relations" (73 vols., 1896-1901) ; "School History of the Unit- ed States" (1912) ; etc. He died in 1913. THWING, CHARLES FRANKLIN, an American educator; born in New Sharon, Me., Nov. 9, 1853 ; was graduated at Harvard University in 1876, and at Andover Theological Seminary in 1879; pastor of Congregational churches in 1879-1890. In the latter year he accepted the presidency of the Western Reserve University and Adelbert College. He is the author of "American Colleges: Their Students and Work"; "Within College Walls"; "The College Woman"; "The American College in American Life"; "College Administration"; "God in His World"; "Letters From a Father to His Son on Entering College" (1912); "Let- ters From a Father to His Daughter on Entering College" (1913); etc. THWING, EDWARD WAITE, an American missionary; born in Boston in 1868. In 1886 he graduated from the University of the City of New York, then took a full course through the Princeton Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1892. He was immediately ordained a Presbyterian minister and sent as a missionary to China, where he became pastor in south China. In 1895 he became professor of theology and natural philosophy in the Christian Col- lege at Canton, where he remained until 1898, when he returned to the United States. In 1901 he was appointed super- intendent of Chinese missionary work in Hawaii, which position he retained until 1909, when he was appointed Chinese secretary of the International Reform Bureau. He acted as legislative agent for the bureau at the World Conference of Nations on Opium, held in Shanghai, in 1909, after which he remained in Peking. THYESTES. See Atreus. THYROID BODY, or GLAND, in anatomy, a soft, reddish and highly-vas- cular organ, consisting of two lateral lobes united by their lower ends by a transverse portion called the isthmus. It forms a rounded projection upon the tra- chea and larynx. It is one of the vascular glands, or glands without ducts. It has an important relation with the functions of the brain. The removal of the gland causes loss of mental vigor. Goiter is a disease of this gland, and in extreme cases, extirpation is resorted to. THYROID CARTILAGES, in anato- my, two flat lateral plates, continuous in front, forming a narrow angle like the letter V. In the male it is called Adam's apple. THYROPTERA, in zoology, a genus of Vespertilionidoe, forming a separate group of that family. Muzzle elongated, slender; crown cone considerably elevated above the forehead; nasal apertures cir- cular; ears funnel-shaped; bases of the thumbs and soles of the feet with highly specialized organs in the shajpe of hollow suctorial disks. There is but one spe- cies, T. tricolor, from Brazil. It is a small bat, with moderately long, dense fur, reddish-brown above and below, ex- cept breast and abdomen, which are pale yellowish white. THYRSACANTHUS, in botany, a genus of Gendarusseoe ; tropical Ameri- can shrubs or herbs, with large leaves and a long raceme of fascicled or cymose flowers. THYRSITES, in ichthyology, a genus of Trichiuridse, with several species from tropical and sub-tropical seas. Body rather elongate, for the most part naked; first dorsal continuous, the spines are of moderate length, and extend on to the second; from two to six finlets behind the doral and anal; several strong teeth in jaws, and teeth on palatine bones. The species attains a length of from four to five feet, and are esteemed as food fishes. THYRSUS, in classical antiquities, one of the most common attributes or emblems of Bacchus and his followers. It consisted often of a spear or staff wrapped with ivy and vine branches or of a lance having the iron part thrust into a pine cone. In botany, a kind of inflorescence consisting of a panicle, the principal diameter of which is in the mid- dle between the base and the apex; a cornpact panicle, the lower branches of which are shorter than those in the mid- dle. It is at first centripetal and after- ward centrifugal ; example, the lilac.