Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/311

MEGATHERIUM. 279 MEHEMET ALL Three other allied genera are Seelidotheriimi, Jlegalonyx, ami Jlylodon. all of Pleistocene age. Of these' Scelidotherium, from South America, in the structure of its skull, resembles closely a gigantic anteater. Megalonyx, differing slightly from Jlegatherium in the structure of its teeth, has been found in the cave deposits of Ken- tucky and Tennessee and in the Pleistocene beds of Cuba. The remaining form, Jlylodon, re- mains of which have been found in Kentucky and South America, is the only member of the family ilegatheriid* in which the skin contains calcareous plates similar to those of the other group of gigantic edentates, the Glyptodontidie; anil in Myloilon these plates, though niuuerous, are small and not joined to each other. Consult A'oodvard. Outlines of Yo'tcbrute Paleontoloffy (Cambridge, 1898). MEGEBLE, Ulkicii. See Abraiiasi-.-Sant.- Clara. MEGGIDDO, me-gld'do. A fortified city of great importance in ancient Syria, situated in the 'alley of Esdraelon, probabh* at the modern EILejjini. It is mentioned as early as the reign of Tho'thmes III. (B.C. 1503-1449), in the Amarna letters (e.l400 B.C.), in a papyrus of the time of Seti I. (B.C. 13.50-1347), and in an inscription of Shishak (B.C. 900-939), and is also referred to in Assyrian inscriptions. According to .Joshua xii. 21, it was the residence of a Canaanitish king at the time of the Hebrew invasion. From Judges i. 27. it is evident that it did not fall into the hands of the tribes invading the plain. David possibly conquered it. Solomou fortified it (I. Kings, i.x. 15). King Ahaziah of Judah found a refuge there when fleeing before Jehu of Israel in B.C. 843 (II. Kings ix. 27). In Ro- man times it was known as Legio, and was an important place. .Jerome calls the Valley of Esdraelon 'the Plain of Jlegiddo.' The 'waters of ilegiddo,' mentioned in Judges v. 19. probably refer to the river Kishon. the present Xahr el- Makatta. At ilegiddo King .Josiah was over- powered by Pharaoh Neeho about B.C. 609. Cqn- sult: Miiller. Asien und Furopa nach ultiigiipt- ischen Denknviilern (Leipzig. 1893) ; Buhl, Geog- rnphie den alten Paliislina (Freiburg, 1890). MEG MER'BILIES. A very tall, masculine gypsy woman in Scott's Guy Mannering. She was devoted in her half-crazy mind to the Bertrams, and died while establishing the iden- tity of Harry Bertram, who was kidnaped in childhood. This character in the dramatized form of the novel was a favorite role of Charlotte Cushman. MEG'NA, or MEGHNA. A deltaic estuary of Bengal. Urilish India, fonning the outlet of the Brahmaputra, of the easternmost channel of the Ganges (qq.v. ), and of tributary streams (Map: India, F 4). It flows into the Bay of Bengal by four mouths, which inclose three large islands. It is navigable by steamers and large river craft, which, however, are often imperiled by the tidal bore, which ascends at the rate of 1.5 miles an hour, and often attains over 18 feet in height : the river is also subject to cyclonic storm waves, which at various times have caused great destruction of proi)erty and loss of life. MEGRIM. See iliGBAiNE. MEGRIMS (OF.. Fr, minruhir. It. mirjrnna, cmifjrana, from Lat. hemirraiiiinii. from Gk. ijfuKpaula, hi'mikrania, pain in one side of the head, from iiiu-, hfmi-, half + KpaiLov, kranion, head), Hypek.kmia, or Ea-(;obgemext. A dis- ease of the horse. It is indicated by the follow- ing symptoms: The animal when at work reels, and then either stands for a minute dull and stupid, or falls to the ground, lying for a time partially insensible. The eyes are staring, breath- ing is hurried and stertorous, .and the nostrils are widely dilated. Occasionallj- these symp- toms are followed by eoina, convulsions, and death. Jlore frequently, however, the animal gains relief in a little while. The attack.s come on suddenly, are often periodical, are most fre- quent during hot weather, and when the animal is drawing up a hill, or exposed during heavy work to the full rays of a hot sun. Liability to megi-ims constitutes unsoundness, and usually depends upon the circulation through the brain being temporarily disturbed by the presence of tumors. Horses subject to megrims are always dangerous; if driven at all, they should be used with a breastplate or pipe-collar, so as to pre- vent, as much as possible, pressure on the veins carrying the blood from the head; they should be moderately and carefully fed, and during hot weather have an occasional laxative. MEHADIA, me-ha'de-6 (Lat. Ad ilcdmn). A small town of Tran.sylvania, Ilungaiy, magnifi- cently situated among the Carpathians, six miles west of the frontier of Rumania (Jlap: Hun- gary, H 4). It is noted for its old cemetery with Greek and Roman inscriptions, and for its Roman ruins. In the vicinity are coal mines. Population, in 1890, 2480, mostly Rumanians. About three miles southeast of Melu'idia is the bathing resort of Herkulesbad, with numerous hot springs (some of them containing sulphur), ranging in temperature from 100° to 143° F., which were Icnown to the Romans as Thermre Hereulis. The place is visited by about 7000 guests .annually. MEHEMET ALI, malie-met ii'le (1709- 1849). Viceroy of Egypt. He was born in 1709 at Kavala, a little town in Macedonia. Left an orphan, he wa.s taken into the service of a captain of the Janizaries. He learned much of military matters and of intrigue, made a rich marriage in 1787, and was thus able to obtain a commission as an olficer in the irregular troops of the Sultan. Tlirough relations which he formed with a Marseilles merchant he amassed wealth in trade. He received a command in Egjpt to cooperate with the British against the French invaders, and at length became com- mander of the Albanian or Arnaut Corps. In 1805 he was recognized by the Porte as Viceroy of Egj'pt and Pasha of Three Tails, but was soon involved in disputes with the Mamelukes (q.v.), who had long practically ruled Egjpt. The struggle was finally terininated in 1811 by the massacre of the greater number of these at Cairo. The rest fled to L'pper Egypt, but were expelled by Mehemet in the following year. They then took refuge in Xuhia. but in 1820 he fol- lowed them there and completely vanquished them. From 1811 to 1818 he carried on war against the Wahabis in Arabia, who were sub- jugated by his adopted son. Ibrahim Pasha. Shortly after he conquered Kordofan. added it to his dominions, and opened a great trade in slaves from the interior of .Africa. About this time he began to reorganize his armv on something like