IRIDOSMINE. 766 IRISH LAND LAWS. crystnllizos in tlio hexagonal system. It is tin- white to light steel-gray in color, and has u niftallic lustre. The proportions of iridium and n<-Miiuin in it varj-, and other platinum mctaU, !-uili as plutinuin. rhodium, and ruthenium, are frequently present. The mineral occurs with platinum minerals in the L"ral Mountains, in the auriferous drift.s and sands in New South Wall's, and in northern California. IRIGA, f-re'gi. A town of Luzon, Philippines, in the I'rovince of South Camarines (Map: riiilippine Islands, H 6). It lies about 22 miles southeast of Nueva Cftceres, and has a population (1898) of about 17.100. miS (Lat., from C,k. 'ipis). In Hesiod, the daugliler of Thauinas and Klcetra. and sister of the Harpies (q.v. ). In the Homeric poems she is the virgin messenger of the gods; but Alcieus and later writer^ state that she was the wife of Ze|)hyrus and the mother of Eros. She is fre- quently represented on vases and in bas-reliefs as a youtliful winged virgin, with a herald's stalT. The name in Greek means 'rainbow,' and though Vergil is the first writer to represent the bow as the path of the goddess, there can Ik- no doubt of their original connection. It may lie noted that to the Greeks the rainbow was a divine portent, presaging war or heavy rain. Consult: Mayer, "Iris." in Roscher, Lcxikoii dcr ffritrhischen und romischen mylholofjic (Leipzig. 1890-04). — Iris is also the name of one of the ]danetoids (q.v.). discovered in 1847. IBIS (Lat.. from Gk. Iptt. rainbow, sort of lily), <ir I'LOWER-DK-LiCE. A genus of plants of the natural order Iridacoa-. having the three outer segments of the perianth reflexed, the three inner arched inward, and three petal-like stigmas covering the stamens. The species are chiefly natives of temperate climates, especially of North America and Europe. The yellow iris, or corn-flag (/n'.v I'xciiiluionis) , is a well known native of moist grounds in many parts of Europe, often spreading over a considerable extent of land, and conspicuous even at a distance by its tall leaves and large, deep-yellow flowers. It is also established in a few places in the Eastern United States. The stinking iris {Irin frrtidin- sima) a species with livid purple flowers and ill-smelling leaves, is very abundant in the south of FIngland, but does not extend far north. The flowers of most of the species are beautiful. Some of them have received much attention from florists, particularly [ris xiphium, sometimes called Spanish iris: Tris xiphioides, or English iris; and Iris rirrmntiica, or common iris, all European corm-rooted species, and the .lapanese irises, which probably are well referable to Iris herifiata. Many fine varieties have been pro- duced. The Persian iris (Iri.i persicn) is de- lightfully fragrant; the snake's-head iris (Iris iubrrosa) and the Chalcedonian iris (Iris Susi- ana) are also much esteemed. The roots of all these species are annually exported in con- siderable quantities from Holland. Many other species are of frequent occurrence in flower- gardens, such as Iris reticulata and Iris atro- fusca. The fresh rootstocks of Iris Pseuda- fonts arc very acid. Those of Iris forentina. Iris pallida, and Iris germanica are orris-root (q.v.). Some species have edible rootstocks. Iris versicolor, the large blue flag, is common in wet places through the United States as far west as Minnesota and Arkansa-s. Iris crislala is a dwarf species with fragrant flowers found in several loi'alities. ami Iris ecriia and Iris In- custris are other dwarf American species, all of which are cultivated as border plants to a con- siderable extent. See Ibiuack.E and accompany- ing Colored Plates. IBIS ((jk. 7p«, iris). A term used in anat- omy to denote the thin circular curtain, pierced by the pupil, which hangs in the anterior cham- ber of the eye in front of the crystalline lens. It is attached by its peripheral margin to the Mlcra. and its posterior surface is pigmented. See EvK: 'l.sioN : luiTI.s. IBIS FAMILY. A family of plants. See Ikidai K.i;. IBISH ACADEMY, Roval. A learned asso- ciation ill Dutiliii. Ireland, incorporated in 17H(>, with the object of promoting the- study I'f science, polite literature, and antiquities. It is governed by a council consisting of twenty-one members divided into three committees, viz. the Committee of Science, the Committee of Polite Literature, and the Committc-e of Antiquities. The meetings of the council are distinct from those of the Academy at large, and are held every month from Xovember to .June. Tlie li- biary contains a collection of Irish manuscripts, in themselves invaluable, besides papers of i)ub- lie interest, including those of the ("Irdnanee Sur- vey of Ireland. Its collection of Irish antiquities now on exhibition in the National Museum, Dub- lin, under the Science and Art Departments of the Academy, is both interesting and imjKjrtant. IRISH CATHOLIC BENEVOLENT UN- ION. A lialiriial and liciicvnliiit organization, founded at D.iyton, Ohio, in ISOit, for social and beneficial purposes. Meinl)ership in the union is confined to those who are of Irish extraction, and who are members of the Roman Catholic Church. Since the organization of the union, the sum of $2,124,209 has been disbursed to the Umeficiaries of deceased memt)crs, and during the fiscal year of 1901-02 the benefits disbursed amounted to .*4.5.371.71. Tlie number of subor- dinate societies in the union is 149, with a total membership of 1. '5.023. IBISH DEEB. See Deer: Ei.k. IRISH LAND LAWS. The land tenure of Irclaiict is the ])rriilurt of tw<p distinct systems, the Irish trilial and the English feudal. In the former, as descril)cd in the Brehon laws, the land was ultimately the property of one of the four or five tribes into which the Irish popula- tion was divided. A portion of this land was set aside for the chief or king of the tribe, but by far the greater part of it belonged to the differ- ent clans of which the tribes were composed. The clan lands were subdivided among the septs, which were the lowest social units. Land v.a.s set aside both for the chiefs of the clans and the chiefs of the septs. The greater part of the sept land, however, was held by the free tribesmen, who owed both rents and military service to their immediate chiefs. These tribes- men held their lands by different kinds of free tenure. The Ceil had herds of cattle (the chief wealth of the country) of his own. while to the Saer and the Daer tenants cattle were lent by the chief. Besides these there were servile tenants (the Fuidhir), who were not original
