Ekat´erinodar, a town of Russia in the Caucasus, chief town of the Kuban territory, on the River Kuban, a poorly-built place with a considerable trade. Pop. 107,360.
Ekat´erinoslav, a town of the Ukraine, capital of a government of the same name, on the right bank of the Dnieper, 250 miles N.E. of Odessa. Founded in 1787, it is a manufacturing centre, producing iron, machinery, tobacco, and beer. Pop. 220,100.—The government, which is intersected by the Dnieper and reaches the Sea of Azov, has great mineral wealth, especially in coal (Donetz basin), iron, manganese, and rock-salt; and its fertile black-earth soil produces abundant crops of wheat and other grains. Area, 24,478 sq. miles; pop. 3,537,300.
Elæagna´ceæ, the oleaster family of plants, a small nat. ord. of apetalous dicotyledons scattered over the northern regions. The only British member is the sea-buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides).
Ela´in, the oily principle of fat obtained by submitting fat to the action of boiling alcohol, allowing the stearin to crystallize, and then evaporating the alcoholic solution. It is not unlike vegetable oil in its appearance and its properties, and forms soaps with alkalies.
E´lam, the ancient name of a country on the eastern border of Babylonia. Its civilization dates back beyond 3000 B.C. Before 2000 B.C. it was strong enough to subdue part of Babylonia. Its power was finally broken by the last Assyrian monarchs. The capital was Susa, which became prominent again after the rise of Cyrus. Its splendour during the Persian period is reflected in the Book of Esther, in which it is referred to as 'Shushan'.
E´land, Oreas (Orias) canna, a species of antelope inhabiting Africa, the largest of all its kind, being about the size of an ox. Its flesh, especially that of the thighs, which are dried and used in this state, is highly prized. It is now almost extinct south of the Limpopo, but it is plentiful in the Kalahari. The colour is a light or greyish brown, and it possesses a short mane. The horns, which are about 18 inches long and nearly straight, are spirally keeled.
El´anus, the name of certain species of raptorial birds of the genus Elānus, belonging to the kites. The type species is the black-winged kite (E. cæruleus) of Africa and South Asia, which strays to South-West Europe. A very similar form (E. leucurus) is native to tropical and subtropical America, and other species (E. scriptus and E. axillaris) are Australian.
Elaphomyces, a genus of Ascomycetous fungi, section Plectascineæ, with closed, subterranean ascus-fruits resembling those of the genuine truffles (Tuberineæ), but not closely allied to that family. E. cervinus (Hart's truffle) is not infrequent in Britain; it forms 'mycorhiza' with roots of oak, beech, and various conifers.