Exmouth, Edward Pellew, Viscount, a British naval officer, born at Dover in 1757, died 23rd Jan., 1833. He went to sea at the age of thirteen, served as midshipman in the Blonde frigate during the American War, and greatly distinguished himself at Lake Champlain. In 1782 he was made a post-captain for a brilliant action in the Pelican, and on the outbreak of the war in 1793 was appointed to the command of the frigate La Nymphe. From this time till the peace in 1802 he was employed on active service. In 1804, on the resumption of hostilities, he was sent to take the chief command on the East India station, in the Culloden, of seventy-four guns; and here he remained till 1809, when he had attained the rank of vice-admiral. His next appointment was the command of the fleet blockading the Scheldt. In 1814 he was made Baron Exmouth with a pension of £2000 per annum. In 1816 he was sent with a fleet to punish the Dey of Algiers for outrages committed, and to force him to give up his Christian captives and abolish Christian slavery. Along with some Dutch war vessels he bombarded the city for eight hours, and inflicted such damage that the Dey agreed to every demand. Three thousand Christian slaves were thus restored to liberty. Lord Exmouth was made a viscount and received honours from several of the European sovereigns, and the freedom of the City of London. In 1821 he retired into private life.
Exoascineæ, a family of parasitic ascomycetous Fungi, distinguished by the absence of any definite fruit-body, the asci being produced in a layer on the surface of the host. The best known are Exoascus Pruni, the cause of the mal-formed fruits called 'bladder-plums' or 'pocket-plums', and E. turgidus, which produces the abnormal tufts of branches on silver birch known as 'witches' brooms'.
Exobasidiineæ, a family of parasitic basidiomycetous Fungi, resembling the Exoascineæ in most respects, but producing basidia in place of asci, a remarkable instance of parallel evolution. The commonest British species is Exobasidium Vaccinii, which is frequent on cowberry (Vaccinium Vitis-Idæa) in Scotland. E. vexans is the cause of a serious disease of the tea-plant called 'blister-blight', which is very destructive to the Assam plantations.
Ex´odus (Gr. exodos, a going out), the name given in the Septuagint to the second book of the Pentateuch, because it describes the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. The contents of the book are partly historical, describing the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, and partly legislative, describing the promulgation of the Sinaitic law. One of the difficulties connected with this book is that, according to Scriptural chronology, the residence of the Israelites in Egypt was only 215 years, and it seems incredible that in this time "the threescore and ten souls" who accompanied Jacob to Egypt could have become the two and a half millions who left with Moses.
Exogamy (Gr. exo, outside, and gamos, marriage), a term applied to the custom of allowing marriages only between members who do not
belong to the same group. The study of exogamy is practically a branch of ethnology. The opposite of exogamy is endogamy, or prohibition of marriage outside the tribe. Exogamy, which among other causes may be ascribed to a desire of forming useful alliances with hostile tribes, is practised among Australian aborigines, Mongols, and American Indians, and the custom is widely distributed in various forms in all stages of civilization.—Bibliography: Sir J. G. Frazer, Totemism and Exogamy; E. A. Westermarck, The History of Human Marriage.
Exogenous Plants (eks-oj´e-nus), or Exogens, old names for Dicotyledons (q.v.).
Exogenous Structures, in botany, are those which arise from superficial tissues of the parent organ, as stem-branches and leaves. Opposed to endogenous structures.
Ex´orcism (Gr. exorkizein, to expel with an oath), the casting out of evil spirits by certain forms of words or ceremonies. An opinion prevailed in the ancient Church that certain persons, those particularly who were afflicted with certain diseases, especially madness and epilepsy, were possessed by evil spirits; this was called demoniac possession. Over such persons forms of conjuration were pronounced, and this act was called exorcism. There were even certain men who made this a regular profession, and were called exorcists. Exorcism still forms a part of the beliefs of some Churches. In the Roman Catholic Church exorcist is one of the inferior orders of the clergy.—Cf. Sir J. G. Frazer, The Golden Bough.
Exosto'sis, in medicine, an excrescence or growth from one of the bony structures of the body. It is generally found at the end of long bones near the joints, and in connection with the skull.