ENCHANTER'S NIGHTSHADE, a name common to plants of the genus Circea, belonging to the family Onagracea, of which there are three American species, C. lutetiana, C. pacific° and C. al ina. The first is about a foot and a half high, and has delicate ovate leaves, small whiteflowers tinged with pink, and small roundish seed-vessels covered with hooked bristles. It abounds in woods from Nova Scotia to western Ontario, south to Geor gia and west to Nebraska. It is also called the bindweed nightshade. C. alpina, which is simi lar but smaller and more delicate, is found in cold, moist shady woods throughout the north em hemisphere. Both plants are common in Europe and Asia. Neither has any affinity with the true nightshades.
or CHASING, enriching, beautifying and finishing ornamental designs in raised work upon metal surfaces, especially gold and silver. When these designs have received their general form by casting or hammering they are ready, for the skilled hand of the artisan and his chasing tools. These are of a great variety of shapes and sizes, fitted to correspond with the minute details of the most complex work. Some are grooved or checkered
at the ends, and some of the gravers and burins are curved and blunt, while others taper to a needlepoint. The worker possesses a set of hammers, big and little, graded in size to suit any kind of tool. To offset his alternating task of punching and carving he employs sand bags upon which to rest his work. In order that the form of hollow articles may not suffer in jury during the operations they are filled with a composition of melted pitch and brick dust or rosin. Articles in copper and brass are sometimes filled with lead to give them firm support within. Fine steel blocks are often used to the same end. Excellent specimens of chased work are seen in pieces of ancient armor, and in vases and other ornaments in gold and silver plate. Among the most beautiful are those exe cuted by Benvenuto Cellini (q.v.) in the 16th century. Bronze, richly wrought, has taken its place beside gold and silver work.