TARDIGRADA (Lat., slow-going). A group of little animals of uncertain affinities, repre sented by the bear-animalcules. They are minute, slowly moving, soft-skinned animals, not more than a millimeter in length, and are often referred to the class Arachnida, as distantly related to the mites. The body is short and thick, not divided into segments, the head slightly separated from the trunk. The mouth is provided with a sucking proboscis, and is surrounded by papillre. The digestive canal opens by a muscular pharynx into a narrow Lesophagus, which leads to a capacious stomach, succeeded by a short intestine. There are two eye-like spots, and the nervous system consists of a brain succeeded by a ventral nerve-cord of four ganglia. There are no heart, blood-vessels, nor any respiratory organs; and the animals are hermaphroditic. The segmentation of the' egg (which is very large) is complete and regular. Tardigrades are not uncommon in bog-moss (Sphagnum), or in fresh and salt water, and are capable of revivifying after being apparently dead and dried up, if placed in water.
TARE (of uncertain etymology; possibly con nected with ME. tare, brisk, eager). Various leguminous plants, especially species of Vieia, weak climbing plants, natives of the temperate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. One of these, the wild vetch ( hirsuta), has very small flowers and pods, pinnate leaves, and small leaf lets. It affords nourishing food for cattle, but the quantity is so small that it is seldom cultivated and is chiefly known as a weed. One species (Vicia saliva), with an upright branching habit, is cul tivated in some parts of Europe for its herbage, which is thought to be rich enough to compensate for its small quantity. The plant thrives well in poor sandy soils, where it is valuable for green manure. (See VE-rcu.) The tare of the New Testament is supposed to be darnel.