Odontornithes, extinct toothed birds from the Cretaceous strata of North America. There are two distinct types—Ichthyornis and Hesperornis. The former and its relative Apatornis were small tern-like flying birds, with teeth in sockets, and with biconcave vertebrae. But Hesperornis was a large bird, about six feet long, with utterly degenerate wings and obviously incapable of flight. According to Marsh, to whom our knowledge of these forms is chiefly due, it was a consummate diver, even more aquatic than the penguin. The teeth are set in grooves, the vertebrae saddle-shaped. 'A bird indeed,' Stejneger says, 'but a kind of swimming, loon-like raptorial ostrich, without fore-limbs, with the gape armed with formidable rows of strong teeth like a gigantic lizard, and with a large, broad, and flattened tail like a beaver.' See Marsh's monograph (1880).
Ecolampadius, JOANNES (the Latin form of HAUSSCHEIN, although his proper name was Hussgen), one of the most eminent of the coadjutors of Zwingli in the Swiss Reformation, born in 1482 at Weinsberg, in Swabia. He relinquished the study of law at Bologna for that of theology at Heidelberg, became tutor to the sons of the Elector Palatine, and subsequently preacher in Weinsberg. Being appointed preacher at Basel, he formed the acquaintance of Erasmus, who employed him as assistant in his edition of the New Testament. In 1516 he left Basel for Augsburg, where also he filled the office of preacher, and where he entered into a convent. But Luther's publications exercised so great an influence on him that he left the convent, and became chaplain to Franz von Sickingen, after whose death he returned to Basel in 1522, and, in the capacity of preacher and professor of Theology, commenced his career as a reformer. He held disputations with supporters of the Church of Rome in Baden in 1526, and in Bern in 1528. In the controversy concerning the Lord's Supper he gradually adopted more and more the views of Zwingli. In 1529 he disputed with Luther in the conference at Marburg, and he wrote several treatises. He died at Basel, 24th November 1531. He was remarkable for his gentleness of character. There are Lives in German by Herzog (1843) and Hagenbach (1859).
Ecumenical. See ECUMENICAL.
Ede'ma (Gr., 'a swelling') is the term applied in medicine to the swelling occasioned by the effu- sion or infiltration of serum into cellular or areolar structures. The subcutaneous cellular tissue is the most common seat of this affection. (Edema is not a disease, but a symptom, and often a symptom indicating great danger to life. The means of removing it must be directed to the morbid condition or cause of which it is the symptom.