ANNULOI´DA, one of Professor Huxley's eight primary groups, a division (sub-kingdom) of animals, including the Rotifera, Scolecida (tape-worms, &c.), all which are more or less ring-like in appearance, and the Echinodermata, whose embryos show traces of annulation.
ANNULO´SA, a division (sub-kingdom) of animals regarded by some as synonymous with the Arthropoda or Articulata; according to other systematists, including both the Articulata and Annulata or worms.
ANNUNCIATION, the declaration of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary informing her that she was to become the mother of our Lord.--_Annunciation_ or _Lady Day_ is a feast of the Church in honour of the annunciation, celebrated on the 25th of March.--The Italian order of _Knights of the Annunciation_ was instituted by Amadeus VI, Duke of Savoy, in 1360. The king is always grand-master. The knights must be of high rank, and must already be members of the order of St. Mauritius and St. Lazarus. The decoration of the order consists of a golden shield suspended from a chain or collar of roses and knots, the letters F. E. R. T. being inscribed on the roses, and standing for _Fortitudo ejus Rhodum tenuit_ (its bravery held Rhodes).--There are two orders of _nuns of the Annunciation_, one originally French, founded in 1501 by Joanna of Valois; the other Italian, founded in 1604 by Maria Vittoria Fornari of Genoa.
ANNUNZIO ([.a]n-n[u:]nt´sy[=o]), Gabriele d', Italian poet, novelist, and dramatist, born at Pescara in 1863, his patronymic being Rapagnetta. He was educated at Prato and in Rome, and early took to literature and journalism. In 1898 he was elected a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, in which he joined the Socialist party. He came before the public when a schoolboy with a volume of verse called _Primo Vere_, to which others--naturally much more mature--were subsequently added. Several of his novels have been published in English, as: _The Child of Pleasure_, _The Victim_, _The Triumph of Death_, _The Virgin of the Rocks_, _The Fire of Life_. Some of these have been very successful, though disfigured to some extent by coarse realism and voluptuousness. He began to write plays later in life. Among them _Gioconda_, _The Dead City_, and _Francesca da Rimini_ may be read in English versions, and _Gioconda_ and _Francesca_ have been performed on the English stage. His more recent works include: _Le Martyr de Saint Sebastien_ (1911), _Le Chèvrefeuille_ (1914), _La Beffa di Buccari_ (1918), _Notturno_ (1918). D'Annunzio is the most prominent Italian writer of the present day, and in wealth of language and distinction of style stands far ahead of all others. He served in the European War from 1915-18, and was wounded. In Sept., 1919, he led a raid and occupied the port of Fiume. See _European War_ and _Fiume_.