GLOSSAIIT. 669 



AsciDiAN. (Gr. aslios, a l)oHlo.) The shcll-lcss acephalous Mollusks, wliich arc 



shaped like a leathern hottle. 

 Assimilation. (Lat. assimttatio.) The act by which organised bodies incorporate 



foreign molecules and convert tiieni into tlieir own proper substance. 

 AsTOMATofs. (Gr. (/, witliout ; stoma, a mouth.) Certain Infusoria which have 



no true or determinate mouth. 

 Atol. Tiie nnme given by the Polynesians to certain forms of coral islands. 

 Automatic. (Gr. automatos, self-moving.) A movement in a living body without 



the intervention or excitement of the will. 

 Axii.i.A (from tlie Latin for armpit) ; an<l applied to other parts of the animal body 



which form a similar angle. 

 AzYGos. (Gr. a, witliout ; zitgoft, yoke.) Single, without fellow. 



Baci'mte. An extinct genus of molluscous animals allied to the Nautilus, which 



inhabited a straight-chambered shell, resembling a staff; whence the name of 



the genus, from bacillus, a staff. 

 Balaxoids. (Gr. bulanos, an acorn.) A family of sessile Cirripeds, the shells of 



which are commonly called acorn-shells. 

 Basilar. (Lat. basis, a base.) Belonging to the base of the skull. 

 Batkaciiia. (Gr. batrachos, a frog.) The order of rejitiles including the frog. 

 Belkmxite. (Gr. belemnon, a dart.) An extinct genius of molluscous animals 



allied to the sepia, and provided with along, straiglit, chambered, conical shell in 



the interior of the body. 

 Bifid. Cleft into two parts, or forked. 

 Bifurcate. Divided into two prongs or forks. 

 BiLATER.a.. Having two symmetrical sides. 

 BiLOBED. Divided into two lobes. 

 Bipartite. Divided into two ])arts. 



BiRAMOcs. A limb which forks into two oar-likc extremities. 

 Bitcbercclate. With two knobs or tubercles. 

 Bivalve. When a shell consists of two parts, closing like a double door. The 



Mollusca, so protected, are commonly called bivalves. 

 Botiiriocephalls. (Gr. bothros, a pit; kephale, a head.) The genus of tape-wonns 



with depressions on the head. 

 BoTRYLLi. (Gr. botrus, a bunch of grapes.) A little cluster of berry-shaped 



bodies. 

 BRAcniAL. (Gr. brachion, the arm.) Belonging to the arm. 

 Buaciiiopoda. (Gr. brachion ; poda, feet.) A class of acephalous Mollusca, with 



two long spiral fleshy arms continued from the side of the mouth. 

 Brachyura. (Gr. brachus, short ; aura, tail.) The tribe of Crustacea with short 



tails, as the crabs. 

 Braciitcrous. Short tailed ; usually restricted to the Cnistacea. 

 Braxciiia. (Gr. brac/c/tia, the gills of a fish.) The respiratory organs which 



extract the oxygen from air contained in water. 

 Braxciiiopods. (Gr. bragchia, giWs; poda, feet.) Crustacea in which the feet sup- 

 port the gills. 

 Bryozoa. {Gr.brnon,Taosa; zoon, animal.) A class of highly-organised Polypes, 



most of the species of which incrust other animals or bodies like moss. 

 Buccal. (Lat. bucca, mouth or cheeks.) Belonging to the mouth. 

 Byssus (from the Greek word, signifying the silky filaments which prqiect from the 



bivalve called Pinna). Apphed to the analogous parts in other Mollusks. 



C^ccM and C^'ECA. (Lat. coccus, bhnd.) A blind tube, or productions of a tube 



which terminate in closed ends. 

 Canthus. (Cir. (^/iunthos.) The comer of the eye. 

 Capitate. (Lat. caj)ut, head.) When a i)art is terminated by a knob like the 



head of a pin. 

 Carapace. The upper shell of the crab or tortoise. 

 Cardia. (Gr. kuidia, the heart or stomach.) The opening which admits the food 



into the stomach ; also the region called the pit of tiie stomach. 

 Cauxivokous. (Lat, caro, tiesh; vuro, I devour.) The animals which feed on flesh. 



