ARD 



during the whole night, and in cold and 

 rainy weather through the greater part of 

 the day. See Plate II. Mammalia, flg. 1, 

 2, and 5. 



ARCTOPUS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Polygamia Dioecia class of plants, the 

 general umbel of which is long and une- 

 qual ; the partial umbel is shorter ; the 

 involucra consists of five leaves ; the co- 

 rolla of five petals ; the fruit is single and 

 bilocular, and stands under the recepta- 

 cle of the floscule ; the seed is single, 

 cordated, and accuminated. There is 

 but one species. 



ARCTOTHECA, in botany, a genus of 

 the Syngenesia Necessaria; receptacle 

 cellular and chaffy ; calyx imbricate. 

 There is but one species. 



ARCTOTIS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Syngenesia Necessaria class of plants, 

 the common calyx of which is roundish 

 and imbricated ; the compound flower is 

 radiated ; the hermaphrodite corollulae 

 are tubulous and numerous in the disk : 

 the proper hermaphrodite flowers are 

 funnel-shaped ; there is no pericarpium ; 

 the seed is single, roundish and hairy. 

 This genus is separated into the following 

 divisions : A. receptacle villous, 31 spe- 

 cies; B. receptacle chaffy, 11 species; 

 C. doubtful, 18 species. 



ARCTURUS, a fixed star of the first 

 magnitude, in the skirt of Bootes, so 

 called from the circumstance of its being 

 near the tail of the Bear. It has been 

 thought to be the nearest fixed star to 

 our system visible in the northern hemis- 

 phere, because the variation of its place, 

 in consequence of a proper motion of its 

 own, is more remarkable than that of any 

 other of the stars ; and by comparing a 

 variety of observations respecting the 

 quantity and direction of the motion of 

 this star, he infers, that the obliquity of 

 the ecliptic decreases at the rate of 58" 

 in 100 years, a quantity that nearly cor- 

 responds to the mean of the computations 

 framed by the celebrated Euler and La- 

 lande upon the more unerring principles 

 of attraction. 



A ROT US, in astronomy, the Greek 

 name for the Ursa Major and Minor. 



ARDEA, in natural history, a genus of 

 birds of the order of Grallse. The cha- 

 racters of tliis genus are, a long, strong, 

 sharp-pointed bill; nostrils linear; tongue 

 pointed; toes connected by a membrane 

 as far as the first joint; the middle claw 

 of some of the species, of which there 

 are 79, pectinated. This genus is sepa- 

 rated into five divisions, viz. A. crested ; 

 bill hardly longer than the head; B. 



cranes, bald ; C. storks, orbits naked ; 



D. herons, middle claw serrate inwardly ; 



E. bill gaping in the middle. 



Some ornithologists have separated the 

 herons from the storks and cranes; others, 

 preferring the Linnxan system, class the 

 whole under one genus, which, according 

 to Gmelin, consists of nearly 100 species, 

 though Latham enumerated but 79. They 

 are widely distributed over various parts 

 of the globe, differing in size, figure, and 

 plumage, and with talons adapted to their 

 various places of residence, or their pecu- 

 liar pursuits. But, notwithstanding the 

 variety in their bills and plumage, the 

 manners of all are nearly the same, so 

 also is their character, which is stigmatiz- 

 ed with cowardice and rapacity, indo- 

 lence, and yet insatiable hunger ; and it 

 has been observed, that, from the meagre- 

 looking form of their bodies, one would 

 suppose the greatest abundance almost 

 insufficient for their support. 



Ardea pavonia. This is as large as the 

 common heron ; the length two feet nine 

 inches ; the bill is two inches and a half 

 long, straight, and of a brownish colour : 

 irides grey ; the crown of the head covered 

 with soft black feathers like velvet ; on the 

 hind part is a tuft composed of hair, or 

 rather bristles, arising near each other at 

 the base, and spreading out on all sides in a 

 globular form; this is four inches in length, 

 and of a reddish brown colour ; the sides of 

 the head are bare of feathers, being cover- 

 ed only by a fleshy membrane of a reddish 

 colour at the lower part, and in shape not 

 unlike a kidney ; on each side of the throat 

 hangs a kind of wattle ; the general colour 

 of the bird bluish-ash ; the feathers on the 

 fore part of the neck are very long, and 

 hang over the breast ; wing coverts white ; 

 the greater onesincline to rufous,and those 

 farthest from the body to black; the greater 

 quills and tail are black, and the seconda- 

 ries chesnuts ; the legs and the bare part 

 above the knee are dusky. The female 

 is black where the male is blue-ash ; and 

 the wattles on the throat are wanting ; the 

 long feathers on the breast are also less 

 conspicuous. This beautiful species is an 

 inhabitant of Africa, particularly the coast 

 of Guinea, as far as Cape Yerd ; at this 

 last place they are said to be wonderfully 

 tame, and will often come into the court- 

 yards to feed with the poultry. Why the 

 name of Balearic crane has been given to 

 this bird is not well ascertained, as it is 

 certainly not met with in the Balearic 

 Islands at this day. These birds are often 

 kept in our menageries, and with shelter 

 at night often live a good while. Their 



