pHua 



ACA 



. ..,= tail, and with 



. with which thai are armed on each * hand* of thoe who 

 r" they inflict dangerous wound^Jrtnistanoe that has acquired 

 touch them incautiously. It U i-' 



Clurtodox Ckinu-fiau. (Bloch.) 



f..r the j|<-'Ari tin- name of Doctors and Lancet-Fishes, by which 

 they are wvll known to tin- Knglish sailors and colonists. These 

 miimttla have the mouth small, and the muzzle rather advanced. They 

 are among the lunall number of fishes which live entirely upon 

 vegetable substances, feeding only upon Fuci, and other marine 

 plants ; their intestinal canal is consequently longer and more 

 complicated than in other 1060168, and their flesh has a peculiar 

 flavour, very different from that of fishes in general. The dangerous 

 weapons with which nature has provided these otherwise hannlvra 

 fishes are well calculated to defend them from the attacks of 

 their enemies. They abound in all the tropical seas, both of the 

 East and West Indies, and are never known to advance beyond 

 the tropics ; consequently they are unknown in the more temperate 

 hit i tildes. 



ACANTHI'S. I'nder this classical name have been described, 1>y 

 ancient authors, at least three totally different plant*. Kii 

 prickly tree with smooth evergreen leaves, and small round saffrou- 

 colotired berries, frequently alluded to by Virgil ; this in conj. 

 to have been the Holly. Secondly, ;i prickly Ivyptian tree, de 

 by Theophrastus as having pods like those of a DSM ; it in probable 

 that this was the Acacia Arabica. Thirdly, a herb, mentioned by 

 Dioscorides, with broad prickly leaves, which perish at the approach 

 of winter, and again sprout forth with the return of spring. It is naid 

 that the idea of the Corinthian capital of Greek columns was taken 

 from some of the leaves of this Acanthus. To this latter plant the 

 name is now applied. The word, in all cases, alludes to the prickly 

 nature of the leaves or stems. 



In modern botany A cantkut is a genus of herbaceous plants found 

 in the south of Europe, Asia Minor, and India, belonging to the 

 natural order Acanthacrir. 



The commonest species U Arantkn* mottit, or Brankureine, a native 

 of many part* of the South of Europe, growing in shady moist places, 

 among bushes. Its stem U about two feet high, and is covered from 



Arnntkiu j/nMfn. 



the middle to the top with fine large white flower*, slightly tinged 

 with yellow. The leaves are large, soft, deeply cut, hairy, and 



shining, and surround the lower part only of the stem. Both iii.- 

 leaves and the roots, which are prr< <d in iiiiu-ihiKe. \\hieh 



has caused them to be substituted in dm:, marsh- 



mallow. It is this species which is usually supposed to have 

 rise to i!.. the Qrecutu capital. But it appeal 



investigation of l>r. Silnhorp, that it in nowhere t<> !>< foiiml. 

 in the Greek islands, or in any iwrt of the Peloponnesus ; and 1 1 , 

 plant which Dioscorides must have meant was the A cant hut /,imrm, 

 still called OKavfa, which in found, as he describes it, on the bord- 

 cultivated grounds, or of gardens, and is frequent in i 



us. Thfc specie iiu A. muHit iu having a d> 



stem, flowers tinged with pink instead of yellow, and spiny leaves, 

 nun 'h more deeply cut. Both th> , and the other are half-hardy 

 perennials, increased by division of the > the root, 



have been long cultivated in the gardens of Great Britain, but perish 

 if not protected from severe frost. 



A '('A N US, a fossil genus of fishes, from Olaris. ( Agamiz.) 



ACA'KID-iE, a division ( Ararhui<ld | AII.M HSII>.\|. which c..inpr- 

 hends the small spider-like animals popularly termed Mites (.1 

 as well as Water-Mites and Ticks. Some of these are waiidri 

 land or in water ; others are fixed upon various animals, whose U.~M| 

 or humours they suck, and even insinuate themselves beneath the skin, 

 and often multiply prodigiously. 



These minute animals are nut considered by modern naturalists to 

 rank among insects, on account of their structure being very dr 

 and from their having, iu most cases, like spiders, eight feet, while no 



insect has more than six feet. Their uths. in - 



with jaws (/> either having pincers or claw-. Imt . .ncealed 



in a project!' n ..t the 1 >rcaat-plate (.- .nn of a lip : in 



it U in the form of a syphon or .-ueker ; and in others it presents a 

 simple cavity. M. I.atreille makes four . i<la : 



1, Mites (Trombidita) ; 2, Tick - ) ; 3, Water-Mites (llydrack- 



nttttr) ; and 4, Flesh- Worms (Micro/A' I. 



All the creatures now embraced in thin family were inclndrd i>\ l.in- 

 IKI-US under hi genus Acarut, and the whole of the species art- \ >j m l.n -ly 

 called Mites, or Acari. They are all very minute, some being I 

 microscopical. They are very gum-rally distributed. Some are pai 

 whilst others are five. The itch is now well knowi 

 euce to a creature of this tribe. Others live naturally iu the human 

 skin, whilst beetles and other insects are very liable to )..- < 

 by them. They are found on the leaves, fruit, flowvrs, and I 

 plants; and on all kinds of pm.i-i.iMs as flour, dried 

 cheese, and putrid animal matters. 



Amongst the true Mites (TrombiJita, Latreille), the following com- 

 mon forms are placed : 



The Domestic Mite (Acaru* domtttictu, De Gcer), is very commonly 

 found in collections of insects and stnlled binls, and is exceedingly 

 destructive to cabinets. Camphor has some effect iu destroying this 

 pest, but is not powerful enough to prevent it altogether. Moistening 



, 

 * * 



romntic Mite (Acarut 



the specimens with a weak solution of corrosive sublimate, is said to 

 prove an effectual prerentative. The species found in ll<>nr and < i> 

 food is called A. !'" 



The Itch Mite '"/. Kabrieini', 8e 



opic animal, found under the human skin in tin 

 a well-known cutaneous disease. It has a remarkable sm-t.nial appa- 

 ratus, by means of which it secures its ho Id under the epidei . 

 the skin, into which it lias the power of penetrating. This aim 

 most effectually destroyed by sulphur ; and indeed this is a M 

 for tlie disease which the Acarut produces. 



Itch Mite (Atom ScaHri.) 

 The Sugar Mite (Acorns iiirrA/triiiuui) is found in the In-own 



of eomiji(_.|'i e. ThillN tne oul of llii|-t\ six spi-rimellM exami' 



the anaht.ieal eomniis^ioiH-rs ol' ' Tin; iyani-et.' )niglit iu tile shops of 

 I. on. Ion. in i ! mini t<> contain these creatures. 



The lied Spider of the hot houses is Uie Acartu lelinritu. It is 1.1m 

 pest of hot-houses and green-houHes. Though so small as Hear. . 

 be seen by the naked eye. its etlert.s on plant - a IT \ . i \ . .t.\ i. n.-j 

 creatures live upon the juiees of the plant \\hieh th.-\ at!.. 



'rii.'v 



are best destroys I by sulphur. Tin' modeo) app 

 sulphur on the hot pipes or on plates ; afterwards, the plants should 



