AGRIMONIA. 



AGROSTIS. 



102 



not any appearance of crest, and the tail is still shorter than in the 

 Common Agouti. Both this species and the former seem to inhabit the 

 same climates Surinam Guiana, and Brazil; the Common Agouti, 



Black or Crested Agouti (Dasyprocta crisfata). 



however, appearing to have a rather more extensive range, and to 

 be likewise found in the West India Islands, and even as far south 

 as Paraguay. 



3. The Acouchy, or Olive Agouti (Datyprocta Acuchi), is considerably 

 smaller than either of the foregoing species, and is at once distinguished 

 by the greater length of its tail, which is upwards of two inches in 

 length, not much thicker than a crow's quill, and covered with short 

 Bcattered haira like those on the tail of a rat. In other respects it is 



The Acouchy (Dasyprocta Acuclii). 



of the same form as the Agoutis ; has the same naked round ears, the 

 same large black eyen, and the same olive-green colour mixed with 

 yellow and black. The hairs of the croup ore not so long as in the 

 Agoutis, but are perfectly black ; and all the under-parts of the body, 

 the breast, belly, and interior of the arms and thighs, straw-coloured 

 with a tinge of red. The hair of the legs and feet is short and black, 

 and that of the body much finer in quality than the hair of the Agoutis. 

 It inhabits some of the West India Islands, Guiana, and the northern 

 parts of Brazil 



4. White-Toothed Agouti (Datyprocta croconatn, Wagler) is a species 

 founded by Wagler upon a specimen brought by Spix from the 

 river Amazonas. It is about the same size as the Common Agouti, 

 but it differs in its incisor teeth being entirely white, in having 

 the tarsi shorter, the nails shorter, and the general hue of its fur 

 much richer. 



:>. Datyprocta prymnolojiha in a species described by Wagler, which 

 inhabits Guiana. It is one of the most beautiful of the species, and 

 is readily distinguished by the broad black band which runs along the 

 hinder half of the back, and is continued to the tail. 



6. The Sooty Agouti (Datyprocta futiginosa, Wngler). This species 

 is the same as the D. niyricant of Natterer and the 1>. niyra of Dr. J. 

 Iv <Jray. It is readily distinguished by its- black colour and large 

 si/c. It inhabits the northern provinces of Brazil. 



7. Azara's Agouti (Dmyprocta Azarte), a species inhabiting Para- 

 guay, Bolivia, and the southern parts of Brazil. Mr. Waterhouse says 

 it is identical with Dr. Gray's I), punctata. 



AGRIMd'NIA, a genus of plants belonging to the order Xmaceee. 

 It is known from all the other genera of the same tribe by its having 

 only two or three pistils enclosed in the deep tube of its calyx, from 

 7 to 20 stamens, and small-notched petals. 



The common species, Ayrimonia Kupatoria (Common Agrimony), 

 is an erect, hairy, herbaceous plant, frequent by the side of hedges in 

 . ' j the skirts of woods, and in similar situations all over England. 

 Its lower leaves are interruptedly-pinnated, with the leaflets of an oval 

 form, and coarsely serrated. When bruised, they yield a slight but 

 pleasant aromatic odour. The stem is nearly simple, and a foot ami a 

 half or two feet high. The flowers, which are small and yellow, are 

 succeeded by little bur-like fruits. 



The leave?, which are astringent and aromatic, have been found 

 useful in the preparation of fever-drinks, and for the cure of slight 

 inflammation in the mouth or throat; on this account Agrimony is 



always reckoned one of our wild medicinal plants, and is often 

 employed as an ingredient in herb-teas. 



Common Agrimony (Ayi-inwnia Ettpatoria). 



AGRIMONY. 



AGRIOPES (Agrioput,Ci\vier), in Ichthyology, a genus of Acanthop- 

 terygious fishes, belonging to the family which M. Cuvier denominates 

 Joues Cuirassees, and which are distinguished from other families of 

 the same order, by having the suborbital plates extending backwards 

 over the cheeks, so as to cover either the whole or the greater part of 

 them, and thus defending them, as it were, with a buckler or cuirass.. 

 But what particularly distinguishes the Agriopes from most other 

 genera of fishes is, that they have only nine rays in the pectoral fins, 

 a. number very rarely found in this class of animals. Three species 

 are enumerated by Messrs. Cuvier and Valenciennes : 



1. The Ayrio/nis tnrrut. This fish inhabits Table Bay and the seas 

 around the Cape of Good Hope, where it is called by the Dutch 

 colonists Zee-Paard (or Sea-Horse). This fish exceeds two feet in 

 length, and is common in the markets of Cape Town. 



2. The Warty Agriope (A. verrucosus) is so called from having the 

 skiu of the head and body entirely covered with prominent conical 

 tubercles, surrounded at the base with small papillae. It grows to 

 the same size, and inhabits the same localities, as the preceding species. 



3. The Agnoptu Perurianus is found in the neighbourhood of Lima, 

 and grows to the length of eight or nine inches. 



AGROSTEMMA (from aypis, a field, and a-r^fia, a crown), a genus 

 of plants belonging to the 

 Sileneous division of the 

 order Caryophytlacete. It 

 has several species, the 

 best known of which is 

 the Corn Cockle, which is 

 now referred to the genus 

 Lychnis [LYCHNIS] or 

 Githago. 



AGRO'STIS, a genus 

 of Grasses, consisting 

 of a considerable number 

 of, species with loose- 

 branched capillary pani- 

 cles of flowers, and a creep- 

 ing habit. Among British 

 grasses, it is at once 

 known by the glumes () 

 or outer scales of each 

 flower being two in 

 number, unequal in size, 

 of a membranous tex- 

 ture, and containing but 

 a single floret ; while the 

 palete, or inner scales, are 

 short, very thin^ almost 

 transparent, and two in 

 number, the larger of 

 them occasionally having 

 an awn at its back. 



Two species only arc natives of 



rostis alba. 



this country one of nhK-h, 



