ASPIDOPHORUS. 



ASS. 



320 



late pinnate frond ; pinnae linear, acute, regularly pinnate ; pinnules 

 linear-oblong, quite distinct, deeply serrate ur pinuatifid ; segments 

 with 2 or 3 teeth. This is one of the most beautiful of the British 

 ferns. The root is sometimes gathered for that of the Male Fern. It has 

 " a short perpendicular root-stock, black externally, with black root- 

 fibres ; and the tufts or bases of the leaf-stalks, which compose the 

 greater part of it, form a very acute angle with its axis, while those 

 of the Male Shield-Fern extend outwards at a more open angle." 

 (Christ ison.) 



(Burnett, Outlines of Botany ; Babington, Manual of Britith Botany; 

 Christison, Dispensatory.) 



ASPIDOPHOTtUS, a genus of Acanthopterygious Fishes. One 

 species, the A. Europeans is found on the coasts of England and 

 Scotland. It is known by the names of the Armed Bullhead, the 

 Pogge, the Lyric, Sea-Poacher, Pluck, and Noble. It is a small fish 

 seldom exceeding 6 inches in length. (Yarrell, British Fihe.) 



ASPIDORHY'NCHUS, a genus of Fossil Ganoid Fishes, from the 

 Lias and Oolite of England. (Agassiz.) 



ASPIDU'RA. A fossil species of Ophiuroid Echinoderms is thus 

 named by Agassiz. From the Lias of Yorkshire. 



ASPLE'NIUM, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order of 

 Ferns. [POLYPODIACE*.] It has elongated straight sori, with an 

 indusium opening towards the central nerve or midrib. The species 

 of this genus are known by the name of Spleenworts. Several of them 

 are common in Great Britain. 



A. /! <>{ Hudson, has lanceolate doubly pinnate fronds; 



the pinnules ovate and deeply and sharply toothed, or lobed ; the 

 sori short, nearly marginal. It is a native of England and Wales, on 

 rocks and walls, but its distribution is very local. It is also a native 

 of France, but its European habitats are few. 



A. Adiantum-nigrum, Black Spleen wort, has triangular attenuated 

 fronds, twice or thrice pinnate, the pinna- and pinnules triangular, 

 sharply toothed ; sori elongated, central. This plant is a native of 

 Europe, and is abundantly distributed throughout the United 

 Kingdom, where it occurs on rocks, walls, ruins, and hedge-rows. 

 This is one of the ferns formerly much used in medicine, and is stated 



by Kay to be efficacious in cough, asthma, pleuritis, jaundice, stone, 



he 

 amongst modern practitioners of medicine. 



gravel, and other diseases. It has not however any reputation 



A. Ruta-muraria, Wall-Rue, has bipinnate fronds, the pinnules 

 rhomboid wedge-shaped, notched or toothed at the end ; the indusium 

 jagged. This fern is very common on rocks and old walls ill Great 

 Britain and throughout Europe, and is also a native of North 

 America. It was at one time used as a remedy in coughs and 

 asthmas, obstructions of the liver, and in cutaneous diseases ; but has 

 now fallen into disuse. 



A. Trichomanet, Common Spleenwort, has pinnate linear fronds ; 

 roundish ovate, crenate, stalked pinna; ; the nerves forked below the 

 sori. It is very common throughout Great Britain on rocks, walls, 

 churches, ruins, bridges, and hedgerows. It is a native also of 

 Europe, Africa, and the United States. This fern has been also used 

 in medicine, and for the same diseases as the previous species, but it 

 has fallen now entirely into disuse. 



The other British species of Aiplenium are A. aliernifointm, A. 

 teptentrionale, A. marinum, A. riride. 



These and other ferns may be easily cultivated by placing them in 

 situations resembling their natural habitats. They require a pure 

 atmosphere, plenty of space, and natural shade, with a due supply of 

 water. They may be planted on decayed wood, in holes of rocks and 

 brick, with almost any soil. One of the most elegant modes of culti- 

 vating them is by means of inverted jars, under which they will thrive 

 in any sandy or light soil. 



(Babington, Manual; Newman, Hittory of Britiih Pernt ; Ward, 

 Growth of Planlt in Glazed Gate*.) 



.\ s 1'IiE'DO, a genus of Abdominal Malacopterygious Fishes, charac- 

 terised by the horizontal flatness of the head, and the enlargement of 

 the anterior part of the trunk, arising from an unusual development 

 of the bones of the shoulder. They are further distinguished from 

 '"ret of Linnscus (from which extensive genu.n, indeed, they were 

 originally separated by that great naturalist himself ) by the propor- 

 tional length of the tail ; by having the eyes placed in the upper 

 surface of the head, and the intermaxillary bones concealed beneath 

 the ethmoid, directed backwards, and furnished with teeth only along 

 their posterior margin ; and finally, they are remarkable as being the 

 only known fish, not being cartilaginous, which have not moveable 

 opercnla, the bones of which these organs are composed being 

 soldered on either side to the tympanum and pre-operculum. The 

 opening of the gills is consequently formed by a single slit in the skin 

 immediately behind the posterior side of the head ; and their 



is composed of six branchiostegous rays. The lower jaw is 

 transverse, and the upper projects considerably beyond it, and fonn.i 

 a small attenuated muzzle. There is but a single dorsal fin, whirh 

 is of small extent, and situated on the fore-part of the imdy : tlio anal 

 fin on the contrary is very large, and occupieH the eutiiv luiigth of th 

 tail This genus contains but very few species, the principal of which, 



Burnt .\.<t,i-tito of Limucus, inhabits the rivers and lakes of 

 X'.rth America. 



-, a well known and useful domestic animal, whose good qualities 



are too frequently undervalued, from being contrasted with those of 

 the horse, without considering the different nature of the treatment 

 which these two quadrupeds receive the care and attention bestowed 

 upon developing the form and cultivating the spirit of the one, and 

 the neglect and ill usage to which the other is so generally subjected. 

 Buffon has well observed that the ass is despised and neglected only 

 because we possess a more noble and powerful animal in the horse ; 

 and that if the horse were uukown, the care and attention which is 

 lavished upon him, being transferred to his now neglected and 

 despised rival, would have increased the size and developed the mental 

 qualities of the ass to an extent which it would be difficult to 

 anticipate, but which eastern travellers who have observed both 

 animals in their native climates, and among nations by whom they are 

 equally valued and the good qualities of each justly appreciated, 

 assure us to be the fact. Indeed, the character and habits of these 

 two quadrupeds are directly opposed in almost every respect. The 

 horse is proud, fiery, and impetuous, nice in his tastes, and delicate in 

 constitution ; like a pampered menial he is subject to many diseases, 

 and acquires artificial wants and habits which are unknown in a state 

 of nature. The ass on the contrary is humble, patient, and contented 

 with scanty and coarse fare which other cattle reject ; he bears with 

 patience and fortitude the moat cruel and oppressive treatment ; yet 

 he is more susceptible of strong attachment than the horse, has 

 apparently more prudence and reflection, and is capable of a degree of 

 education which would not be anticipated from the forlorn and 

 dejected appearance which coarse food and harsh treatment have 

 rendered habitual .to him. In Persia, Arabia, and other eastern coun- 

 tries however the ass is a very different animal from what he is in 

 Western Europe. There, instead of being neglected and despised, 

 half-starved, and treated -with cruelty, care is taken to cultivate the 

 breed by crossing the finest specimens; even the Wild Ass is procured 

 for this purpose, the pedigrees of the different races are carefully 

 recorded, and the size, strength, and symmetry of the ass so much 

 improved that he is rendered equal" to the horse for most purposes, 

 and in some cases even his superior. " The asees of Arabia," says 

 Chardin, " are perhaps the handsomest animals in the world ; their 

 coat is smooth and clean ; they carry the head elevated, and have fine 

 and well-formed legs, which they throw out gracefully in walking or 

 galloping. They are used only for the saddle, and are imported in 

 vast numbers into Persia, where they are frequently sold for 400 livres ; 

 and being taught a kind of easy ambling pace, are. richly caparisoned, 

 and used only by the rich and luxurious nobles." 



The ass is properly speaking a mountain animal ; his hoofs are 

 long, and furnished with extremely sharp rims, leaving a hollow in 



, 



Wild Ass. 



the centre, by which means he is enabled to tread with more security 

 on the, xlippery and precipitous sides of hills and crnpgy plncrx. 

 The hoof of the horse on tho contrary is round and nejii-ly flat 



