721 



CALLIDIUM. 



CALLITRIS. 



The genus Callic/ithys appears to be included in the genus Cata- 

 pkractta of Willughby and Ray and some others among the older 

 authors. 



CALLI'DIUM, a genus of Coleopterous Insects belonging to the 

 section Lonrjicorn.es and family Cerambycidie. It has the following 

 characters : Body depressed, thorax wider than the head, rounded 

 at the sides ; antennae generally shorter than the body ; palpi rather 

 short, the terminal joint thicker than the rest, and truncated at the 

 apex. Legs short; femora suddenly thickened towards the apex, 

 especially in the males ; tibiae simple. 



Callidium Bajuliw is not an uncommon insect in this country. It 

 lives during the larva state in fir-timber, and when it occurs plenti- 

 fully is exceedingly destructive. The perfect insect is about three- 

 quarters of an inch long, of a flattened elongate form, and dull black 

 or pitch colour ; the thorax is pubescent and has two smooth glossy 

 tubercles on the disc ; the elytra are furnished with a fascia (more or 

 less distinct) of silvery-white hairs. 



Instances have been recorded of these insects attacking the fir- 

 rafters of houses, to which they are of course exceedingly injurious, 

 and we have known instances when the perfect insects, in order to j 

 effect their escape, have perforated the lead with which the house-top 

 was covered. 



In many of the deal palings in the neighbourhood of London, and 

 elsewhere, numerous oval-shaped holes (about a quarter of an inch 

 in diameter) may be observed ; these are formed by the perfect 

 insect of this species of Callidium to effect their escape, having 

 passed through the larva and pupa states within the wood. 



Mr. Stephens in his ' Catalogue of British Insects,' enumerates 

 thirteen species of this genus, but of these many have undoubtedly 

 been imported in foreign timber. 



CALLIGONUM, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order 

 Polyyonacea, of which one species, C. Palladia, yields in its roots an 

 amylaceous gummy matter, on which the C'almucks feed in times of 

 scarcitv. The fruits and branches are acid, and are chewed by the 

 same people to allay their thirst. This plant is destitute of leaves, and 

 grows in great abundance on the sandy steppes of Siberia. (Lindley, 

 Vegetable Kingdom). 



CALLIMO'RPHA (Latreille), a genus of Insects belonging to the 

 order Lepidoptera, section Nocturna, and family LUhoitidce (Stephens). 

 It has the following characters : Antennae slightly ciliated in the 

 males ; palpi small, three-jointed ; legs moderate, the hinder tibiae 

 each with two pairs of spurs; body slender, especially in the 

 males ; wings large, somewhat triangular, with the hinder margins 

 rounded. 



Cattimorpha Jacobaa;, the Pink Underwing, is a very beautiful and 

 common moth. When the wings are expanded it measures about an 

 inch and a half in width. The upper wings are of a greenish-black 

 colour, with two round pink spots at the apex, and an oblong dash of 

 the same colour, extending nearly the whole length of and parallel to 

 the outer margin. The under wings are entirely pink, with the 

 exception of the margins, which are of the same tint as the ground- 

 colour of the upper wings. The head, thorax, abdomen, and legs 

 are entirely black. 



The caterpillar of this moth is not uncommon in the neighbour- 

 hood of London. In some situations it is found in the greatest 

 abundance in the month of June, feeding upon the flowers of the 

 Ragwort (Senecio Jacobcca) and often upon Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris). 

 It is of a bright yellow colour, with numerous slender black bands, 

 and is sparingly covered with hair. The moth appears in the month 

 of May. 



CA'LLIODON, a genus of Fishes of the section Acanthopterygii 

 and faniily Labrida. This genus was separated from that of Scarut 

 (Linn.) by Cuvier, and differs in the species having the lateral teeth 

 of the upper jaw divided and pointed; the upper jaw is also furnished 

 with an inner range of small teeth. Scams tpinident of Quoy and 

 Gaimarrl is given as an example of this genus. [ScARUS.] 



CALLIO'NYMUS, a genus of Fishes belonging to the Abdominal 

 Acnnthiijitfryrjii and family Gobiadn. 



The species of this genus are known in England by the name of 

 Dragonets. Their branchiae have but a single small opening placed 

 near the nape of the neck ; their ventral fins are widely separated, 

 larger than the pectorals, and situated under the throat ; the head is 

 oblong and depressed ; the eyes are placed on the top of the head 

 and rather close together ; body smooth and without scales ; inter- 

 maxillaries very protractile; teeth small, numerous, and placed on 

 the jaws only ; the anterior dorsal fin has the first ray elongated. 



Two species of this curious genus (remarkable for the peculiarities 

 in the branchiae and ventral fins above noticed) are found on our 

 own coasts. C. Dracunculut, the Sordid Dragonet, the Fox of the 

 Kentish coast and the Skulpin of Cornwall, is the better known, being 

 frequently met with at the mouth of the Thames. It is about 

 1 inches long and of a reddish-brown colour above ; the under 

 parts, the head, pectoral and ventral fins uniformly white ; the dorsal 

 fins are of an immaculate pale-brown. 



6'. I'tra, the Gemmeous Dragonet, Yellow Skulpin of Cornwall and 

 Gowdie of Scotland, very closely resembles the one above described, 

 and indeed has by some been considered as the same species. There 

 appears however to be very good grounds for separating them, inde- 



NAT. HIST. DIV. VOL. I. 



pendent of the difference of colour. The prevailing hue of this 

 species is yellow of various shades, with sapphirine stripes and spots 

 on the head and sides of the body. The veutrals and caudal fins 

 are bluish-black. 



In the Sordid Dragonet the head bears the proportion of one to 

 five of the whole length of the fish, and is of the form of an 

 equilateral triangle : the distance between the eyes and the nostrils 

 is only equal to one diameter of the former. 



In the Gemmeous Dragonet the head is of an oblong-ovate form, 

 and its length compared with that of the fish is as one to four: 

 this species may also be distinguished from the former by its less 

 depressed form. 



Gcmmcous Dragonet (Oallionymui lyra 



The latter species has been found on various parts of our own coast 

 as well as that of Ireland. It also occurs in the Mediterranean and 

 on the coast of Norway. 



The Dragonets live at the bottom of the water, as might be sup- 

 posed from the disposition of the eyes. Their food consists of small 

 shell-fish and worms. They are sometimes caught by the shrimpers 

 whilst fishing. 



CALLI'STUS (Bonelli), a genus of Coleopterous Insects belonging 

 to the family Harpalidte (M'Leay). The following are its cha- 

 racters : Three basal joints of the anterior tarsi dilated in the males. 

 Palpi with the terminal joint elongated, rather ovate, and terminated 

 almost in a point. Antenna; filiform and slightly compressed. 

 Labrum transverse, emarginated anteriorly. Head somewhat tri- 

 angular. Thorax nearly heart-shaped. Body rather short and 

 depressed. 



Only one species of this genus has hitherto been discovered, but it 

 is found almost all over Europe : it is not uncommon in France, and 

 is found beneath stones. In England it is rather scarce. 



This species, Calliatus lunatut, is conspicuous in the cabinets of 

 British insects for its beauty. It is about a quarter of an inch 

 long ; the head and under parts of the abdomen are of a greenish- 

 black colour, the thorax is reddish-yellow, and the wing-cases are 

 yellow with six black spots, placed, two at the base, one on the disc 

 of each elytron which extends to the outer margin, and two at the 

 apex ; these spots are large, and occupy about one-half of the whole 

 surface of the elytra. The antennae are black, with the two basal 

 joints yellow. The legs are black, with the base of the femora and 

 tibiae yellow. The head and thorax are very thickly punctured ; the 

 elytra are punctate-striated. The upper parts, with the exception of 

 the head, are devoid of glossiness. 

 CALLITHAMNION. [Ai,o^.] 



CALLITRICHA'CE-S, Slarworts, the Callitriche Tribe, a small 

 natural order of Achlamydeous Dicotyledonous Plants, consisting of 

 a few obscure floating species, all of which belong to the genus Calli- 

 Iriche. The distinctive character resides in the presence of several 

 one-seeded carpels combined into a single pistil with two styles, and 

 altogether destitute of any floral covering. Brown and many others 

 consider the order related to Haloragtce. Lindley, who formerly 

 placed it near Podostemacece, now agrees with Endlicher that its 

 proper position is near Ewphorbiacece, of which it may be regarded as 

 an aquatic form. In the genus Callitriche the flowers are without 

 calyx or corolla, with 2 bracts at their base ; 1 stamen ; 2 ovaries, 

 each 2-lobed and imperfectly 2-celled ; the styles 2, subulate.; 

 the fruit dry, separating into 4 indehiscent carpels. Kutzing 

 has figured a deciduous calyx belonging to this genus. Five 

 species have been described. Four of these are natives of Great 

 Britain. They are water-plants with smooth leaves, and are known 

 by the name of Water-Starworts. C. verna is common in stagnant 

 waters and slow streams. C. pla/ycarpa is found on mud or in 

 shallow water ; seldom, and then apparently by accident, in deep 

 water. C. pedunculata is found in marshes ; and Babington has 

 described a variety, C. p. eiili, which is found in lakes. C. autum- 

 nalii is found in streams, but is rare. The surface of C. verna, and 

 probably of the other species, is covered with rosette-formed epidermal 

 appendages. The same bodies are found on Hippurit. (Lankester, 

 Britith Atiociation Transaction* ; Babington, Manual of Botany.) 

 CALLI'TRICHE. [CALLITBICHACE^.] 



CALLITRIS, a genus of plants belonging to the natural order 

 Coniferce. Dr. Lindley states, on the authority of Brongniart and 

 Schousboe, that Sandarach is yielded by a species of this genus, the 



.", A 



