601 



MAdONlA. 



ornamental of the hardy kinds are the Magnolia grandifiora of Carolina ; 

 M. glauca, of which there are many varieties ; M. macrophylla, the 

 flowers of which are among the largest in the vegetable kingdom ; 

 and the Tulip-Tree, Liriodcndron tulipifera, a large tree with singular 

 truncate leaves. In Bengal the air is often perfumed with the 

 fragrance of the Tsjampac, a species of Michelia ; while in China and 

 the Malayan Archipelago others are equally well known for their 

 ornamental characters. Nor are the plants of this order less useful 

 than beautiful. It is probable that they are all valuable for the 

 febrifugal qualities of their bark. M, glauca is among the best bitter 

 and aromatic species known in medicine, and the Tulip-Tree affords 

 to the North American settler a substitute scarcely inferior to it. 



The genera Tdfauma and Magnolia have the very singular property 

 of dropping their seeds out of the hack of the seed-vessels when ripe, 

 allowing them to hang down, each suspended by a long extensible 

 elastic cord, composed of delicate spiral vessels. 



In consequence of the seeds of Magnoliacece containing an abund- 

 ance of oil which often becomes rancid soon after they are gathered, 

 it is difficult to transport them to a considerable distance in a living 

 state. The best method of succeeding in that object is to pack the 

 seeds in earth as soon as they are ripe, pressing them close and 

 securing them in a box. Under such circumstances they will preserve 

 their vitality for several mouths. 



There are 11 genera and 65 species of this family. 

 MAGONIA, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 Sapindacea. The dowers are polygamous ; the male flowers have a 

 5-parted unequal reflexed calyx ; petals 5, linear, and unequal ; disc 

 unequal between the petals and stamens, on one side long and double, 

 in the other short, simple, and rugose ; stamens 8, diclinate. Herma- 

 phrodite flowers as in the male, but stamens much smaller and not 

 diclinate ; ovary 3-celled, many-seeded ; styles curved ; stigma 3-lobed; 

 capsule large, woody, 3-valved, loculicidal ; seeds large, flattened, sur- 

 rounded with a wing; hilum in the edge. The species are trees with 

 a corky bark; leaves alternate, abruptly pinnate, without stipules; 

 flowers panicled. 



M. pubescent is a small tree common in the western deserts of the 

 province of Minas Geraes in Brazil. It has downy branches ; leaflets 

 8, ovate or oblong, sessile, deeply emarginated and downy ; the flowers 

 in a terminal sessile or stalked panicle from 9 to 16 inches long; calyx 

 downy, yellowish-green ; petals linear, obtuse above, in the middle 

 smooth and dark purple, at the edges and point downy and green ; 

 fruit a large, woody, globose, 3-cornered, somewhat depressed capsule, 

 with 3 valves, 3 cells, and many seeds. The ashes of this plant are 

 extremely alkaline. The bark is used for subduing the swellings 

 produced . in the skins of horses by the stings of insects. The leaves 

 of this species and M. glabrata are poisonous to fishes. 

 (Lindley, Flora Medico.) 

 MAGPIE. [COKVID^.] 

 MAIA. [MAIID.E.] 

 MAIAD.E. [MAiiDvE.1 



MAIANTHEMUM, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural 

 order Asparagacea. It has a 4-parted perianth ; the segments hori- 

 zontally patent or reflexed, deciduous ; stamens 4 ; style 1 ; stigma 

 blunt ; berry 2-celled ; cells 1 -seeded. 



M . bifolium has a stem with two alternate, stalked, triangular, cordate 

 leaves ; the stem is from 6 to 8 inches high ; root filiform ; leaves very 

 deeply cordate ; raceme terminal, resembling a spike; flowers small ; 

 segments reflexed ; berry yellow with brown spots. It is found in 

 woods in the north of England. 

 MAID, a Fish. [RAIIDJJ.] 

 MAIDEN HAIH, the common name of the Adiantum Capillus 

 Venerii, a fern found wild in many parts of Europe, on damp shaded 

 rocks. It ia the Adianton ('ASiWroi') of the Greeks, and has probably 

 gained its trivial name from its having formed a part of the prepara- 

 tions used by the ladies for stiffening their hair. (Dioscorides, 1. iv. c. 

 136.) [ADIANTUM.] 

 MA1GRE. [SciiifiDJE.] 

 MA'IID^E, or MAIAD^E, a tribe of Ci-uilacea, the second of the 

 family of Oxyrkynchi, according to the system of M. Milne-Edwards. 

 It is composed of Brachyurous Crustaceans, whose carapace, nearly 

 always very spiny, is, with some exceptions, much longer than it is 

 wide. Rostrum generally formed of two elongated horns. First joint 

 of the internal antennae but little developed ; that of the external 

 *" antennae, on the contrary, very large, and soldered with the neigh- 

 bouring parts so as to be confluent with them ; its external bordei 

 always constituting a considerable portion of the lower wall of the 

 orbit, and iU anterior extremity united to the front before the leve! 

 of the internal canthus of the eyes. The moveable stem of the antenna) 

 always of considerable length. The epistome generally considerably 

 wider than it is long, whilst the buccal frame is longer than it is wide 

 The third joint of the external jaw feet is as wide as it is long, more 

 or less dilated on the external side, and truncated or notched at its 

 anterior and internal angle, by which it is articulated with the fourth 

 joint, which is very small. The anterior feet of the female are in 

 general hardly larger or longer than the others, and sometimes they 

 are even shorter. The same conformation obtains in some of the 

 males ; but in general the first pair of feet in these last are longer am 

 much larger than the second pair, and their length sometimes is equa 



o twice that of the carapace ; they are directed obliquely forwards 

 and outwards ; the hand is never triangular, and the iinmoveable 

 inger of the claw is not inclined downwards, so as to form a decided 

 ingle with the lower edge of the hand. The succeeding feet are 

 generally of moderate length; those of the second pair are most 

 commonly once and a half the length of the post-frontal portion of 

 .he carapace, but they are never twice as loug as that portion ; those 

 >f the third pair are hardly ever more than once and a quarter as long 

 13 the post-frontal portion of the carapace, and the other feet shorten 

 'u succession. The abdomen is ordinarily composed of seven distinct 

 joints in both sexes ; but sometimes this number varies in the different 

 species of the same genus. (Milne-Edwards.) 



The genera and species of this family are numerous. We shall 

 describe the principal genera : 



Libinia (Leach). This genus has the greatest relation to Doclea and 

 Pisa, between which genera it establishes, in the opinion of M. Milne- 

 Edwards, a nearly insensible passage. The general form of the body 

 .11 Libinia approximates closely to that of Doclea. 



Carapace very convex above, in general nearly circular, with its 

 orbito-frontal portion placed sensibly above the level of its lateral 

 borders, which are prolonged towards the mouth rather than towards 

 bhe external canthus of the eyes. Sometimes the carapace is elongated 

 a little, and bears a considerable resemblance to that of some of the 

 Pises. Rostrum small, narrow, and notched in the middle : the front, 

 measured between the orbits, is much narrower than the anterior 

 extremity of the buccal frame ; the anterior angle of the superior 

 orbital border is projecting, but never reaches beyond the basilary 

 joint of the external antenna! ; the orbits are nearly circular, and 

 directed very obliquely forwards aud outwards; their external angle 

 is formed by a large compressed tooth, which is separated from the 

 rest of the wall of this cavity by two fissures ; one superior and very 

 narrow, the other inferior aud more or less open. The stomachal 

 region of the carapace is but little developed, but the branchial regions 

 highly so ; and their lateral border, which is armed with spines and 

 very much curved, is directed towards the anterior angle of the mouth. 

 The eyes are small and very short ; the basfery joint of the external 

 antennas is short, but very much developed, and always wide in front, 

 a disposition which occurs in Pisa, whilst the contrary is to be 

 remarked in Doclea; the second joint of these antennas is stout, short, 

 cylindrical, and inserted on the sides of the rostrum at a distance 

 nearly equal from the orbit and the antennary fosset; the third 

 joint is rather smaller than the second, and the fourth is very slender 

 aud very short. The epistome is very small, and the whole of the 

 autennary region is not more than half the length of the buccal frame. 

 The external jaw-feet and the sternal plastron have the same form as 

 in Pisa. The anterior feet are much longer than in Doclea, but less 

 developed than in Pisa ; they are always nearly of the same size as 

 those of the second pair, and in general are much shorter even in the 

 males ; the hand ia very nearly cylindrical, and has little convexity ; 

 the pincers are rounded or trenchant, aud finely dentilated, and touch 

 nearly throughout their length, a disposition which is rare in the Pis(e. 

 The remaining feet much resemble those of the Piste, except that 

 their last joint is longer, and never armed below with horny spines, 

 as in them ; the length of the feet diminishes progressively, and those 

 of the second pair are not more than about once and a half as long 

 as the post-frontal portion of the carapace ; they are in general much 

 shorter, and this character suffices to distinguish the Libinice from the 

 Doclea. The abdomen is composed of 7 joints in each of the sexes. 



The species of this genus are found in the seas of America, as far 

 as is known. 



M. >j.ilne-Edwards divides the genus into two sections : the first 

 consisting of species which have the anterior and external angle of 

 the basilary joint of the external antenna! obtuse, and not prolonged 

 beyond the level of the internal one, and the slit of the inferior orbital 

 border very narrow ; the second consisting of species which have the 

 anterior and external angle of the basilary joint of the external 

 antenna) spiniform, and prolonged much beyond the level of the 

 internal angle, and the slit of the inferior orbital border very wide. 



Libinia spinosa belongs to the second section. The body is entirely 

 covered with a short and brownish down, and it is about four inches 

 (French) hi length. 



It is found on the coasts of Brazil. 



llerbstia (Milne-Edwards). Intermediate between the Libinia;, the 

 Piste, and the triangular Mil/traces. 



The carapace is more triangular than in Libinia ; the stomachal 

 region nearly as much developed as the tmuichial regions. Rostrum 

 small, hardly longer than it is wide, and formed of two flattened horns, 

 which are pointed and divergent, and the base of which occupies all 

 the width of the front. Orbits oval-shaped, and directed obliquely 

 forwards, outwards, aud upwards; their superior border with two 

 small fissures, which terminate anteriorly in a small spine, less pro- 

 jecting than that situated below, and belonging to the basilary joint 

 of the external antenna! ; their inferior border is complete, and presents 

 only a small fissure. Eyes large and retractile. Disposition of the 

 autennary region, the jaw-feet, the sternid plastron, and the feet, 

 essentially the same as in Pisa. The tarsi of the last four feet present 

 small horny spines placed irregularly. 



II. cimdyliata is the only species known. It has the body covered 



