1061 



NASALIS. 



NASUA. 



1082 



divide it into two compartments, an upper and lower, slightly cor- 

 rugated into sacculi ; the cardiac apex of the upper pouch projects as 

 a distinct sacculus of an oval form, and is not bifid. From this upper 

 pouch runs a long and gradually narrowing pyloric portion, corrugated 

 into sacculi by means of three muscular bands, of which one is con- 

 tinued from the band dividing the cardiac pouch into two compart- 

 ments. The elongated pyloric portion sweeps around the lower cardiac 

 pouch. 



" The lungs consisted of two lobes on each side, the fissure dividing 

 the lobes on the right side being the most complete. 



" The laryngeal sae was of enormous size, and single. It extended 

 over the whole of the throat, and advanced below the clavicles, com- 

 municating by means of a single but large opening with the larynx. 

 This opening is on the left side, between the larynx and the os hy oides, 

 and is capable of being closed by means of a muscle arising from the 

 anterior apex of the os hyoides, and running down the central aspect 

 of the trachea to the sternum. The contraction of this muscle draws 

 the os hyoides down, so as to press upon the edge of the thyroid 

 cartilage. 



" There were no cheek-pouches, nor any traces of them. 



" The teeth were much worn, but the fifth tubercle of the last 

 molar tooth of the lower jaw was very distinct." (' Zool. Proc.,' 



Simia natal is, the Kahau, is of a reddish-brown colour, except the 

 light-coloured tail, lower part of the back, and some light-coloured 

 markings on the arms. Height about 3 feet, when nearly erect. Female 

 rather less, and destitute of the light markings on the back, &c. Nose 

 and face darkish-brown. 



Kahau (Simla nasalis}, Audebert. 



This species is a native of Borneo. Their habits are gregarious, 

 and they are said to collect in great troops upon the trees bordering 

 the rivers at sunrise, darting from tree to tree with great activity, 

 sometimes springing a distance of 15 feet. Their name, Kahau, is 

 supposed to be given to them from their continued cries, which are 

 considered to resemble that word in their expression. Their disposi- 

 tion is said to be bad. M. Lesson notices a statement that the species 

 ig also a native of Cochin China ; but he gives no authority for this 

 locality. 



Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield, in their paper ' On the Mammalia in 

 the Zoological Museum," after noticing the species above described, 

 mention another form, of which two specimens, almost equally dis- 

 tinguished by the extension of the nose, but having that member 

 turned up instead of being recumbent, brought also from Borneo, are 

 in the game collection. This is the form alluded to above by Mr. 

 Martin, and is thus characterised by Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield, 

 under the name of Ncaalis recurvus. It is to be remarked that they 

 were also preserved in spirit, and consequently were not subject to 

 the same contraction of the soft parts of the nose as might have 

 occurred hi dried skins. 



It has the head, neck, shoulders, and thighs rufous above ; abdomen 

 paler ; middle of the back reddish-gray ; inside of arms and thighs, 

 lower part of the back, and tail, gray ; tail below, white. Size about 

 one-third less than the Kahau. 



Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield observe that the general colour and 

 markings of this animal correspond with those of the Kahau. The 

 skin of the face however, they remark, is reddish in N. recurvus, where 

 in the other species it is black. In ff. recurvui, they add, the beard is 

 very prominent ; but in the Kahau the hairs on the chin scarcely 

 assume the appearance of a beard. 



Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield state that it has been suggested that 

 this may be the young of the Kahau ; but they state that they cannot 

 allow themselves to come to the conclusion that they are the same, 

 with so great a disproportion of the facial angles, in the absence of 

 some stronger grounds than mere conjecture. Its teeth, they remark, 

 showed no signs of being otherwise than adult. 



Profile of yatalis rtcunas. 



Mr. Swainson appears to agree with Mr. Vigors and Dr. Horsfield, 

 and Mr. Martin, in considering N. recurvus distinct ; for he gives the 

 number of species of Nasalis as two. (' Natural History and Classifi- 

 cation of Quadrupeds.') 



NASSA. [ENTOMOSTOMATA.] 



NASTU'RTIUM, an old word applied to some kind of pungent 

 herb, such as Cress. By the English of the present day it is given to 

 the Tropceolum majus [THOP^BOLUM], an American annual with pungent 

 fruit ; by botanists, to the Water-Cress and plants allied to it ; by the 

 Romans it was applied to a plant resembling Mustard in its qualities. 



The species now referred to the genus Nasturtium were formerly 

 included uuder Sisynibrium. Nasturtium was separated by Brown, 

 and is principally distinguished by the position of the cotyledons, a 

 point of primary importance in the whole order of Brassicacece, In 

 Sisymbrium the cotyledons are folded with their back upon the radicle, 

 whilst in Nasturtium their edges are presented to it ; in the former the 

 cotyledons are said to be incumbent, in the latter accumbeut. 



N. officinale (Sisynibrium Nasturtium), the Common Water-Cress. In 

 addition to the characters of the genus, this plant is known principally 

 by the form of its leaves. The leaf ia composed of from 5 to 7 leaflets, 

 which are arranged opposite each other on a common petiole with a 

 terminal leaflet. The leaflets are somewhat heart-shaped and slightly 

 waved and toothed ; they are succulent, and their surface is smooth. 

 The terminal leaflet is always largest. The upper leaves do not 

 separate into distinct? leaflets, being pinnatifid with narrow segments. 

 The petiole of the leaf does not in any manner embrace the stem. The 

 flowers are white, and the pods, when ripe, are about an inch long. 

 It is a native of rivulets throughout the world, and is very plentiful 

 in Great Britain. It has a warm agreeable flavour, and has long been 

 one of the most popular plants as a salad. It was formerly much 

 used in medicine as a diuretic and anti-scorbutic, but its great con- 

 sumption now is as an article of diet. As it frequently grows amongst 

 plants that are not wholesome, and that bear to it a general resemblance, 

 it would be well for every one to be acquainted with its characters. 

 The plant most frequently mistaken for it, especially when out of 

 flower, is the fool's water-cress. [SlUM.] From this it may be always 

 distinguished, and in fact from all other Umbellifera;, by the petioles 

 of the leaves not forming a sheath round the stem. 



The Water-Cress is cultivated to a very great extent in the neigh- 

 bourhood of London. The plants are placed out in rows in the bed 

 of a clear stream in the direction of the current, and all that is required 

 for their successful growth is replanting occasionally and keeping the 

 plants clear of mud and weeds ; sandy and gravelly bottoms are best. 

 " Some market-gardeners who can command only a small stream of 

 water, grow the water-cress in beds sunk about two feet in a retentive 

 soil, with a very gentle slope from one end to the other. Then, 

 according to the slope and length of the bed, dams are made six 

 inches high across it, at intervals, so that when these dams are full, 

 the water may rise not less than three inches on all the plants included 

 in each. The water, being turned on, will circulate from dam to 

 dam, and the plants, if not allowed to run to flower, will afford 

 abundance of young tops in all but the winter months." (Q. Don.) 

 Water-Cresses grown in this way have not so fine a flavour as those from 

 natural streams. 



N. lylvestre is a less common species. It is found on river banks 

 and in wet places. It is distinguished from the last by having yellow 

 flowers, and by its petals being twice as locg as the calyx. 



N paluntre is also a native of wet places. It has a fibrous root and 

 small flowers, with the petals only as long as the calyx. The two last 

 are also natives of Great Britain. 



Other European species are N. lippizense, N. pyrenaicum, N. anceps, 

 N. amphibium, N. fluviatile, N. armoracioides, N. temstre, and N. 

 austriacwn. 



NASUA. [ 



