TAH. 



TAXACE^. 



10M 



tltrium. Three species, T. Hattoduntoida, T. prufta, and T. Arer- 

 tifluu have ben described u foMil, occurring in vhe tertiariei of France 

 and Germany. The fo.-sil genera, Curyphotlon and Isiphiodon, are 

 referred by Professor Owen to the Tapiroida. [C'unxriioooN; 

 Lormouox ; PALJXITIIERII-H. j 



TAR, a re-inout product obtained from the burning of the wood of 

 Contfenr. [TAB, in ABTS AND Sc. Div.l 



TARAOLI11A. floUAKiDJL] 



TARANDUS. [CBBVtD*.] 



TARA'NTULA, the A rant a Tarantula of Linnoms, a species of 

 spider of the genus Lycota of Latreille. It is one of the largest of 

 Kuropean spiders, and is found in the countries bordering the Medi- 

 terranean, where ita bite is dreaded, and believed to be curable only 

 through the effects of music. In reality however its venomous powers 

 hare been greatly exaggerated. According to Walcknaer several 

 distinct species have been confounded under the name of Tarantula. 



TAUUI'GKADA, Cuvier's name for the first family of the Edentata, 

 comprising, of living genera, the Sloths only. [Ai ; USAU.] The 

 Tradiyrada form the eighth order in Illigur's method, and comprise 

 the Sloths and Protkilm ; but the latter cannot bo said to have any 

 claim to such a collocation. [BHADTI-US; BEAR.] 



TAUDI'VOLA (Swaiuson), a genus of Birds belonging to the sub- 

 family Tanagrina. 



TARRAGON. [ARTMHBIA.] 



TA'RSICJS (Store), a genus of Animals belonging to the family 

 Quadnmaaa. It Las the following characters:- Head rounded; 

 muzzle short ; eyes very large ; posterior limbs very much elongated, 

 with the tarsus thrice as long as the metatarsus. Tail long. 



Dental Formula: Incisors,!; Canines, 1 ; Molars, 6 ^5= 34. 



2 1 1 U o 



T. Jlancaniu. Dr. Horsfield remarks, that although the Tarriut 

 from Banca agrees in the essential points with the other species of 

 this singular genus which have hitherto been discovered, it has no 

 intermediate front teeth, and the exterior tooth on each side is, com- 

 pared with the other species, very minute. Counting (with Desmarest) 

 one canine tooth on each side, above and beneath, it has, says Dr. More- 

 field, only five grinders in each jaw. 



Teeth of Tartmi, much larger than the natural ilto. (P. Curler.) 



Front Tlw of the Teeth of Tauiut rianranui. (nonflcld 1 .) 



The hands of this creature are small and delicate, and externally 

 enverad with a very soft down. InUrnally thy are naked. The nails 



of all the fingers of the hand, as well as of the thumb and the third 

 and fourth finger of the feet, are triangular, and represent a delicate 

 compressed scale : on the index and middle finger of the feet they 

 are erect, sharp, compressed, slightly curved, and not inaptly com- 

 pared by Mr. Fischer to the thorns of a rose-bush, constituting ono of 

 the essential characters of this genus. The body is handsomely 

 formed, and, as in the other species, somewhat contracted towards 

 the pelvis; the lower extremities also have in general a similar 

 character, but the tarsus has less of the extravagant length which is 

 common to the other Tanii. The fur is remarkably soft to the 

 touch ; it is composed of a thick and very delicate wool, which 

 envelops the body, head, and extremities, forming a coat of an un- 

 equal surface, from which irregular straggling hairs project ; at the 

 root of the tail, and at the bauds of both extremities, it terminates 

 abruptly in the form of a ring. The general colour is brown, inclin- 

 ing to gray ; on the breast, abdomen, and interior of the extremities 

 it U gray, inclining to whitish ; a rufous tint is sparingly dispersed 

 over the upper parts, which shows itself most on the head and extre- 

 mities; the naked parts of the tail near the root are considerably 

 darker than the extremity. (' Zoological Researches in Java.') 



Dr. Mori-field obtained this animal in Banca, near Jeboos, one of 

 the mining districts, where, he says, it inhabits the extensive forests 

 in the vicinity. 



Tariiui Kancanui. (HorsBeld). 

 TARSUS. [SKELETON.] 



TARTAR, [POTASSIUM.] 



TATOUAY. [ARMADILLO.] 



TAUTOLITE, a Mineral which occurs crystallised. Primary form 

 a right rhombic prism. Fracture cqnchoidnl, uneven. Hardness 6-5 

 to 7. Very brittle. Colour velvet-black. Streak gray. Lustre 

 vitreous. Opaque. Specific gravity 3-8C5. Before the blow-pipe, on 

 charcoal, melts into a blackish scoria, which is attracted by the 

 magnet : with borax it forms a clear green glass. 



It is probably a silicate of protoxide of iron, and silicate of mag- 

 nesia. It is found in the volcanic rocks of the Lake of Loach, near 

 Bonn, on the Rhine. 



TA X A'CK.K, Taxadt, a natural order of Plants belonging to tho 

 class Gymnotperma: This order possesses the following essential 

 characters : The flowers are moncucious or dioecious, and are naked, 

 or solitary surrounded by imbricated bracts, or in spikes surrounded 

 by bracts. The male flowers have no calyx, and several stamens, 

 mostly united at the base, with the anthers either combined or distinct. 

 The female flowers are solitary and naked ; the ovules are naked, with 

 the foramen at the apex. The seeds are hard, and are sometimes 

 surrounded by a succulent, coloured, cup-shaped pericarp,; they 

 possess fleshy albumen, and a straight dicotyledonous embryo. The 

 plants of this order are trees or shrubs, having a woody tissue marked 

 with circular discs, with evergreen and mostly narrow rigid entire 

 and veinless leaves. 



This order U very characteristic of the class to which it belongs, in 

 the absence of any regularly formed ovary, and the consequent 

 exposed or naked stete of the ovule and seeds, In this respect it 



