nnosERA. 



ih back larger, keeled, of the aides smaller, smooth ; ears covered 

 with nail equal granular scales ; tail slender, compressed, with five 

 keel* above and two stronger keel* beneath, rather depressed at the 

 >**, with BT slight keel, above. 



1). mtfrnlflmt, the Spotte-l-Winged Dragon. Gray, black-pottM ; 

 wings black-spotted ; throat gray ; pouch of the male elongate ; scales 

 f the back rathec uoequaf, rhombic, keeled, of the aide* rather 

 smaller ; sides with a series of large keeled Males ; eer rather sunk, 

 with unequal Bat Kale* ; tail slender, with a central keel above and 

 five man small OHM on the aide* ; bans dilated, with fire nearly equi- 

 ilhUnl i|iisl issls il 



D. tfilofltnt, Weigmann's Flying-Lixard. Wingi reddish near the 

 body, with large brown spots, yellow near the edge ; throat yellow, 

 bbek-apottod. This may be the aune ai the former species, but the 

 are mbelliptic, and the acalee do not exactly agree. 





 : : :\ 



DRACONTIL'M (from t>W, a snake, because the stem is mottled 

 like the akin of a serpent), a genus of Plants belonging to the natural 

 order Aratnr. It has a eymbiform spathe, with a cylindrical spadix, 

 quite covered with hermaphrodite flowers, the perianth 7-9-parted ; 

 "9 etsmemi, with oblong 2-celled anthers, opening obliquely by a 

 port at the apex, and distinct from their filaments; the ovary 

 ^-3-celled, each cell containing one pendulous ovule; a 1-3-seeded 

 berry ; sseii without albumen. 



D. folypkyUum has a tuber resembling a small cake, producing one 

 or two leave*, with long clouded spotted petiole*, resembling the skin 

 of a snake. The spathe is Urge, of a purple colour, very deep inside, 

 hooded, acute, and appearing after the leave* have withered. It 

 smells so powerfully on first expanding, that persons have been 

 known to faint from the stench. It is also said to excite the nerves 



f hearing, and even induce a state of catalepsy. It is a native of 

 Guyana, Surinam, and other parts of equinoctial America, where it 



called Labarri, and regarded a* a remedy against the bite of the 

 l<abarri Snake, which its spotted leaf-stalks resemble in colour. Its 

 use in this respect U doubtful, but its powerful action on the system 

 might render it available in the treatment of many diseases. There 

 u a specie* of Draamlimm in India, called by Ainslie by the some name, 

 which U a valuable remedy in asthma, and is used in hemorrhoids. 



The Draemtium firlulmm of Liniueus, the Skunk-Weed and Skunk 

 Cabbage of the United States, is now referred to the genus Symplo- 

 rarp**. It differs from Drattmtium in its ovaries being 1 -celled, and 

 in iU spathe being cncuUate. It emits a powerful odour. When the 

 tubers are dried and powdered they are used as an antispasmodic 

 in America. It ha* been recommended in asthma and chronic 

 bronchitis, also in certain canes of hysteria, dropsy, and epilepsy, 

 .dley. Flora MrJica.) 



DRACUNCULUa (DRACOMSA.) 



DKAOON. [DRACOMSA.] 



DRAGON-FLY. [LIBELLCUDJL] 



IHtAGON'S-BLOOD. [CALAMUS; DRACJHA.] 



DRAGON-TREE [DRACXHA/ 



DRAOONET. [OsUUWTinm. 



DR A K .EA. a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order OrMil- 

 MB. D. ttiutita ha* a single flower placed at the end of a slender 

 smooth erect scape from 12 to 18 inches long, and its labellum, which 

 I* hammer-beaded and placed on a long arm with a moveable elbow- 

 joint In the middle, i* stated by Mr. Drummond to resemble an insect 

 suspended in the air and moving with every breeze. 



DREELITE, a Mineral, found at Nuisiere, near Beaujeu, France, 

 occurs crystallised. IU primary form is a rhomboid, without any 

 modifications. It presents three cleavage* parallel with the face* of 

 the primary crystal. Ita colour and streak are white. Ita hardness 

 S-16. Its Inatr* pearly. IU specific gravity 32 to 34. Tl,.- follow- 

 ing I* an analysis by Dufrenoy: 



Sulphate of Barytas . . . . r,l :::l 



Huli-hateof Lime . 



Carbonate of Lime .... 8-050 



1-621 

 712 



Water 



.: - 



08. 



pUoad 

 l^ch 



DRILL. [BAHOOX] 



DRIMY.1 [Wim4.] 



i'ltl/y.l.K. [LoTA.l 

 fC, 



I'Ho MIA I Fabridus), a genus of Brachyurous Decapod Cnufacta, 

 by M. Latrnlle in the section of Ketopoda, and referred l>v 1 >- 

 U. the family of TVi-rH^orfa. In the British Museum Catalogue* 

 they an referred to the onto Anomomra and the family Itrnmiada. 



It has the following characters : External antenna* small, inserted 

 below the ocular peJoaoU* ; the intermediate antenna placed below 

 and a little within theeye*; external jaw feet with their thinl joint 

 nearly M)nar, slightly notched at the extremity and within; claws 

 (obhs) great and strong; feet of the Meond and thirl pair terminated 

 by siiapk jotat, and Wrgw than th *e of the fourth and fifth pair, 

 nhteh are elevated on the b*rk and provide.) with a daw, inasmuch 

 a* the Ust joint, which i. beat and pointed, i* opposed to a .pii.e 

 n HT of the same form, which terminstes the penultimate joint ; 



carapace oval, rounded, very convex, cut (doooupee) on its anterior 

 borders, hairy or rough (herissee), as well as .the feet and cheln ; eyes 

 small, supported on snort peduncle*, rather approximated, and lodged 

 in orbicular or cylindrical fossae. (Desmarest.) 



The species are found in the seas of warm climates. They are in.l >- 

 lent in their motions, and live in spots where the sea is moderately 

 deep, choosing for their habitation places where the rocks are not 

 hidden under the sand. They are alinoRt always found covered with 

 a species of Alryonium, or with valves of Conchifers, which they retain 

 with their four hinder feet, and which seems to serve them as a shield 

 against their enemies. The Alcyonia, which are in general of the 

 species named Alcyvnium Donmncula, continue even to develop and 

 extend themselves upon their carapace, which they at last entirely 

 conceal In the month of July, according to M. Rimo, the females 

 come out of the state of torpor (engourdisaemenl) in which tlu-v 

 ordinarily are, and betake themselves to the shallows for the pur)KMu 

 of depositing there a great number of esga. (Desmarest.) 



Dynomene, according to Deamarest, should be placed next inDromia, 

 the former differing from the latter principally in having the feet of the 

 fifth pair only instead of the hist four elevated on the back. In general 

 the llromia bear a great resemblance to the Crabs, properly so called, 

 in the general form of the body, the structure of the parts of the mouth, 

 the position of the antenna;, Ac. ; but they difler from them in the 

 elevated situation of their four posterior feet and in their manners. 



Dramia hirtuturima. Carapace very convex, with six dentations 

 on its lateral borders, and .with a large sinus on each side of the front, 

 which ia nearly trilobated. Body covered with lung red hairs. It is a 

 native of the Cape of Qood Hope. 



-;Jf 



flromia hirtvlutima. 



The otlior species, of which there are specimens in the British 

 Museum, are ]>. ntlgarit, Mediterranean ; D. Rumphii, Japan ; I). 

 Indica, Indian Ocean ; D. fallajc, Mauritius ; D. rtrrutotifirt, Philip- 

 pine Islands. 



DRONE. [Bet.) 



[DODO.] 



DROPWORT, a poisonous wild I'mlx-llifi-nms Plant, with fleshy- 

 fingered roote, inhabiting ditches and wet places. It hss been some- 

 times sold fraudulently by itinerant gardeners as a new species of 

 dahlia. IU botanical name i* (Knanlhe crocata. 



DRO'SERA (from tfiaet, dew), a genus of Plant* belonging to the 

 natural order Droteraeea. It has a calyx deeply 5-cleft ; 5 petals ; 6 

 stamens; 3-5 styles, deeply bifid; a many -seeded 1 -celled capsule, 

 with 3-5 valve*. The specie* are herbs inhabiting bogs and mossy 

 swamps. The leaves are furnished with reddish glandular hairs, which 

 discharge from tlu-ir imint a viscid acrid fluid. Insects are often caught 

 upon these bain, and hence they have been supposed to be irritable, 

 and to resemble those of the Dionaa mwci/>Wa, Venus's Fly-Trap, 

 a plant belonging to the same order. 



/'. roiundi/olia, Common or Round-Leaved Sun-Dew, has orbicular 

 spreading leaves, hairy petioles, erect peduncles, seeds with a loose 

 chaffy coat This plant i a native of Europe, in boggy places espe- 

 cially where tin* Spha-^num grows. It is found in Great Britain, and 

 has many localities near London, especially Wimbledon Common and 

 Hsmpstead Heath. It is employed in Italy for making the liqueur 

 called Rossoli. It is an acrid and caustic plant, and b is been supposed 

 to cause rot in sheep. It curdles milk, and has a reputation for re- 

 moving corns, bunions, and warts. \\ IMI !i tilled with wine a stimu- 

 lating spirit i procured, which was formerly much used as an excitant. 



