BBOXT. 



ECHIDNA. 



EBONY. [Diowrmoa.] 



EBURNA. [EXTOMOSTOJUTA.J 



ECCREMO'CARPUS, genus of Plant* belonging to the natural 



der BiyMMtiofftr. K. tcabtr u a climbing plant, inhabiting thickets 



in Peru and Chili, and scrambling among the branches 

 of bushes and small tree*. It has an angular cinnamon-brown stem, 

 with pale-green succulent branches; opposite pinnated trifoliolate 

 leaves, with obliquely cordate serrated leaflets, anil a terminal U't^liil ; 

 horizontal racemes of tubular orange-scarlet obliquely ventricose 

 flowers, the limb of whose corolla U narrow and 5-lobed ; and remark- 

 able oral compressed pods covered all over with short tubercles, and 

 opening into two thin convex valves, within which is placed a number 

 of thin winged netted scads. It is a handsome half-shrubby plant, 

 which will live in the open air in the milder parts of England. By 

 some it is called Calamptiu icabra. 



ECCULIO'MPHALUS, a genus of Fossil Oatteropoda, from the 

 Mountain Limestone chiefly. (Portlock.) 



Ki HKNKI'S, a genus of Fishes belonging to the section of Sub- 

 brachial ilalaeopteryffii and the family Echmeida. The body is 

 elongated, covered with very small scales ; a single dorsal fin placed 

 opposite the anal ; the head very flat, covered with an oval disc 

 formed by numerous transverse cartilaginous plates, the edges of 

 which are directed backward ; the mouth wide, with numerous small 

 recurved teeth on both jaws, the tongue, and the vomer. (YarrelL) 



The species of this genus are not numerous. Cuvier enumerates 

 four, and another has been described from the West Indies. They 

 are all easily recognised by the peculiar adhesive disc on the top of 

 the head, by means of which they attach themselves to other fishes, 

 the bottom* of vessels, or other object* floating in the sea. The 

 object of this contrivance is not very well ascertained. 



E. rrmora, the Common Remora, or Sucking-Fish, is found in the 

 Mediterranean Sea, and was known to the Greeks and Romans. Dr. 

 Turton once took a specimen of this species riding on a codfish in 

 Swansea Bay. The following is Mr. Van-ell's description of the 

 sucking apparatus : 



"The disc of the adhesive apparatus in the specimen now 

 described, with seventeen transverse laminae, was one-third of the 

 whole length of the fish, not including the caudal rays ; the breadth 

 one inch and one quarter. The margin is free, flexible, and of 

 considerable breadth, to secure perfect contact with the surface 

 to which it is opposed ; the parallel laminto are represented as 

 only slightly elevated : the degree of adhesion U in proportion to 

 the power used to raise the inner surface of the disc in a direction 

 perpendicular to the plane of contact The figure on the right 

 side represents the inner surface of the posterior half of the disc. 

 The vertical direction of the moveable lamina: is effected by seta 

 of muscles going off obliquely right and left from two elongated 

 bony processes, one on each half of each of these moveable divisions. 

 The contraction of these muscles acting upon these levers, raises the 

 external edges of the parallel divisions, increasing the area of the 

 vacuum ; and it will be observed that the points of the moveable 

 transverse divisions to which the muscles are attached, are nearer the 

 middle line than the outer edge, by which the chance of interfering 

 with the perfect continuity of the free margin, and thereby destroy- 

 ing the vacuum, is diminished. All the bony lamina!, the outer edges 

 of which are furnished with rows of minute tooth-like projections, 

 are moved simultaneously, like the thin vertical divisions of our 

 common window-blinds, by means of the mechanical contrivance on 

 the framework. The longer muscles placed nearer the outer oval edge 

 are probably instrumental in preserving the contact of the more 

 flexible margin, and the serrated external edges of the parallel laminio 

 help to preserve the degree of elevation obtained : the adhesive power 

 as before observed, is in proportion to the area of the vacuum." 



ECHEVKIUA, a genus of PUnta named after M. Echeveri, author 

 of the drawings in the ' Flora Mexican*.' It belongs to the order 

 Cnuntacta. It has a 6-parted calyx, the sepals erect, united at the 

 base. Petals united at the base, erect, thick, stifflsh, thickest at the 

 middle nerve, and nearly trigonal at the base, acute. Stamens 10, 

 shorter than the petals, and adnate to them at the base. Scales 5, 

 abort, obtuse. Carpels 6, ending each in a subulate style. The spe- 

 cies are succulent shrubs, natives of Mexico. None of the species are 

 used in the art* or medicine, but their handsome leaves and showy 

 flowers give them a place in every collection of plants. The genus is 

 closely allied to Srdom, and many of the species resemble that genvis. 

 vier), TacMyglatnu (llliger), a genus of Monotremes, 

 JTowXrawKa (Oeoffroy), the third tribe of the order Mmlata 

 (rimer's sixth order of Msmmifers) none of which have any incisor 

 teeth in either jaw. 



Dental formula 0. 

 The following are the characters of this genus : Muzzle elongated, 

 slender, terminated by a small mouth furnished with an extensible 

 tongue, similar to that of the anteater* and pangolins. No teeth, but 

 the palate armed with many rows of small spines directed backwards. 

 Feet short, very robust, and funned for digging, each armed with 

 five long claws. Tail very short Body covered with spines like 

 that of the hedge-hog. Stomach ample and nearly globular; ctccnm 

 moderate. Lew verge se tennine par quatre tubercule*. 



Of this curious genus, zoologists are agreed that only one species 



has been yet discovered, though two have been recorded, namely, 

 Echidna Ilyttrir and Echidna telota, the so-called two species being 

 the same animal in the clothing of different seasons, or of different 

 periods of age. This species is the M yrtntcophaija aculeala and 

 Porcupine Ant-Eater of Shaw, Ornithor/ii/nchiu acultatiu of Home, 

 Echidna llyttrix and Echidna tctata of G. Cuvier, Echidna Auttra- 

 limrii of Lesson, Hedge-Hog of the colonists at Sydney. 



Skull of EMdna. 



The size i* about that of the common hedge-hog. The spines are 

 dirty-white for the greatest part of their length, and black at their 

 extremity. Hair of a chestnut colour, soft and silky, in such abun- 

 dance, at a certain season, as to half cover the spines, whilst, at 

 another, the hair entirely disappears. 



This animal lives on ants, which it captures with its extensile 

 tongue. 



The habits of the Echidna in a state of nature are but little known. 

 It digs for itself burrows, wherein it remains during the dry season, 

 coming out of the earth only during the rains. It is supposed to be 

 capable of supporting a long abstinence, and has intervals of sus- 

 pended animation (engourdissemens), which continue for eighty hours 

 at a time, and recur frequently when the animal is kept in confine- 

 ment For protection the animal is said to be able to roll itself up 

 like a common hedge-hog. 



Turcupine Ant-Ester (Echidna Uyilriz). 



Lieut. Breton had an Echidna which lived with him for some time 

 in Australia, and survival a part of the voyage to Kii^lan.l 

 animal was captured by him on the Blue Mountains : it is now very 

 uncommon in the colony of New South \V:iW It borrow* readily, 

 but he does not know to what depth. Its strength he considers as 

 exceeding, in proportion to its size, that of any other quadruped in 

 existence. 



Previous to embarkation, Lieutenant Breton fed his AVA/f/na on 

 ant eggs (pupte) and milk, ami when on board its diet consisted of 

 egg chopped small, with liver ami meat. It drank much water. Its 

 mode of eating was very lm tongue being UM<! fomi-ti: 



the manner of that of the oil ..(hern in tli.it in whieh 



a mower uses his * >;< curved laterally, ami the 



food, as it were, swept into the mouth : there seemed to be an adhe- 

 sive substance on the tongue, l>y which the food was drawn in. The 

 animal died suddenly off Cape Horn, while the vessel was amidst the 

 ice; perhaps in consequence of the cold, but not Improbably on 

 account of the eggs with which it wa* fed being extremely bod. 



Lieutenant Breton concurs with Messicm* 1,'uoy :iml (laiuiard in 

 thinking that there would bo little difficulty in bringing the Echidna 

 to Europe, and the following plan is suggested by him for effecting 

 its importation : 



Previously to embarkation the animal should be gradually weaned 

 from its natural food (ants). This may be done by giving it occa- 

 sionally ants and ant-eggs, but more generally milk, with eggs chopped 

 very small, or egg alone. It should be kept on shipboard in a deep 

 box, with strong bars over the top, and a door. The box or cage 

 must be deep, because the animal constantly tries its utmost to 

 escape ; and, as it possesses very great strength, it is liable to injure 

 itaelf in its exertions to force its way through the bars. Its excre- 

 ment* are so extremely fetid, that it cannot be kept altogether in a 

 cabin, unless the cage be frequently cleaned. While this is being 

 done, the Echidna may be allowed its liberty, but must be narrowly 



