F.i'lHTHL 



EDENTATA. 



Thu genus wa* constitute.! to receive verv remarkable fih found 

 by Dr. J. L. Drumroood on the beach at Camclough, near Qleuann, in 

 the county of Antrim, Ireland. It wa* described by the Ute Mr. W. 

 D in put iiL voL ii. of the ' Transaction* of the Zoological 

 Thi Hah ha* anomaloo* character*, and Mr. Thompson had 



Jty in aligning it iU proper position. The total length 

 of the fish wa* 11 inches. As Dr. Drunimond'* specimen U the 

 only on* on record, nothing is known of the habit* of the fish. 



(Y anvil. BrilM FMa.) 



Ki'Hl'TKS, a genu* of twining Plant*, inhabiting tropical countries*, 

 and belonging to the natural order Apwynactcr. They nave handaome 

 yellow or white corollas, and are moreover remarkable for the singular 

 fruit, which consist* of two divaricating woody pod-like follicles con- 

 taining a Urge number of silky seeds. There are above 60 specie* of 

 this genus. They are dangerous lactescent plant*, of no known use. 



E'CHICM (from fx, a viper), a genus of Plants belonging to the 

 natural order Borayvmcm. It has a calyx with five deep segment* ; 

 the corolla sub-bell-shaped, throat dilated, naked, limb irregular ; the 

 stamens exserted, filament* very long, unequal, style bifid ; the nuts 

 wrinkled, attached by a flat triangular base. The species are rough 

 shrubby or herbaceous plants, with lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate 

 lanes, and blue or white flowers. 



X. fulffan. Viper's Bugloss, U covered with hispid tubercles, has an 

 erect simple stem, the leaves lanceolate, 1-ribbed, the stem-leaves nar- 

 rowed below, sessile, the flowers in short lateral spikes, the stamens 

 longer than the corolla. It is a native of dry places in Great Britain 

 and throughout Europe. It U a remarkably handsome plant. The 

 Bowers are at first reddish, and afterwards become blue. 



S. rialaceum is a pilose-hispid plant, with an erect branched diffuse 

 stem, the lower branches prostrate, the radical leaves oblong-ovate, 

 stalked, the item-leaves oblong, narrowed from a cordate half-clasping 

 base with lateral ribs, the spike panicled, elongate, simple, the stamens 

 scarcely longer than the corolla. The root of this plant is red, and 

 when kept in an herbarium stains the paper of a violet colour. It U 

 native of Jersey, also of the south of Germany, Spain, France, Italy, 

 and the south of Taurida. 



S. figantemm has a branched stem, hoary at the top, with petiolate- 

 T leaves attenuated at the base ; the panicles thyrsoid ; the 

 bifid. This plant is a shrub, with whitish-blue flowers, and 

 a height of eight or ten feet, and is one of the largest species 

 of the genus. It is a native of Teneriffe. 



X. ptantiffinetim, naturalised in Brazil, is used in that country as a 

 pickle. The root* of rnl>rnM yield a red dye, which is used in the arts. 



Above 80 species of this genus have been described ; they inhabit 

 the temperate parts of all quarters of the globle, but are more espe- 

 cially European. A Urge number of the shrubby species are natives 

 of the Canary Inland*, and another entirely different group are inhabit- 

 ant* of the Cape of Good Hope. The great bulk of the European 

 species are herbaceous, a* well as those which inhabit South mid North 

 America, All the species are worthy of cultivation, and the European 

 nwcie* are amongst the handsomest of the indigenous plant* of 

 Europe. The shrubby species are all greenhouse plants, and will 

 grow in a mixture of sand, loam, and peat ; and cuttings will strike 

 under a hand-glass in this mixture. They may be also propagated by 

 layering and by seed, which sometimes come to perfection in this 

 country. The hardy specie* will 'grow very well in any common 

 garden soil, and may be propagated by seed* sown in an open border, 

 in the spring ; their general treatment must be the same as other 

 perennial, biennial, and annual plant*. They are well adapted for 

 flower-borders, and afford a pleasing variety by the different shade* of 

 blue which they exhibit 



(Don, DieUamfdanu Plant* ; Babington, Manual.) 



ECHIURUS. [SirvxcuLiD*.] 



ECPH YMOTKS (Fitzinger), a genus of Saurian* belonging to the 

 family of the /yuanidir. It possesses the teeth and pores of the genus 

 Polyckrta, but with small scales on the body only. The tail, which 

 is Urge, has great scales, which are rhombic and carinated. The head 

 is 4-sided, and covered with small plates. The form i* a little abort 

 and flattened, like that of some of the Agama, rather than like the 

 slander -shape of Polychnu. There are four specie* E. Pilimgerii 

 and B. u*d*Jotiu, native* of Brazil ; K. obtunroHru, native of Mexico ; 

 and B. aenlimlra, a native of Brazil. 



EC! [Am*.] 



ECTOPI8TEH. [COLI-UBIDJL] 



KCTOZOA (from 4rri, without, and {MO*!, living), animals found 

 living upon the external parts of other animals. Thu term is applied 

 to distinguish the forms of animal life which are parasitic upon the 

 surface of other animal* from those which inhabit their interior. 

 [E.TTOIOA.] Whilst those which inhabit the interior of animals have 

 so much lessfnMsnns to each other that naturalist* place them 

 together in an order which is called Sntotoa, those which are found 

 on the surface are very dissimilar, and belong to distant and di* 

 similar families. The term Ectotoo is therefore not one expressing 

 any affinity between the animals included in it, but simply refer* to 

 th-ir habitation. 



The Eclosoa a* well as Ealoioa are found frequently associated with 

 he diseased sUte* of the animal bodies on which they are found, and 

 much discussion has arisen as to whether they are the true causes of 



the itinsura which they accompany. Thu* much U certain, that 

 whether they originate or not the diseased state of the body on wlii.-h 

 they are found, when allowed to increase they become themselves a 

 source of diseased conditions, which disappear as soon as they are 

 destroyed. 



This is a general law equally applicable to parasitic plants as well 

 as animal*. So that it would appear that, although their first attack* 

 may be invited by a diseased condition of the plant or animal on 

 which they are found, they may be productive of destructive effect* 

 by an unnatural and unhealthy increase. Every specie* of plant and 

 animal appears to be subject to the attack* of special forms of para- 

 sitic plant* and animals ; and with regard to the latter they may be 

 either inside or outside, so that we have not only Ectozoa and Entaioa, 

 but Ectopkyta and Knlophyla. [EXTOPHVTA. ] 



Under the term Episoa a number of animals have been placed 

 together whose claims to be regarded as a section of the great family 

 Cmttacta are now generally recognised. These are found more espe- 

 cially on the bodies of fish, infesting their skin, eyes, and gills. They 

 are very numerous, and the larger number of them belong to the 

 family Lerneada. [LEBNF.AD*.] They must be regarded as the 

 Sctozoa of aquatic animals. The bodies of the Cetacea are frequently 

 the chosen residence of many species of Cirripedia. [ClRBlPEDlA.] 

 These ecto-parasitic habit* seem to be partaken of by some of the 

 Vertebrate Animals, as we find the Rrmora [KcnKNKis] and other 

 fish attaching themselves to the bodies of animals by an apparatus 

 adapted for the purpose. 



Land animals are subject to the attacks of various forms of Ectozoa, 

 more especially those belonging to the Articulate tribes of animals. 

 The following is a list of the creatures to which man is subject in 

 various parts of the world : 



Pklkirut inguinalit (Leach), the Crab-Louse; Pediculut Capita 

 (Nitzsch), Head-Louse ; Pediculut Vatimenli (Nitzsch), Body-Louse ; 

 Pcdicultu Tabacentium, Burmeister [AxorLr RA] ; Sarcopta Scabiei 

 (Latreille), Itch-Insect [ACARID*] ; Drrmanyuut Boryi (Gervais)t 

 Ixoda Americamu (De Geer), Tick [IxooKs] ; Argot Perticut (Fischer) ; 

 Pulex penetrani (Gmelin), Chigoe ; Pultt irritant (Linn.), Common 

 Flea [Pi- LEX]; Cimejc lectulariiu (Linn.), Bed-Bug [Buo] ; Ct'ttna 

 Jlominit (Say), Gad-Fly [Bern]. 



Other creatures are occasionally found taking possession of the sur- 

 face of the human body. In diseased conditions the common fly has 

 been known to deposit its ova in various parts of the body, and many 

 of the insects which are parasitic upon the lower animals will take up 

 their abode on the human body. This is the case with the various 

 forma of the Anoplum, which are a peculiar species on almost every 

 species of animal on which they are found, so also with the species of 

 the genera Pulex and Cimex. 



(Leidy, in Flora and Fauna icithin Living Animalt.) 



EDATHODON, a genus of Fossil Placoid Fishes, from the London 

 Clay and Bogshot Sand. Three species. (Agassiz.) 



EDDOES, the name by which the esculent Caladium is known by 

 the blacks of the Gold Coast. [CALADIUM.] 



EDELSFOKSITE, a Mineral consisting of silicate of lime, *c. It 

 occurs fibrous or feathery and massive. It* colour is white or grayish. 

 Its hardness 6(?). Its lustre shining. Transparent. The specific 

 gravity 2'58. It is found at Aedelfora in Smalund, Cziklowa in the 

 Bauate, and in Norway. The following is its analysis : Silica, 61-85 ; 

 lime, 38*15, with small quantities of magnesia, alumina, and iron. 

 Another compound under this name has also been railed tho Aedelfora 

 lied Zoolite. It agrees in composition with StMite, except that it 

 contains 2 per cent, less of water. 



EDENTATA, a group of Mammiferous Animals brought together 

 on account of their agreement in the comparatively unimportant 

 character of the absence of incisive teeth in their jaws, and the length 

 of their claws. Cuvier divided his Edentata into three tribes : 

 1. Tardigradtt, including the Sloths. [BRADY ITS]. 2. The /."< 

 proper, including the Armadilloes (Datyput) [ARMADILLO] ; theAard- 

 Vark (Orycttroinu) [Ano-VARKj ; the Chlamyphore [CHLAMYPIIORCS]; 

 the Ant-Eaters (M yrmtcophaga) [ANT-EATER] ; and the Pango- 

 lins (Manit) [MAXIHJ. 3. The third tribe embraces the Monotrcmet, 

 Echidna, and Ornilhorhynchut. These lost are mostly regarded a* a 

 group of at least equal value with the Edentata. [ECHIDNA; "MM- 

 Tii.iiiiiVNciirs.] The Edentata also include the gigantic toothless 

 >ra of a former period in the world's history, and of which the 

 Megatherium may be taken as a type. [MEOATIIKHIII.K.] 



In the list of the specimens of the Mammalia in tho ' Collection of 

 the British Museum, the species of this group arc distributed u 

 follows : 



Order V. USOPI.ATV. 



Family 4. 



a. Manina. 



Manit tetrndn.-iyl,i, the Phntagin. 

 M. maltitcutata, Many Slii.-ld.--l Phatagin. 



M. t ,,ul,nl:irl,/l,i, the I 



M. Jamaica, the Taugilin. 

 It. f>,i,i/i 



Datyput tfj-rinftm, the Armadillo. 

 Tuliuia, Iricinfta, the A para, 



