GASTEROPODA. 



are in pendulous racemes like the others, but with a 2-toothed calyx, 

 connate with the ovary, which ia 1 -celled. They hare two setaceous 

 Rtvlms two pendulous ovules, with fiiniculi as long as themselres. 

 The fruit is a berried pericarp, not opening, and containing two seeds. 

 The embryo is very minute in the base of a great mass of fleshy pulp. 

 The leaves are simple, opposite, exstipulate, evergreen, serrated or 

 entire. The species are shrubs, natives of California and Mexico. 

 Only two species of this genus have been introduced into Great 

 Britain ; they are very ornamental and grow best in a loamy soil, and 

 may be propagated by layer*. 



'/'. cUiptica, the Elliptic-Leaved Garrya, has, when young, soft 

 pubescent purplish branches ; when older, they become smooth and 

 grayish. The leaves are dark-green, shining above, hoary beneath, 

 with simple twisted, interwoven hairs. The flowers are of a greenish 

 or yellowish-white, and are in bloom from November to February. 

 Only the stamen-bearing plant is in this country. During the season 

 of blossoming this shrub presents a striking and beautiful appear- 

 ance, with ita delicate pendulous catkins, which are from eight inches 

 to a foot in length. It is easily cultivated in our gardens, and is us 

 hardy as the common laurustinua. 



G. taurifolia has elliptic oblong leaves either entire or very minutely 

 dentate. Both the staminiferous and pistiliferous flowers are solitary, 

 sessile, and opposite, having one in every bract This species, like 

 the former, is an evergreen shrub or low tree, and grows on the 

 mountains of Mexico. According to Loudon there is but one speci- 

 men of this very beautiful and desirable shrub preserved in the 

 garden of the Horticultural Society. It was brought over in the 

 year 1839. There are some other species of f/arrya recognised by 

 various botanists: G. Lindleyi, considered by Mr. Bentham as a 

 variety of G. laurifoiia ; G. macropkylla, G. oblonga, and G. ovata are 

 described in Bentbam's ' Plantae Hartwegianae ' from specimens col- 

 lected by Mr. Hartweg in different parts of Mexico. 



(Loudon, Encyclopedia, of Tree* and Shrubs.) 



GARRY ACE.*, Garryadt, a small natural order of Plants related 

 to Juylandacca, Caprifoliacea;, and Ifeluintfiaceir. The species are 

 shrubs with opposite leaves without stipules. The flowers are arranged 

 in pendulous amentaceous racemes within connate bracts. The 

 wood is without distinct concentric zones or dotted ducts. The 

 flowers are unisexual and amentaceous. There are four stamens 

 alternate with the four sepals, not elastic. The pericarp is berried, 

 indi'hiscent, 2-seeded ; the embryo very minute, in the base of a fleshy 

 albumen. The two genera of this family are Garrya and Padgmia. 

 They are found in North America iu temperate latitudes, or in the 

 West Indies. They have the appearance and habit of viburnums or 

 dogwoods. 



GARVIE, a local name for the Sprat. [CLUPEID.E.] 



GASTEROMYCE'TES, a sub-order or cohort of Plants belonging 

 to the natural order Fungi. [Fusoi.] It is distinguished from the 

 higher forms of Fungi [HTMENOXYCBTES] by the reproductive organs 

 being included in a case of some kind or another. 



The first tribe of the Gatteromycetei is Anyiogcutret. Of this tribe 

 there are four sub-tribes or sections. The first, Phalloidei, has a dis- 

 tinct receptacle at length bursting through the excipulum. Of this 

 section the genus Phallui is the type. [PHALLUS.] 



The second section is Tuberacea;. [TUBERACK.K.] 



The third section, Nvlulariacea, has a receptacle filled with free or 

 elastically pedicellate sporangia. The type of this section is Nidularia, 

 or Bird's-Nest Peziza. There are three species of this genus found in 

 Great Britain. [NIUITI.AKIACK.*:.] 



The fourth section, Carpoholi, have a solitary sporangium protruding 

 from the receptacle. The genera belonging to it are Carpoboliu, 

 Spkarobotta, Tktlebolut, Pilobolut, Atractoboltu. 



A species of the last named, A. ubiquitaritu, is found on wood, 

 tone*, and other things, after rain, appearing like scattered meal 

 The Rev. M. 3. Berkeley lays however that he is convinced that it is 

 of insect origin. Spkaroboliu iiellaltu is found on rotten wood and 

 sticks, in the autumn. In its early state it is covered by a fine woolly 

 or cottony web, which is very fugacious. When the young plants 

 have pushed through this web, they have the appearance of mustard- 

 seed*. Each plant consists of an outer and an inner membrane. At 

 the time of the opening of the outer membrane, the inner one, which 

 is then concave, and with its mouth uppermost, projects the ball of 

 sporules which it contains, like a bomb from a mortar, to a distance 

 of several inches. The cracking noise occasioned by this phenomenon 

 in so great as to be distinctly audible at some distance. " This is 

 unquestionably," says Dr. Orcville, " the most wori.I.-rfiilly constructed 

 plant which it has fallen to my lot to describe. That so great a degree 

 of force should exist in a body not larger than a pin's had, and that 

 force exerted in defiance of considerable resistance, seems to surpass 

 the power of anything to account for it satisfactorily." 



The tribe Pyrrnomycttu is frequently regarded as a sub-order or 

 cohort. [Penal.] It consists of genera having more or less the 

 characters of Sphtrria. [SHI-KIIIA.] Mot of the species are foun.l on 

 the decaying leaves of other plants, and vary with the species of the 

 plant on which they grow. The genera in wttoh the greatest number 

 of species have been described by British botanists are Cy1i*pora, 

 Pkoma, Dothidea, AHerona, Rhytitma, Pkatidivm, IfyHtrwm, and 



The third tribe is Trichotpermi [TRICHOSPKRMI] ; the fourth, Tricho- 

 dermarti. [TRiciionERMACE.E.] 



The fifth tribe, Peritporiacei, has a peridium scarcely distinct from 

 the nucleus, and the sporidia immersed in pulp, free or included in 

 pcridiola. The genera in this tribe are not numerous. Kacotlivm, 

 the Mouse-Skin Bynus, is placed here by some authors ; by Fries in 

 Byuacta. [BrasACE.e.] 



The most extensive genus is Erytiphe, the species of which pi . 

 various forms of mildew. It has a fleshy peridiutn opening at the 

 collapsing apex, sub-gelatinous within ; the sporidia included in nu 

 or more peridiola, often including sporidiola; the thallus floccose, 

 effused, free. 



. pannom, the Rose-Mildew, is found on the leaves of the various 

 species of rose. It is easily known by its shining clothy aspect, \\ 1 ii.-l. 

 is very different from the rest of the genus. On this account it is 

 referred by Fries to Eurotium. 



E. communu is an extremely common fungus, and is found on 

 various kinds of herbaceous plants. It is not improbable that tin- 

 various forms of Eryriph.'., which have been described according to the 

 species of plant ou which they grow, have a common origin. The 

 same may be said of the forms of Uredo, jBciditun, and Puecinia. 

 [MILDEW ; UREDO] 



The sub-order Hyphomycetci of Berkeley and others includes many 

 of the genera that are referred by Fries to the fourth order, Conimaii- 

 cetet. The first tribe, CephcUotrichti, includes the genera Itaria, 

 A nthina, and Ceratinm. The species of the first two are not numerous 

 or common. Ceratium hydnoidti is not uncommon on rotten wood. 



The tribes Afucori, Dematici, and Muccdines consist of various genera 

 of plants forming moulds, mildews, blights, brands, Ac. [MILDEW ; 

 Moi: I.IUXKSS ; SroRENDONEMA.] Some of the species placed in these 

 tribes by Berkeley are described under P.VSSACK.V:. 



The tribe Sepidoniti includes the genera tiepidonium, Epoclinum, 

 Piilonia, and Futifparium. They have all a floccose mycelium, with- 

 out any distinct sporidiferous filament*; and the sporidia, heaped 

 together, lying upon and in general springing from the matrix. The 

 species of Futitporium are found in decaying fruits and vegetables. 

 [Fusoi ; ENTOPHVTA.] 



The last sub-order, Coniomycetet, embrnp.es those Fungi whose spo- 

 ridia are produced beneath the epidermis of plants, and which in nuny 

 instances appear to bo rather diseases of the tissue than independent 

 existences. The first sub-section or tribe is Tubercularini. [Trm:u- 

 ITI.AKIXI.J The second tribe, Stilbotporei, consists of sporidia glued 

 together into a nucleus, without any covering, under the cuticle of 

 plants, at length bursting forth together with the gelatine or free. 

 The genera of this tribe are Ncmaipora, Septoria, Stilbotpora, Didyma- 

 tporium, and Melancoriutn. 



The third tribe, Sporidetmiei, have their sporidia chained together 

 into flocci. The genera are Aregma, Torula, and Spttoccca. 



The fourth tribe, Hgpodermii, includes those species of Funyi which 

 are found underneath the cuticle of living plants. They are said l.y 

 Fries to have " no proper vegetation, their sporidia arising from an 

 anamorphosis of the cells of living vegetables." To this definition 

 Berkeley objects, and regards the species as distinct plants. The 

 principal genera are Puecinia, +citlium, and Uredo. [^CIDIUJI ; 

 UREDO.] 



GASTERO'PODA, the third class of Mollusks, according to the 

 system of Cuvier, who remarks that it is very numerous, and that an 

 idea may be formed of it from the Slugs and Shell-Snails. Before we 

 proceed to the sections, or rather orders, into which Cuvier has sub- 

 divided this extensive congregation, it will be necessary to put the 

 reader in possession of his views of the conformation necessary to 

 bring a molluscous animal within the class of Gasteropods. 



These molluska generally creep upon a fleshy disc placed under the 

 belly ; but which sometimes takes the form of a furrow or that of a 

 vertical plate. The back is furnished with a mantle, which is more 

 or less extensive, presents diversities of form, and, in the greatest 

 number of genera, produces a shell. The head, placed in front, shown 

 itself more or less, according to its greater or less retirement under 

 the mantle, and is furnished with small tentacles, which are above 

 the mouth, and never surround it. Their number ranges from two 

 to six, and they are sometimes altogether wanting. Their proper 

 use is only for touching, and, at the most, for smelling. The eyes are 

 very small, sometimes adhering to the head ; sometimes at the base, 

 or at the side, or at the point of the tentacle ; and sometimes these 

 organs are altogether wanting. The position, the structure, ami UK: 

 nature of the respiratory organs vary, and afford grounds for dividing 

 the animals into many families; but they never have any olh. T than 

 a single aortic heart, that is to say, placed between the pulmonary v. in 

 ami the aorta. The site of the apertures by which the organs of 

 generation come out aud that of the vent vary ; but they are nearly 

 always ou the rii;ht side of the body. 



Many of the Gasteropods are absolutely naked ; others have only a 

 concealed shell; but the greater number carry a shell, which is 

 capable of receiving and sheltering them. 



These shells are produced in the thickness of tin- mantle ; some of 

 them are symmetrical, consisting of more pieces than one ; others are 

 symmetrical, but formed of a single piece ; and there ore also some 

 non-symmetrical, which in species where they are very concave, and 



