A B I A A B R ^E U S. 



and falling, and generally utter a chirp at each pro- 

 pelling motion of the wings ; as may be also observed 

 iu the linnet and goldfinch, and in most other birds of 

 this family. 



ABIA. A genus of insects belonging to the order 

 Hynienoptera, and family Tentliredinida: of Leach. 

 The antennae are short and elevated ; the third joint 

 very long : superior wings with two marginal and three 

 sutwnarginal cells. The abdomen of the male has an 

 elongated silky spot on the posterior part, the eyes 

 nearly joining. Two species only of this genus have 

 yet been found in this country. 



Sp. 1. AIJIA NIGKICORNIS. Antennae black : wings 

 from the middle to the apex, with light brown spots : 

 feet light red : thighs black and shining. 



Inhabits the alder, and is, found in May and June. 



Sp. 2. ABIA SEUICEA. Antennae yellow : thorax 

 black and shining, and slightly hairy : abdomen above 

 green and shining, beneath black, the sides green : 

 feet yellow, the thighs black at their base : wings 

 transparent, brown in the middle. 



Inhabits the furze, and is found in May and June. 



The genus Abia was established by Dr. Leach, 

 in the third volume of the Zoological Miscellany : 

 and has been adopted by most authors. 



ABIES (Salisbury). The Fir. A genus of trees 

 belonging to the Linnaean class and order, Moncecia 

 Monodelphia ; Natural order, Coniferas (couebear- 

 ing) of Jussieu, 



ABIES EXCEI.SA. a. Male catkin, b. Anther, shedding its 

 pollen, c. Female catkin, d. Scales of female catkin, e. Scale 

 of ripe cone. /. Seeds. 



Generic Character : Flowers, males and females, 

 separate, the former simple ; single catkins bear- 

 ing blunt stamens ; the latter being roundish catkins, 

 with many two-flowered scales ; cones of various 

 shapes, more or less cylindrical; scales woody, regu- 

 larly laid on each other, enclosing the seeds, which 

 are winged. 



This conspicuous and useful tribe of forest trees 

 was formerly associated with the pines, but has been 



separated by modern botanists. The distinctions are 

 chiefly founded on the manner of foliation ; the pines 

 bearing their leaves in bundles, that is, they issue from 

 a little sheath in pairs, or in threes, fours, or fives 

 together ; the firs, on the contrary, bear the leaves 

 singly, or are S^id to be solitary. There is, how- 

 ever, great affinity in the manner of growth, quality 

 of their wood, and resinous sap, and in their nativu 

 habit. The silver r is one of our most stately and 

 ornamental forest trees, rising to a great height, with 

 a proportionate bulk of bole. This, as well as the 

 different sorts of spruce firs, have always an elegant 

 appearance ; they are graceful in themselves, and 

 wherever they stand they enrich the landscape. The 

 hemlock spruce (A. Canadensis), so called from the 

 pensile position and light ramification of its spray, 

 resembling in some degree the foliage of the common 

 poisonous hemlock, is one of the largest trees in North 

 America, but from their recent introduction, there 

 are none in this country that have yet arrived at near 

 the natural stature. All the tall ones are ornamental, as 

 well as fit for timber at every period of their growth ; 

 from the period they are mere poles, suitable for fenc- 

 ing, up to the time when their trunks supply beams of 

 any required length. Planted as screens, for shelter, or 

 for nurses to other trees, no other answer the purposes 

 better. Their favourite soil is a dry gravelly loam ; 

 but they will thrive any where in deep, or on well 

 trenched ground. Some of the firs are of humble 

 growth, as the dumosa (bushy), and the Clanbrasiliana 

 ( Lord Clanbrassel) ; such are valuable in ornamental 

 planting. 



All the sorts are raised from seeds sown in the 

 spring, and afterwards transplanted, first into beds, and 

 in a year or two into rows, to gain strength before 

 final transplantation. 



For an account of the more useful or ornamental 

 species, and the best mode of culture, see FIR TREE. 



ABIETINE^E (Richard). A subdivision of the 

 Coniferae or Fir Family, which includes the genera 

 abies, the fir or spruce ; larix, the larch ; and pinus, 

 the pine. For a description of the tribe, see 

 CONIFERS. 



ABILGAARDIA (Vahlenberg). A small 

 grassy-looking plant, a native of New. Holland. Lin- 

 ntean class and^order, Triandria Monosyrda ; Natural 

 order Cyperace<e. This species differs from the rushes 

 in having the scales of the flowers placed in two im- 

 bricated ranks ; by its pointed seeds and the three- 

 sided base of its style. There are only two species, 

 both greenhouse perennials, viz. A. Monastachya, 

 one spiked ; and A. Tristachya, three'spiked. 



ABR^EUS. A genus of insects of the order Colc- 

 optcra, and family Histeridce. The antennae are 

 geniculated, and terminated by a nearly solid club of 

 three articulations ; the basal joint of the antennae 

 somewhat elongated, second and third nearly cylindri- 

 cal, straight ; fourth short ; fifth, sixth, and seventh, 

 nearly globose and equal ; eighth, nearly globose, len- 

 ticular ; ninth, tenth, and eleventh, forming a short 

 oval club ; elytra shorter than the abdomen, the 

 margin of the sides inflexed : body thick, nearly 

 globose or quadrate ; tibiae elongated and straight ; 

 tarsi with five joints, long, slender and contractile ; 

 sternum simple. 



This genus was established and the character laid 

 down by Dr. Leach, in the third volume of the Zoolo- 

 gical Miscellany ; it contains two species, the Ab. 

 globosus, (Histcr Perpusillus, Marsham's Coleop- 



