AGARIC AGARIC US. 



47 



on the lower part of the neck imbricated like scales ; 

 on the shoulders pendulous, silky and rust-coloured ; 

 the scapular feathers, properly so called, being very 

 long, and hang-ing over the closed wing. The tail is 

 very short, and consists of twelve feathers. The 

 length of the bird is from twenty-two inches to 

 two feet ; but as the great length of the neck com- 

 pensates for the shortness of the tail, the body is 

 not longer than that of the common fowl, though its 

 form is rather that of the pheasant. The legs are of 

 a uTreuish lead colour, similar to many of those of 

 the wading or water birds ; and when the rains come 

 there is no doubt that the birds are compelled to wade, 

 as they are feeders on the ground ; but at other seasons 

 they do not frequent watery places, but rather the 

 openings in the dry woods. They are social, and 

 always proceed in considerable flocks. These flocks 

 are so much attached to each other that they will not 

 separate at the report of a musket, so that when the 

 hunters come upon a flock they are enabled to kill 

 numbers in a short time. They seldom "flush," or 

 take the wing ; but when pursued seek to make their 

 escape by running, which they do with great velocity. 

 They are, however, bold birds, and stand resolutely 

 upon the defensive, and are also bold in their attacks, 

 especially during the nesting time. 



The broods are three, or at least two, in the course 

 of the year ; the eggs varying from two to sixteen, of 

 a light greenish cast, and rather larger than those of 

 the common hen, and much rounder; there is no formal 

 nest, the female merely scrapes a little hollow in the 

 dry ground. The young are capable of running 

 very soon after they come out of the shell ; but it is 

 a long time ere they acquire their plumage, as is the 

 case with the bustards. The common cry of the male 

 is not unlike that of the turkey-cock when he wails ; 

 but they have another and a peculiar one, on account 

 of which they have obtained the popular epithet of 

 trumpeter, and the specific appellation of erepitans. 

 This sound resembles that made by blasts of air in a 

 trumpet, so brief, that, instead of bringing the metal 

 to its tone, they resemble a succession of explosions. 



The agami appears to court society rather than 

 shun it, and in some parts of South America domes- 

 ticated ones answer some of the purposes of dogs. 

 They lead the poultry, and even guide the sheep to 

 or from the pasture ; and in the house they are said 

 to be as fond of caresses and as jealous of rivals as 

 the canine race. On foot they are as fleet as an 

 ordinary hound, and though they do not fly far or 

 much, they can, on account of the concavity of their 

 wings, ascend easily into the air, out of the reach of 

 terrestrial foes. They are highly ornamental in their 

 native woods, and also in all places where they have 

 been domesticated ; and though they are natives of 

 tropical climates, it is not at all improbable that they 

 might be introduced into England. The flesh of the 

 old birds is nearly equal in flavour to that of the 

 gallina 1 , but it is rather dry and tough. The young 

 are, however, very juicy, and the rate at which they 

 multiply would render them valuable in an economi- 

 cal point of view. 



AGARIC, or Rock Milk, is an earthy body of 

 a white colour. Specimens are found in various parts 

 of Great Britain ; but in much larger quantities in 

 the fissures of limestone mountains in Switzerland, 

 Austria, Salzburg, &c. In Switzerland, where it is 

 particularly abundant, it is used for whitening the 

 walls of houses. The agaric mineral is formed by 

 water passing over and through limestone rocks, and 



afterwards depositing on their surface the calcareous 

 earth it had dissolved in its course. 



Its name is derived from the circumstance of its 

 sometimes assuming the appearance of a vegetable 

 fungus. 



AGARICIA (Lamarck). A fixed polypidom, 

 distinguished by subfoliaceous expansions, the upper 

 surface only having stelliferous grooves ; the stars are 

 lamellous, sessile, and in rows generally imperfect and 

 di trie ult to distinguish. The animals are unknown, 

 with the exception of a single species observed by 

 Lesueur in the Antilles ; it presents a lengthened 

 opening plaited inwardly, and without apparent tenta- 

 cules, fringed with a yellow circle, surrounded by 

 eight points of the same colour ; the under part is of a 

 fine purple, becoming reddish towards the side. 



Seven species are described by Lamarck. They 

 form one of those elegant natural structures well 

 known by the name of madrepore. 



AGARICUS (The Mushroom Family). A genus 

 of plants belonging to the Cryptogamm of Linnaeus, 

 and to the natural order of Fungi. This is by far the 

 most numerous genus of plants known ; Fries having 

 actually examined and described between eight and 

 nine hundred distinct species, without trusting in any 

 one instance to the authority of other botanists. 



AGARICUS MUSI AKIUS; n, the hollow stiprs or stem ; ft, the 

 piltus or cap; c, the laii'.ella or gills; d, the volva or wrapper; 

 e, the velum or veil. 



They are in general plants remarkable for their 

 quick growth and rapid decay, some of the species 

 going through all their stages in the short space of 

 four-and-twenty hours ; others, however, are formed of 

 tougher materials, and are upwards of a month before 

 they attain their perfect growth ; while the greater 

 number last ten or twelve days. In their decay they 

 emit a disagreeable foetid odour, resembling that aris- 

 ing from putrid animal matter, which substance they 

 are found from analysis strongly to resemble, in this 

 state they afford nourishment to the larvae of nume- 

 rous species of insects. 



The agarics are found to grow in almost any soil, 

 that of dry and stony places excepted ; they are found 

 more particularly in moist and shady woods, where 

 the decayed vegetable matter serves to nourish 

 them ; in meadows, on dunghills, on the trunks of 

 trees, especially upon decayed wood ; and some 

 species are found to grow luxuriantly in dark mines 

 and caves, where the light of day never penetrates. 



The plants of this genus embrace qualities of very 

 opposite characters. Some of them afford wholesome 

 nourishment, such as the A. campeslris, which form 



