AGENEIOSIS AGOUTI. 



This plant has been in our gardens ever since 1G40, 

 and occasionally flowers with us ; but the low tempe- 

 rature of even our green-houses renders their growth 

 so slow, that forty, fifty, or even (as has been errone- 

 ously supposed) 100 years are required to develope 

 the leaves and flower stem. It is quite certain, how- 

 ever, that provided the plant were allowed the requi- 

 site heat, it would arrive at its natural amplitude, and 

 flower at its natural period of ten or twelve years. 

 It is also more than probable that any full grown 

 specimen of the plant may' be flowered, in any year 

 the owner may wish, by merely placing it in a hot-bed 

 of bark-leaves or dung. 



Its usual flowering season is August, and it conti- 

 nues in flower for two or three months, after which it 

 perishes. 



The different parts of this plant are put to a variety 

 of uses. In many countries in the south of Europe 

 the leaves are used for making fences, which on 

 account of the spines along the margins of the leaves 

 are of a very impenetrable nature. The fibres of the 

 leaves, after being deprived of their pulp and juice, are 

 made into thread and cordage of different kinds, not, 

 however, of a very strong or durable nature. The 

 leaves when cut into pieces are also said to be given as 

 food to cattle. The juice of the plant, in the form of 

 extract and made into balls, has been used in place of 

 soap. The sharp spines are used for pins and nails. 



Another species, the Agnec Mc,vicana, or wild 

 agave of Mexico, called Mngnny by the natives, yields 

 in great abundance a juice whence wine called pulque 

 is made. From this wine a colourless spirit, like whis- 

 key, is obtained by distillation. This spirit receives 

 the name of vino mcrcal. 



AGENEIOSIS. A genus of abdominal malaco- 

 pterygeous fishes, belonging to the natural family of 

 Silurulce, or those with the skin naked, or without 

 scales ; but they have not the fleshy appendages 

 which are attached to the under jaw of some of the 

 family. Instead of which, one species has a short 

 horny spine, notched or jagged in the margins ; and the 

 other species (there are but two known) has a small 

 horny buckler in place of tfie spine. The siluridae 

 are all fresh water fishes ; and the two species of 

 which this genus consists are found in the rivers and 

 lakes of the tropical part of South America. They 

 feed partially upon the seeds of vegetables ; and their 

 flesh is not much esteemed as food. 



AGERATUM (Linnaeus). A family of exotic 

 annuals containing six species, cultivated in botanical 

 collections. Linnscan class and order Syngcnesia 

 ^qualis. Natural order, Composita:. Generic charac- 

 ter : Head of flowers flosculose ; involucrum hemi- 

 spheric, composed of several little leaves ; flowers 

 hermaphrodite, tubular, having four or five teeth ; 

 anthers united, exceeded in length by the style ; 

 seeds quadrangular, crowned with little awl-shaped 

 scales. 



AGLAOPHENIA (Lamouroux). The species 

 of this class have hitherto been confounded by authors 

 with the Sertularice, notwithstanding the many and 

 constant characters which constitute them a very 

 different group. They are plant-like and horny, 

 furnished through the entire length, and on the same 

 side, with auxiliary or insulated cells : their small 

 polypean lodges are sometimes placed between two 

 appendages, like a flower in its calyx ; the upper 

 appendage is at other times wanting, and the lower 

 iiiuv then be compared to the bractea of an axillary 



NAT. HIST. VOL. I. 



and sessile flower. Some have their cells isolated 

 and placed at regular distances from each other ; 

 others form groups at each articulation, but the 

 distinguishing generic character of having the cells 

 on the same side of the branches is invariably 

 observable throughout the species. 



The aglaophenias are of a horny substance, mem- 

 branous, and flexible. Their colour fawn, varying 

 greatly in intensity, does not present those vivid 

 tints that adorn some of the Sertularias or Corallines, 

 but they excel those polypidoms in the elegance of 

 their form and in the position of their branches, which 

 are gracefully arched over each other, resembling the 

 waving plumes of the ostrich. Their height varies 

 from four to twelve inches, and sometimes more. 

 They are found at various depths in the seas of all 

 latitudes, frequently parasites on the Thalassiophytes 

 and submarine productions ; sometimes adhering to 

 rocks by fibres more or less numerous. Twenty- 

 two species are known. 



AGLAURA (Savigny). A genus of Annelides, 

 adopted by Lamarck in the third division of his 

 AKTICULATA. It is a molluscous animal possessing 

 nine jaws, five on the one side and four on the other, 

 the lower with strong tooth-like processes ; it luis 

 three short antennae or fibres ; the head is concealed 

 under the first segment of the animal's body, the 

 forehead bilobate ; the eyes indistinct, and the animal 

 destitute of tentacular cirrhi. This name is also 

 applied to a little species of zoophyte, which is found 

 at Nice. 



AGOUTI. A genus of mammalia, belonging to 

 the order Kodcniia, or gnawers, and the natural family 

 of Caviada;, which the more modern naturalists have 

 very properly divided into four genera, instead of the 

 single genus of their predecessors. The characters 

 of the order, and those of the group or family, will 

 be found under their respective titles ; so that in this 

 article it will be necessary to mention only the genus 

 and the species. 



Common Agouti. - 



In their general appearance and habits, but more 

 in their habits than in their appearance, they bear a 

 considerable resemblance to hares ; and they have 

 accordingly been called hares and rabbits by English 

 visitants or residents in the places where they are 

 found. Still, they are so essentially different, that 

 neither of the names is at all applicable. They do 

 not burrow in the earth like rabbits, neither do they 

 squat upon forms, in exposed places, where they can 

 watch, as is the habit of hares. Their lodging-places 

 are intermediate : under fallen trees, in the holes of 

 decayed ones, or under stones and rocks. 



Though, like the hares, and many other animals 

 of the order, they can gnaw bark when other provi- 

 sions fail them, and though their incisor teeth are 

 H 



