100 



ANA BATES ANACARDIUM. 



intimately connected, and so simultaneously affected 

 both by exertion and fever, that we arc unable to 

 say in which the -painful exertion begins ; but the 

 effect of bathing, and especially of the affusion of 

 cold water in reducing the heat, lowering the pulse, 

 and rendering the breathing more easy, shows that 

 a supply of humidity highly favourable to health 

 may be obtained by absorption. 



Thjs subject of the adaptation of animals to cli- 

 mate, is one of the greatest practical importance ; 

 and would, if properly worked out, throw much 

 light upon the best and simplest means of preserving 

 health, especially under the extremes of exposure and 

 exertion ; but, in its application, it does not properly 

 come within the scope of natural history, though it is 

 there that the principles are alone to be found. 



The supply of water which these labyrinth fishes 

 take with them is sufficient to maintain them in life 

 for several hours, even when they are making consi- 

 derable exertions ; and if they do, as there is reason 

 to believe they must, in some instances, remain 

 torpid during part of the dry season, it is probable 

 that, when they have hidden themselves in the mud, 

 so that the action of the sun does not beat directly 

 upon them, and they make no exertion, it may last 

 much longer, and they may pass gradually into that 

 state in which all the animal functions are suspended ; 

 and then, as is the case with all animals which do 

 become torpid, they may bear extremes of tempera- 

 ture which would destroy them if in their active 

 state. The subject is, however, much too new, too 

 intricate, and too extensive for a single article. See 

 ANIMALCULE. 



ANABATES. A genus of birds belonging to the 

 natural order of Anisodactyles, or those that have the 

 toes unequally yoked, that is, the outer toe articulated 

 upon the middle one ; and also partially reversible, so 

 that the toes can act two against two forwards and 

 backwards, and laterally, at the same time. These are 

 the most efficient of all the forms of climbing feet, at 

 least in climbing the stems and large branches of 

 trees, as the birds can run with equal ease in almost 

 any direction. In Cuvicr's system they belong to 

 the tenidrostrct, or " slender-billed," division of the 

 papavers, or little birds. 



Various names have been given, but it is probable 

 that there is only one species (indeed that one is very 

 imperfectly known), Anabates cristatus, an inhabitant 

 of the thick forests of Brazil, and probably of other 

 parts of tropical America. The European bird, which 

 it most nearly resembles both in structure and in 

 habits, is the nuthatch, but it differs considerably in 

 both respects. The bill is convex in the upper man- 

 dible, something similar in shape to that of the black- 

 bird, but without any notch. The tail is long, stiff, 

 and wedge-shaped, and used as a point of support 

 when the bird holds on upon the bark of the trees. The 

 whole structure is well adapted for making way 

 through the close and tangled foliage of those places 

 which the bird inhabits, or for having command of 

 the trunks and branches of the trees. It is strictly a 

 forest bird, and seldom found on the wing in the air ; 

 indeed not very frequently any where : hence its food, 

 mode of nesting, and other habits, are not known. 



ANABLEPS. A genus of soft-finned fishes with 

 abdominal fins, belonging to the carp family, and some- 

 times considered as a species of loche, from which, 

 however, it has very distinguishing characters. There 

 is but one species, Anablcps tclmpWialmus, a native 



of the rivers of Guiana, and of its habits little is 

 known. 



The name Anablepsla given because the fishes have 

 the eyes elevated, and tctrophthalmus, because they 

 appear to have four eyes. It is true that in the real 

 structure there are only two eyes, one retina, one 

 crystalline lens, and one vitreous humour j but there 

 passes a band of membrane over the middle of the 

 eye, and forms two pupils, being the only instance 

 among vertebrated animals in which there is even the 

 external appearance of four eyes. 



The body is cylindrical, the head flattened, the 

 muzzle blunt, the mouth opening transverse the 

 muzzle, with teeth on each jaw, and numerous small 

 globular teeth on the bone of the pharynx. The 

 body is covered with large scales, and the pectoral 

 fins are in part scaly. The dorsal fin is small, and 

 placed in advance of the anal. They have the air- 

 bag very large in proportion to their size. The 

 females are ovo-viviparous, and the young, when 

 brought forth, are of considerable size, able to swim 

 about and find their food. 



ANACANTHES (without spines). A g-eims of 

 chondropteryginous or cartilaginous fishes with fixed 

 gills, and intermediate in their characters between the 

 sharks and the sting rays, or skate. The genus which 

 they resemble most in form is that of the sting- 

 rays (trigon). The form of the body, as in that, is 

 triangular ; but the tail is rather longer, more slender, 

 and without any dorsal fin, or that sharp and for- 

 midable spine from which the sting-rays have obtained 

 their name. These fishes grow to the length of three 

 or four feet, and are found chiefly in the warmer seas, 

 and near the shores, rather than in the wide sea. 



ANACARDIUM (Cashew nut). A genus of two 

 species of East and West Indian trees. They are poly- 

 gamous, and belong to the natural order Terebinlhaceee. 

 They have a calyx of five sepals, coloured, deciduous ; 

 corolla of five lance-shaped petals with reflexed points ; 

 ten stamens inserted in the base of the calyx ; anthers 

 fixed by their backs, divided at the base, and bursting 

 longitudinally ; style awl-shaped ; stigma headed ; 

 fruit kidney-shaped, cartilaginous, one-seeded, ap- 

 pended by a pear-shaped, fleshy peduncle called 

 cashew nut. The following account of this curiously 

 formed and useful fruit is extracted chiefly from Long's 

 Jamaica. This is an elegant tree, bearing handsome 

 corymbs of sweet-scented flowers, succeeded by an 

 edible fruit of the apple kind, of a yellow or red colour. 

 The fruit has an agreeable subacid flavour, with some 

 degree of astringcncy. The juice, expressed and fer- 

 mented, yields a pleasant wine : and distilled, a spirit 

 is drawn from it far exceeding arrack or rum, making 

 admirable punch, and powerfully diuretic. The dried 

 and broken kernels are occasionally used for mixing 

 with old Madeira wine to enhance the flavour. Some 

 planters in the West Indies roast the ripe fruit, or 

 slice one or two into a bowl of punch to give it a 

 pleasant flavour. The astringency of the juice has 

 recommended it as a very signal remedy in dropsical 

 habits. 



The cashew nut protrudes from one end of the 

 apple. It is of the size and shape of a hare's kidney, but 

 is much larger at the end next the fruit than at the 

 other. The outer shell is of an ash-colour and very 

 smooth : under this there is another which covers 

 the kernel ; between these there is a thick inflam- 

 mable oil, which is very caustic ; this will raise blisters 

 on the skin, and has often been very troublesome to 



