AST' II ALTU M 



which is closed by a convex disk, or cover, perforated 

 by numerous small holes, from whence it derives its 

 trivial name of the wait-ring pot ; in the centre of 

 these a small lengthened fissure is observable; it ha'S 

 a waved sub-tubular fringe-like border, and occasion- 

 ally two, projecting- beyond the periphery of the outer 

 circle. On the side of the tube, near its extremity, 

 are two permanently fixed valves, leaving an open 

 fissure between them, and the exterior of the tube of 

 some species is incrusted with sand. 



Lamarck considers this shell an rquivalvc lirali-c, 

 allied to the genus Fistul-nna, in which, however, the 

 shell it includes is detached and free, while in the 

 Aspergilltau it adheres to the sheath, completing, by 

 the two fixed open valves, a part of the tube that en- 

 closes the animal. He remarks that it is, no doubt, 

 an error to imagine the shell ever fixed by the open 

 end, which, like the fistulana and clavagella, must of 

 necessity be open to permit the animal's egress. De 

 Blainville observes, that this mollusk probably covers 

 but a small portion of the animal's back, upon which 

 it is, no doubt, attached: he describes two species : the 

 first, A. Javnnitm, which possesses a fringed disc 

 (we may say sometimes more than one) ; and the 

 second species, A. Xtmc Zci/landia, which is with- 

 out that fringe, or frill. He adds that, notwith- 

 standing the resemblance between these two species, 

 it is extremely difficult to form an idea of the 

 i (habitant of the aspergillum, and, above all, of the 

 organs which penetrate and form the tubular spines 

 of the disc, without we assume them to be the fila- 

 ments of a sort of byssus, or of the foot itself, serving 

 to attach the mollusk to submarine bodies ; we might 

 then admit of its existing in the sand, attached to a 

 great number of its grains, in a position more or less 

 vertical, the smaller extremity of its tube upper- 

 most, and the head downwards. In his system of 

 Malacology, he has ranged it in the second section 

 of the family Pyloriden, the order LamdUbrsmchiala, 

 and class Acephalophora, immediately following the 

 genus Clavagella. Recent species inhabit Java and 

 New Zealand. De France also enumerates two fossil 

 species. Though this mollusk does not possess any 

 brilliant hue to attract the eye, or a form particularly 

 symmetrical, it is, nevertheless, highly interesting to 

 the naturalist, and has given rise to much speculative 

 reflection, which time alone will satisfactorily elucidate. 

 ASPHALTUM, or compact mineral pitch, an in- 

 flammable resin, which appears to form one of the 

 connecting links between the vegetable and mineral 

 kingdoms. It is of a shining black colour, and breaks 

 with a conchoids) fracture. 



Asphaltum occurs in veins, in secondary limestone, 

 in Fifeshire, and in several other parts of Scotland. 

 The continent of Europe also furnishes great quanti- 

 ties ; but Asia and America are the main sources 

 from whence it is derived. It rises in large masses to 

 the surface of the lake Asphaltes, in Judea, and ap- 

 pears to be derived from strata of mineral pitch in 

 the neighbourhood. In the island of Trinidad there 

 is a lake three miles in circumference covered with 

 this mineral, and considerable quantities are brought 

 from Barbadoes. It may be proper to add, that in 

 various parts of the world we find a species of natu- 

 ral unctuous and inflammable substance oozing from 

 the earth, which, under the various names of naphtha, 

 petroleum, earth pitch, and asphaltum, is found of 

 considerable service in the useful arts. The Egyptians 

 formerly employed it for embalming the bodies of the 



ASPHODELE.E. 2 17 



, dead ; and the Turks still use it, mixed with common 

 resin, for coating the rigging of their ships. The mi- 

 neral pitch of Trinidad is supposed to have the 

 power of protecting the hulls of vessels from the at- 

 tacks of the teredo or borer, so frequent in the West 

 Indian seas. See PITCH, MINERAL. 



ASPHODELE.E. A natural order of Monaco- 

 tyledonout plants containing upwards of fifty genera 

 and more than 500 species. It is allied to the lily 

 tribe, but differs from it in its expanded flowers, and 

 dark crustaceous, fragile seed-coat. The essential 

 characters of the order are : calyx and corolla six- 

 parted, or six-cleft regular ; stamens six, inserted on 

 the perianth ; ovary free, three celled, and generally 

 containing numerous seeds ; one style ; stigma entire 

 or three-lobed ; fruit usually a three-celled capsule. 



The plants of this order are generally herbaceous ; 

 occasionally, however, they are arborescent. They 

 are all pretty ; many of them are showy and orna- 

 mental, and as such cultivated in gardens. The 

 flowers are coloured and the roots are bulbous or 

 fasciculated. They are widely diffused over the globe, 

 and are found much more abundantly in temperate 

 than in tropical climates. Some of them grow in the 

 colder regions of the earth. They form a marked 

 feature in the vegetation of New Holland. 



Their properties reside in their roots, or bulbs. In 

 general they are bitter and stimulating, sometimes 

 acrid. In many instances they contain much starch, 

 and then are nutritive. None of them are poisonous. 



In order more fully to exhibit the properties pos- 

 sessed by the plants of this family, it will be necessary 

 to notice a few of the more important genera included 

 under it. 



PHORMIFM TFVAX. a, fimver; ft, tlie same opened to show the 

 stamens; and pistils <; fruit ; d, horizontal section of the same ; 

 e. seed; /, the same in section. 



From the Phonmum /cna.r, represented in the pre- 

 ceding figures, there is prepared the strong fibrous 

 New Zealand flax, which, from its superiority to all 

 other kinds of flax, has now become an important 

 article of ccnuuerce. 



The genus Asphodelus, whence the order derives 

 its name, contains many showy species which con- 

 tribute not a little to adorn our flower-gardens, but 

 none of which are put to any particular use. 



The extensive genus Aloe is found in this family. 

 It consists of succulent plants provided with thick 

 firm leaves, which absorb powerfully by the surface. 

 The purgative substance commonly known by the 

 name of aloes is obtained from several species of the 

 genus. There are three kinds of aloes imported into 

 this country, viz. the Socotrine, the Barbadoes, and 

 caballinc aloes. The first is procured from the 

 Aloe Socotriiia, or spicate, and was brought formerly 

 from the island of Socotra at the entrance of the Red 

 Sea. It is now procured from the Cape of Good Hope 

 and from the island of Jamaica. The second is 



