CIRCELLUM CISTINE^I. 



55 



The various species are chiefly elegant annuals, 

 some of which are cultivated in gardens. 



CIRCELLIUM (Latreillc.) A genus of coleo- 

 pterous insects belonging to the section Pentamera, 

 sub-section Lamel/icoriics, and to the family Scara- 

 Indac. The body is hemispheric, convex, and with 

 the abdomen nearly semicircular, the lateral mar- 

 gins of the thorax are not produced into an angle 

 in the centre; the scutellum is merely rudimental , 

 the shield of the head is cut, at its anterior margin, 

 into several teeth. The type of this genus is the 

 Ateuckus Bacchus of Fabricius, an inhabitant of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, an insect nearly allied to the 

 sacred beetle of the sun, worshipped by the Egyp- 

 tians, and of which a representation may be seen 

 on the outside of the Egyptian-hall in Piccadilly. 

 The new species of this genus which we have figured 

 in our plate of Beetles, is contained in the extensive 

 collection of the Rev. F. W. Hope, president of the 

 entomological society, whose museum is opened with 

 the greatest liberality to the student ; to whom we 

 beg to return our thanks for the loan of this and the 

 other new and very rare species figured in our plate ; 

 and by whom the insect of the present genus has been 

 named CircelliumLyceits(or\e of the names of Bacchus) 

 in allusion to its close affinity to the Circ. Bacchus, 

 from which it differs in its large size, and in the dif- 

 ferent form and appearance of the teeth of the cly- 

 peus. It is an inhabitant of Sierra Leone and has 

 not been previously described. 



CIRRH^EA (R. Brown), A curious little plant, 

 introduced from China, formerly called Cymbidium in 

 the Botanical Cabinet of Loddiges. It is a gynandrious 

 plant, and belongs to the natural order Orchidecc. 



CIRRHIBARBUS, a genus of spinous-finned 

 fishes, belonging to the family of Gobioides, and nearly 

 related to the blennies. The characters are : the 

 teeth in many rows, and closely set ; a small tubercle 

 over each eye, and each nostril ; three large fleshy 

 barbs on the point of the muzzle, and eight on that 

 of the lower jaw. There is but one known species ; 

 it is a native of the Indian seas, and all over of one 

 uniform yellow colour. 



CIRRHINES. A genus of soft-finned fishes, with 

 abdominal (ins, belonging to the carp family ; bavin 

 some resemblance to the gudgeon, but with more 

 elevated dorsal fins, and long filaments at the middle 

 of the upper- lip. There are two known species, both 

 Indian. 



CIRRHITES. A genus of spinous-finned fishes, 

 belonging to the perch family. They have crooked 

 teeth, one dorsal fin, the gill-flap toothed, the gill-lid 

 with a soft flap ; the last rays of their pectoral fins 

 are thick and not divided. There are several species 

 of them, all inhabitants of the Indian seas. 



CIRRHOBRANCHIATA . (Blainville). A mol- 

 lusc having the organs of respiration in the form oi 

 numerous long filaments, supported by two radical 

 lobes above the neck. Shell sub-tubular, rather conical 

 throughout its whole length, and open at both extre- 

 mities. Second class, Paracephatophora ; 5th order, 

 Nttoleobranchiata, 



CIRSIUM (Vaillant). A very extensive genus ol 

 herbaceous plants, chiefly European. Linnaean class 

 and order, Syngcnesia JEqualis; and natural order 

 Gomporitts. Generic character : scales of the antho- 

 dium spinous ; receptacle dry and bristly ; pappus 

 sitting and deciduous. So numerous are the species 

 of this genus, that botanists have divided them into 



seven sections, the more easily to study and arrange 

 hem in herbariums. Before this was done, many of 

 the species were supposed to belong to the genera 

 Cnicus, Carduus, Serratula, &c. They are a tribe much 

 more interesting to the botanist than to either the 

 florist or the general lover of plants : their hostile 

 thistly appearance renders them unenviable. 



CIS (Latreille). A genus of coleopterous insects 

 of doubtful situation, and comprising about a dozen 

 British species of small size, having the body of an 

 ovate-oblong form, convex above ; the antennae are 

 short, and terminated by a three-jointed club, the 

 joints not being soldered together as in the Boslri- 

 chidce; the tarsi are composed of four joints, the last 

 of which is longer than the rest united. The species 

 are found in boleti, in which also the larva? reside. It 

 has been considered nearly allied to the death watches 

 (Anobhim}, whilst Latreille placed it widely apart 

 amongst his Xylopha^a. The type of the genus is the 

 Anobium boleti of Fabiicius, ofachesnut colour, with 

 the legs and antennae lighter coloured. Its length is 

 about one-sixth of an inch. It is found very abund- 

 antly during the summer. This genus may, be 

 instanced as containing some of the obscure but not 

 less available agents in supporting the great harmo- 

 nies of nature. The boleti are the natural results 

 of putrefying vegetable matter, and the species of the 

 present genus material!}' assist in again turning to 

 decay the decay-loving boletus. 



CISSAMPELOS (Linnaius). A genus of hot- 

 house and greenhouse climbers, natives of different 

 and warmer parts of the world. They arc dioecious, 

 and belong to the natural order Mcnispcrmacces. Those 

 in our collections are easily increased by cuttings. 



CISSUS (Linmtus). A genus of evergreen tropi- 

 cal climbers, long inmates of our hothouses. Linntean 

 class and order Tetrandna Monogynia ; and natural 

 order AmpelidecE. These plants are of no great beauty, 

 and therefore not very generally cultivated. 



CISTELID^E, a family of coleopterous insects, 

 belonging to the section Heterdmera, and sub -section 

 Stcnclytra, nearly allied to the Helopidce, from which 

 they are distinguished by having the margin of the 

 head not produced over the base of the antenna, which 

 are consequently expos, -d; the jaws terminate in a 

 simple point, without any internal teeth ; the claws of 

 the tarsi are denticulated beneath. The perfect in- 

 sects are found upon i'.ovvers, and amongst the leaves 

 of various trees, and it is supposed that they pass 

 their preparatory states in the softer wood of trees ; the 

 larva of C. centtnboidcs is found in the moist and de- 

 caying parts of oak trees. 



The genera introduced by Latreille into this family 

 (which, Mr. Stephens has united with the Hehpidee), 

 are Lyttronychus, Cistela, Mycclocharhm, and Allecui, 

 to which the last named author has added another 

 British genus Eryx. The species are of small, or but 

 moderate size, not exceeding one-half or three-fourths 

 of an inch in length. 



The genus Cistcla is distinguished by the thorax 

 being broadest behind, nearly semicircular ; the jaws 

 entire, and the body of an oval form. There are five 

 British species, of which the Chrysvmcla ccramboules 

 of Linnaeus may be considered as the type. 



CISTINE/E Cistus or Rock-rose family. A 

 natural order of dicotyledonous or exogenous plants, 

 containing four genera, and nearly 160 known spe- 

 cies. It is allied to the order Violacece or Violaricce, 

 and was formerly confounded with it, but it differs in 



