174 



CRINUM CROCODILE. 



Some, as the Apiocrin'des rolundus, are found in the 

 oolitic formation alone, while Apiocrinitet cfliptirnx 

 occurs only in the chalk, and another, supposed to be 

 the Penlacrini/es rapid Medusa;, appears to have con- 

 tinued from the deposition of the lias until the present 

 lime, forming one of those links between a former 

 state of existence and the present appearance of ani- 

 mated nature, of which so few are to be found even 

 after the most patient and laborious research. 



CRINUM (Linnceus). A genus of magnificent 

 bulbous stemmed plants, natives of warm latitudes in 

 all quarters of the world. Linnaean class and order, 

 Hexandria Monogynia; and natural order, Amaryllldcre. 

 Generic character : spatha including many flowers ; 

 germen either sitting or on a short, pedicel ; perian- 

 thium tubular at the base; limb regular, spreading, 

 six-cleft ; segments alternately furnished with a nail at 

 the point ; stamens inserted into the tube, erect ; fila- 

 ments awl-shaped ; anthers incumbent. This is one 

 of the most stately of its order ; the roots, stem, leaves, 

 and flowers of most of the genus are all ample, and 

 consequently require large pots, a rich loam, and 

 much head-room to grow in perfection. They flower 

 frequently in the stove, and are propagated by off- 

 sets which they occasionally produce. But if suckers 

 are not produced naturally, the plants may be easily 

 made to send them forth plentifully, that is, by cutting 

 down the stem to prevent flowering. The C. amabile 

 is one of the largest and most valued of the genus, 

 and not so much for its frequent flowering, as for its 

 rich and powerful fragrance. 



CRIOCERID.E (Leach). A family of coleop- 

 terous insects belonging to the section Tctramera, and 

 forming the subsection Eupoda (LatreilleX having the 

 body of an elongate form, with the head and thorax 

 narrower than the abdomen; the antennae filiform, 

 or thickened towards the tips, inserted in front of the 

 eyes, which in some are entire and round, whilst in 

 others they arc slightly notched in the inside ; the 

 head is deeply inserted into the thorax, which is 

 cylindrical or transversely square ; the abdomen is 

 large, compared with the rest of the body. The tarsal 

 joints, with the exception of the last, are furnished 

 beneath with cushions, the penultimate (or rather 

 the antepenultimate) being bifid or bilobed ; the hind 

 legs are greatly dilated in some of the species, whence 

 the term of the subsection is derived. These insects 

 are essentially herbivorous in their larva and imago 

 states ; many prefer the lily tribe, upon the leaves 

 of which the larvae feed. Those of the Donaccee 

 feed within the stems of various aquatic plants upon 

 which the perfect insect is found very abundantly. 

 The species are for the most part of small size, but 

 elegantly ornamented with various colours. Latreille 

 divides the family into two tribes. 



First, the Sagrides, having the mandibles termi- 

 nating in an acute and entire point, and the lower lip 

 deeply cleft ; the hind legs are generally very large. 

 Here" belong the Brazilian genus Megahjnis and 

 the Chinese and African genus Sagra, together with 

 Orsodachna. 



Second, the Criocerides, having the mandibles trun- 

 cate at the tip, with two or three strong teeth, and 

 the lower lip entire. Donacia (which see). Ma- 

 croplcea (Htemonia, Meig.), Crirtceris, Zettgopfiorn 

 (Auchenia, Latreille). all of which are British, and 

 Petauristcs and Megascelis, exotic genera. 



The genus Crioceris is distinguished by having the 

 antennae short, the maxillary palpi filiform, and the 



hind legs not differently formed from the anterior. 

 The eyes are notched, the hind part of the head i* 

 narrowed into a kind of neck. The insects of this 

 genus live upon liliaceous plants, asparagus, &c., and 

 make a slight noise when handled ; their larvse also 

 feed on the same plants, to which they hold tight Iv 

 with the assistance of their six short legs. The body 

 of these larva; is short, thick and fleshy ; and in order 

 to guard themselves from the attacks of their enemies 

 and the changes of the weather, they forma covering 

 of their own excrement, similar to that constructed 

 by the larva; of the Cassida: (which see). When ihcv 

 have acquired their full size they descend to the 

 earth to undergo their transformation. 



Reaumur has given the most complete account of 

 the proceedings of these insects. The figures referred 

 to by Mr. Curtis do not represent a merdigerou* 

 species as described by him. There, are seven British 

 species, including the type Chrysomela mcrdigera 

 fLinueeus) which is found upon the white lily. The 

 larva of tiie pretty asparagus beetle, C. asparagi does 

 not form an excrementitious tent*. 



CRISTARIA (Schumacker). This genus of shells 

 was constituted by Schumacker, but has since been 

 united with the genus Anodon, of which it must only 

 be considered a division. The shell is oval, rounded, 

 gapingattheends.vvith something resembling a crest at 

 the summits, and a long longitudinal callosity, divided 

 into two plates by a linear cardinal indentation. 



CR1THMUM (Linnaeus) is the generic name of 

 the British maritime plant samphire, found on rocky 

 shores, and cultivated in some places and disposed 

 of for pickling. It affects a very light sandy soil, 

 and belongs to the natural order Umbell'i/erce. 



CROCODILE Crocoditus. A genus of saurian 

 reptiles, forming, along with the alligator and the 

 gavial, a well marked and very distinct family, the 

 largest, most powerful, and the only ones which are 

 in any way dangerous to the human race. Some 

 account of the more remarkable species of alligator 

 will be found under that title, in its order in the 

 alphabet, so that we shall have here only to notice 

 the two remaining genera, the account of which we 

 shall be enabled to shorten, by bringing them both 

 into one article. 



The characters of the whole family are : size verv 

 Iarg6; tail flattened on the sides; fore feet with five 

 toes, hind with four, of which the outer one is with- 

 out any claw ; all the feet are more or less webbed ; 

 a single row of teeth in each jaw ; the tongue fleshy, 

 flat, and so much attached to the sides of the under 

 jaw, that the ancients supposed it to be wanting ; the 

 back and tail covered with large and strong scales of 

 a square form, ridged at the middle ; and a crenatcd 

 scaly crest along the tail, forming a double row at the 

 basal part; the scales on the under part arc square, 

 but small, smooth, and without any keel. 



The mouth of these reptiles is a very formidable 

 instrument, although it does not answer all the de- 

 scriptions that have been given of it. The lower jaw 

 extends farther back than the upper, so that there is 

 room for the insertion of very powerful muscles, both 

 for opening and for closing this jaw, the motions of 

 which are as extensive as they are powerful. It is 

 not true, however, that these animals have a motion 

 in both jaws, as was believed by the ancients, and is 



* At the present time (middle of June) the asparagus, which 

 has been left unnut iu our garden, is swarming- with this insect, 

 not only in its perfect state, but also in that of the larva. 



