G R Y P H (E A ' GUILLEMOT. 



677 



as well as in activity ; they are, however, destitute of 

 wings and wing-covers. In the state immediately 

 preceding- tlieir arrival at that of the imago, the 

 wings and wing-covers appear as rudimental upon 

 the back of the second and third segments of the 

 body. 



The other genera do not merit particular notice 

 in a work like the present, being distinguished only 

 by slight structural differences. 



GRYPHCEA (Lamarck and modern authors). 

 This genus of molluscs has hitherto been considered 

 an Ostrea, to which in fact it bears a great resem- 

 blance, but the texture of the shell is more finely 

 lamellar, and the peculiar characters of the lower 

 valve, which is very deep and cariuated, its summit 

 terminated in a long spirally recurved beak, slightly 

 turned to one side, the edge sharp and angular, and 

 the fact of its never being attached to other bodies, 

 or if it is, only at one small point, clearly in our 

 opinion distinguishes it from the genus Ostrea, though 

 Sowerby, in |'his Genera of Shells, points out 

 some strong grounds of objection to Lamarck's sepa- 

 ration. The shell is inequivalve, the lower valve 

 very large, concave, of an oblong elongated form, 

 carinated or ribbed, and terminating in a spirally re- 

 curved beak; the upper valve is small and Hat, fitting 

 into the lower one at a small depth from its marginal 

 edge, another characteristic distinction from the 

 Ostrea. The hinge is without teeth, it has an arched 

 and oblong cardinal cavity, and there is only one 

 muscular impression on each valve, as in the oyster. 

 Recent examples are rare, and only one species is at 

 present described. In a fossil state they are abun- 

 dant. The animal is unknown. This genus is placed, 

 in the French system, immediately after the oyster, 

 in the first family Ostracea, of the third order Lamel- 

 librnnchiata, third class Acephalophora. 



GUAIACUM (Linnaeus). The G. officinale is a 

 West Indian tree, which produces the medicine called 

 gum guaiacum. Class and order Decandria Mono- 

 gynia, and natural order Zygop/tylleae. The wood is 

 remarkably hard, and known in commerce as Lignum 

 vita:, so much used in turnery for ornamental pur- 

 poses. The timber of G. arboreum is also very solid 

 and ponderous, especially when buried, so that the 

 natives of Cumana believe it becomes converted into 

 stone. The plants in our stoves grow freely in a 

 mixture of loam and moor earth, and may be increased 

 by cuttings struck in sand. 



" GU ARE A (Linnaeus). A genus of West India 

 timber trees belonging to the eighth class of the 

 sexual system, and to the natural order MeliacecE. 

 The G. trichilioides has been long an inhabitant of our 

 stoves, and may be increased by ripened cuttings 

 struck in sand. 



GUATTERIA (Ruiz and Pavon), A genus of 

 tropical shrubs and one tree, known by the name of 

 lance-wood. Class and order Polyandria Polyffinia, 

 and natural order Anonacece. They are managed 

 and increased much like other stove plants. 



GUAVA is the fruit of different species of the 

 Psidium of Linnaeus. Class and order Icosandria 

 Miinogynia, and natural order Myrtaccce. They bear 

 the fruits called sour-sop and sweet-sop in the West 

 Indies, and for which they are cultivated. Several 

 of the sorts are readily fruited in our stoves or green- 

 houses, and are increased by layers, cuttings, and 

 seeds. 



GUDGEON (Cyprinus gobio). A genus of soft- 



finned fishes, with abdominal fins belonging to the 

 carp family ; one species only is known in the British 

 waters, but it is probable that there mav be another. 

 With us they are found only in the slow running 

 streams of pure water, in the southern part of the island. 

 They are small fishes, seldom exceeding eight inches 

 in length, and rarely as much, but they are light and 

 much esteemed as food, especially "for invalids, it 

 being understood that they are remarkably easy of 

 digestion. They keep near the bottom, and feed 

 upon water insects, small mollusca.and the spawn and 

 young fry of other fishes. They are usually found in 

 shoals ; and are so remarkable for the readiness with 

 which they can be taken with almost any bait, that a 

 person who can be imposed upon by shallow devices 

 is proverbially termed a gudgeon. They spawn in 

 May, in the shallows, it being understood that their 

 ova require much heat to bring them to maturity, 

 which may be the reason why they are not found in 

 our northern or upland rivers. They afford some 

 sport to those bungling anglers who can catch nothing 

 else ; for it is a common saying, that anybody can 

 catch gudgeons. It is usual to collect them by 

 scratching the bottom of the water with a rake, which 

 brings them together in search of what food may 

 happen to turn up for them. 



GUELDER ROSE is the Viburnum opulus of 

 Linnaeus. A well-known flowering shrub, indigenous 

 in Britain, of which two varieties are cultivated in 

 gardens. 



GUERNSEY LILY is the Nerine sarnicnsis of 

 Ker. A bulbous-stemmed fine flowering plant, com- 

 mon in every florist's collection. 



GUETTARDA (Linnaeus). A genus of South 

 American trees belonging to Rubiaccce. The flowers 

 are fine and nearly related to gardenia. 



GUILANDINA (Jussieu). A genus of Indian 

 shrubs, with decandrious flowers, and belonging to the 

 order Leguminosce. It is otherwise called the nicker 

 tree, or bonduc, has been long in our collections, and 

 is increased by cuttings rooted in sand. 



GUILLEMOT (Urid). A genus of web-footed 

 birds, belonging to Cuvier's short-winged or diving 

 family ; much less fitted for getting through the water 

 than most of the others, and no great adepts at walk- 

 ing on the land. They are thick and clumsy birds ; 

 and very much at the mercy even of storms when in 

 the sea. They inhabit the northern seas, and seldom 

 come southward, except when compelled by the 

 violence of the weather. They dive with great 

 address, and also catch their prey with no inconsider- 

 able adroitness. They form as it were a link between 

 those birds which may be said to be equally fitted for 

 the air and the water, and those others in which the 

 aquatic habit predominates. During storms they are 

 frequently cast ashore in a state of complete ex- 

 haustion, and sometimes they are thrown so high 

 upon the rocks by the surge, that they are unable to 

 get down again, or to escape, in consequence of their 

 awkwardness and the shortness of their wings. In, 

 general, however, they endeavour to make as far to 

 seaward as possible, and thus ride out the storm on 

 the water. They are seldom found on the inland 

 waters, or far up the estuaries of rivers, but. when they 

 appear in Britain, or rather in the British seas, they 

 are chiefly on the rocky shores. On all parts of those 

 shores they are more abundant than the divers pro- 

 perly so called ; but they are not more productive, 

 inasmuch as the female lays only one eg. 



