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H A 11 P A L I D JE II A W K. 



defiance of good sense. This species of harpa is one of 

 the many illustrative proofs of the value attached to 

 every thing of great rarity, and its subsequent de- 

 preciation when more abundantly procured ; it is 

 within the writer's recollection that fine examples of 

 this shell have been eagerly coveted by amateurs, 

 at prices varying from five guineas to twenty guineas, 

 such as may now be had equally select at three 

 guineas, and such as will, doubtless, be obtainable, at 

 no very distant period, for one-third that sum, or less. 

 This shell .is easily recognised from the other harps 

 by the short interval between its periodical additions 

 of growth, which constitute its designation, by form- 

 ing a greater number of ribs or ridges (the labial ter- 

 minations of the shell), which seem to indicate a more 

 rapid development of the animal's organic structure 

 than others of the same genus exhibit; this may pos- 

 sibly be accounted for by the local advantages of food 

 or climate, since similar occurrences are observable 

 in other genera of molluscs. Another characteristic 

 distinction exists, that of a small spiral keel running 

 round the summit of this species, which is never the 

 case with others of the genus. The animal of this 

 genus so much resembles that of the Buccinum, that 

 its difference is only interesting to the anatomist ; and 

 we, therefore, will not here describe it. More than 

 one fossil species of harp is described, but they are 

 not abundant. De Blainville places this genus in the 

 second class, Paraccpltalophora, first order, Siphono- 

 bronchiata, second family, Entomostomata, succeeding 

 the true Buccinum, and preceding the Dolium and 

 others of the same family. 



HARPALID^E, or rather HARPAI.IDES. fSee the 

 article CARABID^.) One of the chief divisions into 

 which the great Linnaean genus of coleopterous 

 insects, Carabus, has been divided by modern authors, 

 distinguished by having the anterior tibiae notched 

 near the inner extremity, the elytra rounded at the 

 extremity, the antenna? not elbowed, and the anterior 

 tarsi dilated in the males. This is by far the most 

 extensive group of carabideous (or predaceous land) 

 insects; the species are of an intermediate size, 

 between the larger Carabi and the smaller Brachlnides, 

 They are found upon the ground under stones, de- 

 caying leaves, and such like situations ; they run with 

 great agility, and many of the species fly well, espe- 

 cially in the hot sunshine. Many of these insects, 

 whose habitations are in obscure situations, are 

 dark coloured, the majority being of a shining black 

 with pitchy or reddish limbs; hence some of the 

 larger species have obtained in some parts of the 

 country the name of black-clocks, and in others imps. 

 Other species, however, which are to be observed con- 

 stantly running about footpaths, and even upon the 

 pavements in the heart of our metropolis in hot sun- 

 shiny weather, are, as might be expected from such 

 a circumstance, more gaily ornamented, their colours 

 being highly metallic and polished. In their habits 

 they are essentially predaceous, feeding for the most 

 part upon other softer insects, although it appears to 

 be now clearly established (which was not the case 

 when Mr. Stephens published his account of the 

 group in question), that many of the species, chiefly 

 belonging to the genera Zabrus, Amara, Curtonotus, 

 &c., feed, both in the larva and perfect states, upon 

 vegetables, the species of the first of these genera 

 being occasionally very injurious to young wheat. 

 The larvae, which are longish, somewhat cylindric, 

 and furnished with six legs, strong jaws, and a forked 



tail, are scaly grubs, having the under surface of the 

 body more fleshy than the upper, and reside in similar 

 situations with the perfect insects, but arc very dirhV 

 cwlt to rear to the beetle state. They feed, like the 

 beetles, upon other larvae and small insects. Mr. 

 Stephens mentions a curious circumstance connected 

 with these insects, worthy of more minute investiga- 

 tion than has hitherto been given to it. He says, 

 " Many of the species are greatly infested with Gordii, 

 a fact so generally known to the 'companions of my 

 youth' that whenever an 'imp' was seen basking in 

 the sun, it was immediately subjected to the ordeal 

 of a pool of water for the purpose of ejecting the 

 ' serpent,' thus called, from his lurking place." Owing 

 to the great extent of the family and the great degree 

 of attention which has been paid to it by the late 

 French entomologists, it has become necessary to 

 divide and subdivide it to a considerable extent, of 

 which some idea may be entertained, when it is stated 

 that this single family, comprising its various sections, 

 genera, and species, occupies nearly three octavo 

 volumes, in the work of the Baron Dejean. In a 

 work like the present, we can of course introduce, 

 and that but shortly, the chief divisions. These are 



1. The Patellimanes, having the two anterior tarsi 

 of the males dilated, the joints being square 

 or rounded. Genera, Chla-mus, Epomis, Pana- 

 gceus, Ijicinus, Badister, &c. 



2. The Fcroniens, having the two anterior tarsi of 

 the males dilated, the joints being heart-shaped. 

 Genera, Sphodrus, Calathus, Agonum, Zabrus, 

 Steropus, Abax, Poecillus, Omaseus, &c. 



3. The Harpaliens, having the four anterior tarsi of 

 the males dilated. Genera, Aniavdactylus, Har- 

 palus, Stenolophus, Trechiis, &c. 



The genus Harpalus is very extensive in British 

 species, in which the thorax is quadrate, not punctate 

 throughout, the upper !ip entire, with the basal joints 

 of the anterior tarsi of the females not dilated. The 

 type is the Harpalus ruficornis, a very common spe- 

 cies, generally somewhat more than half an inch long 

 of a pitchy black colour, with the elytra opaque, and 

 the legs and antennae pitchy red. 



HARPAX (Parkinson). A fossil mollusc, de- 

 scribed by Parkinson in his Organic Remains, and 

 closely resembling the recent genus, T}-igonia. It 

 certainly belongs to the family Ostrea ; but scarcely 

 appears to be sufficiently known to pronounce with 

 certainty its rank in modern malacology. 



HART'S TONGUE. Is the Scolopemlrium offi- 

 cinarum of Smith, a common British fern. The Poly- 

 podium pkyllitidis of Linnaeus, another West Indian 

 fern, is also called Hart's tongue. 



HAWK (Astur), a genus of diurnal birds of prey, 

 nearl)' allied to the falcons, and of which we shall not 

 need to give a very detailed account, from the notice 

 which we took of the family generally in the article 

 FALCON. They belong to the section which in the 

 days of falconry were called " ignoble hawks," though 

 some of them were trained for sport, and when trained 

 properly, highly esteemed, although they have not the 

 dash and splendour of the long-winged, or noble fal- 

 cons. One, the gos-hawk, when duly trained, was 

 dignified by the name of the " falcon gentle." 



Hawks are pretty numerous, and found in almost 

 every part of the world, though there are some of 

 the species which are not very clearly defined or well 

 made out. They are sometimes designated short- 

 winged, or low-flighted hawks, because in their style 



