4S 



mark, learn, and reason for themselves ; for if they 

 would become proficients in natural history, they 

 must read the book of nature in her own deeply 

 traced and undeviating characters of truth and infinite 

 wisdom. 



LIMA(Bruguiere, Cuvier, Lamarck; OSTREA LIMA 

 of Linnaeus). A genus of molluscs confounded by 

 old authors with the Oslrca ; a separation from 

 them, however, is manifestly correct, as the animal 

 has become well known, and is ably described by 

 recent authors. Its body is slightly compressed ; 

 it has a byssiform abdominal appendage ; the edges 

 of the mantle are furnished with several rows of ten- 

 tacular cirri ; the mouth surrounded by a thick lip, 

 with a fringed edge. The shell is equivalve, oval, 

 more or less oblique, gaping at the anterior part of 

 the lower side, the summits anterior and distant, the 

 hinge longitudinal, without teeth, and the ligament 

 rounded, nearly external and inserted in a cavity on 

 each valve. The muscular impression is central, and 

 distinctly divided into three portions ; the ears at the 

 base are very small, but quite visible ; the colour of 

 the valves is a delicate white. Some species are 

 more ventricose than others, but they all possess 

 longitudinal ribs armed with vaulted scales, imbrica- 

 tions like a rasp, whence its name, or with striae ; 

 the margins are crenulated, and closely interlock 

 when the valves shut. Lamarck enumerates six spe- 

 cies, inhabiting India, America, Australia, and the 

 Mediterranean ; and many fossil species are known. 

 It is of the second family Subrostracca, third order 

 Lamellibranchinta, class Acephalophora. 



LIME is the Citrus limonum of Rizzo, a useful 

 fruit-tree indigenous in India, and cultivated in many 

 other parts of the world, for its juice which is so useful 

 in medicine, and many domestic and culinary pur- 

 poses. The wild lime is probably the original species 

 whence has been obtained all the fine varieties of this 

 valuable family. 



LIME TREE is the Tilka microphyila of Linnaeus. 

 The genus are European and North American tim- 

 ber trees, very commonly used in ornamental planting, 

 for forming avenues, open groves, and form handsome 

 objects when planted singly on dressed ground. The 

 timber is soft, very white, and chiefly used in turnery. 

 All the sorts may be readily propagated by lavers. 



LIMNIID^" (Stephens). A family of small 

 aquatic Coleoplera, belonging to the section Penta- 

 mera, and sub-section Philhydrida, distinguished by 

 having the antennae nine or eleven-jointed, filiform, 

 or but slightly thickened towards the tips, and as long 

 as the head and thorax ; the legs are furnished with 

 two very strong claws, and the last joint of the tarsi 

 is very long. The British genera are Limiting, 

 Illiger (or, more properly, Elmis, and hence the 

 family name should be changed to Elmidce), and Geo- 

 ryssus. The species are small, and although residing 

 in deep and running water, they are not formed for 

 swimming ; but still we find their legs, and especially 

 their large tarsal claws, admirably adapted for retain- 

 ing firm hold of the tough under-snrface of stones, 

 beneath which they are always found. There are 

 twelve British species of Limnius, and one of Geo- 

 ryssus. 



LIMNACEA. The first family of the first order 

 Pulmobranchiata ; second class Paracephalophora. 

 All the molluscs included in this family are inhabi- 

 tants of fresh water rivers, or stagnant pools, fre- 

 quently merely floating on the surface, and somr'timcs 



L I M A L I M N O R I A. 



at the bottom. The form of these shells vary con- 

 siderably ; but the substance of the shell is constantly 

 thin, and the external edge always sharp. Most of 

 them being within our daily reach, a very minute 

 description of them here is not necessary. 



The shape of the animal constructing these mol- 

 luscs, varies as in every other instance. Their gene- 

 ral characteristics are, in many respects, similar to the 

 family Limacinea. They have, however, only one 

 pair of completely retractile flattened tentacula, upon 

 which the sessile eyes are situated on the internal 

 side of their base. They are amphibious, usually 

 without an operculum ; but the aperture, under some 

 circumstances, closed by a thin calcareous cover. 

 The genera included in this family are Lymnaea, 

 Physn, and Planorbis. They are abundantly found in 

 all countries ; each genus containing numerous 

 species, particularly that of Planorbis. 



LIMNpCHARlS(Bounaud). An aquatic genus of 

 plants, natives of Brazil, belonging to Polyandrin mono- 

 7/?V/,and to the natural order Hydrochmidetc. Generic 

 character : calyx of three sepals ; carolla of three small 

 petals ; stamens inserted into the receptacle : capsu- 

 les several, one celled, and many seeded. This is 

 grovfn and readily flowered in our stoves in tubs of 

 water. The organisation of the leaves is curious : at 

 the point of the costa or midrib of the leaf, there is an 

 aperture whence pure water appears to be distilled 

 in globular drops. The L. pluniicri is only a bien- 

 nial ; and, therefore, to preserve the plant, seeds 

 should be saved. 



LIMNORIA (Leach). A genus of minute but 

 very destructive crustaceous insects, belonging to the 

 order Isapoda, and family Cynwt/ioidts, having the 

 eyes granular, the antennae four in number, and in- 

 serted nearly in a line, and four-jointed ; the legs 

 similarly formed and fit for walking ; the abdomen 

 six-jointed, the last segment being large and subor- 

 bicular. The only species is the Limnoria tcrebrans, 

 which does not exceed one-sixth of an inch in length, 

 but which, from its wood-eating habits and great 

 powers of multiplication, is one of the most destructive 

 of our insect enemies, attacking piles of wood immersed 

 in the water, in our dock-yards, flood-gates, timber 

 bridges, chain piers, &c., and which in a very short 

 time it completely perforates in a most alarming 

 manner, boring to the depth of several inches in every 

 direction. It is found in many parts of the coast, 

 both of Great Britain arid Ireland (see Thomp- 

 son and Coldstrearn in the Edinburgh New Philoso- 

 phical Journal, 1834), and France. From Coldstream's 

 elaborate paper just referred to, it is evident that the 

 boring of this little insect in the wood has for its 

 object the obtaining a supply of food, as " the con- 

 tents of the stomach resembled comminuted wood," 

 and that it commences its ravages on an entire piece 

 of wood, by fixing upon the soft parts situated between 

 the harder annual layers, and by subsequently work- 

 ing upwards at an angle of 45, keeping in preference 

 in the course of the soft layer into which it bored 

 at first ; the mandibles appear to be its chief tools ; 

 it likewise appears necessary that the hole should be 

 filled with salt water whilst the insect is at work. 

 Very often, however, the galleries are horizontal, and 

 sometimes perpendicular, the walls being as smooth 

 as if cut by a sharp knife. With a view, however, 

 of more particularly calling the attention of scientific 

 persons, and especially those whose knowledge of 

 chemistry may best enable them to suggest prac- 



