MAC L U R I T A- M A D D E 11: 



species have been added to this genus, viz. the Morns 

 tinctoria of Linnaeus, or Bromsonetia of Herit.ier is 

 Madura tinctoria, and the tree which yields the 

 fustic wood, used in dyeing yellow ; and the Morus 

 Plumiera of Burrnan is now the Madura Plumiera of 

 G. Don. The first was introduced into this country, 

 with a view to its becoming a useful fruit tree ; but it 

 appears our summers are not warm enough to mature 

 the fruit. 



MACLURITA (Lesueur). This mollusc has been 

 separated from the genus Solarium by Lesueur, without 

 sufficient grounds, as it is in no essential point different, 

 the principal distinction is the circumference of the 

 umbilicus not being crenu'ated. 



MACOMA. This mollusc was so named by 

 Leach, but has since been united to the genus Venus, 

 from which it so little differs as not to warrant a 

 separation. 



'MACROCEKA (Meigen). A genus of small 

 dipterous insects, belonging to the family Tipululce, 

 and sub-family Fungivorcs of Latreille, having the 

 antennae very long in the males, being sometimes 

 much longer than the entire body. The ocelli are 

 three in number, and form a triangle. There are 

 several British species, all of which are rare. 



MACRODACTYLES Long toes. The last of 

 the regular families into which Cuvier divides the 

 stilt birds or waders. The habit of these birds is that 

 of frequenting borders of marshes which are thick 

 with tangled vegetation -, and the toes of the bird 

 are admirably fitted for enabling them to support 

 their weight upon such footing. In some species these 

 lengthened toes have scarcely any connecting mem- 

 brane even at their bases ; but in others they are 

 lobed, or bordered with web, sometimes entire along 

 the border, and sometimes contracted at the articu- 

 lations of the toes. The bill is usually more or less 

 contracted laterally, and long and slender, but with- 

 out that softness and sensibility of touch which cha- 

 racterise the bills of the snipes. The coots and rails 

 are British instances of those birds ; and the JACANA 

 (to which article we may refer for some remarks on 

 the general habits), is perhaps the most characteristic 

 of the whole. 



M ACRODITE. A microscopic mollusc, so called 

 by De Montfbrt, now arranged under the genus 

 Lenticulina. 



MACROGLOSSA (Scopoli). A genus of lepi- 

 dopterous insects belonging to the family of the 

 hawkmoths, having the spiral tongue very long, the 

 body robust, terminated by a fan-like tail, the wings 

 not glossy, and the flight diurnal. The type is the 

 humming-bird hawkmoth (M. ttellatarum), of whose 

 habits we have given a short notice in the article 

 HAWKMOTH. 



MACROPODIA. A genus of triangular-shaped 

 crabs. See MAIID.E. 



MACRURA or MACROURA Long tails. A 

 sub-order of ten-legged crustaceous animals, having 

 the eyes placed at the extremity of footstalks, and 

 the abdomen elongated, equalling in size the remain- 

 der of the body, and not concealed, but simply bent 

 under the breast, and terminated by a fan-like appa- 

 ratus or swimmeret, having also on its under side five 

 pairs of small appendages or false leg*, with two 

 filaments at the extremity of each. The abdomen is 

 always seven-jointed, the antennae generally long and 

 exserted, the outer foot-jaws long, and not entirely 

 covering the inner parts of the mouth. The shell is 



longer and narrower than in the Brachyura or crabs, 

 and generally terminated in front by a spine. These 

 Crustacea are marine, and do not quit the water like 

 some of the land crabs. 



The lobster, shrimp, prawn, &c., are examples of 

 this sub-order, and which is divisible into five families, 

 namely, 1. Ilippidce ; 2. Pqgvridef, or hermit crabs; 



3. Scyllaridce, including the scaly lobsters, Palinums; 



4. AstacidcE, or lobsters, and crayfish (see the article 

 CRAYFISH), including the Galathece and Porcellance ; 



5. PakEmomdce, or shrimps. See the articles CRUS- 

 TACEA, CRAB, CRAYFISH, ASTACID^E, &c. 



MACTRA (Linnaeus, and modern authors). This 

 mollusc, separated from the Liitraria;, now constitutes 

 a well-defined genus. They are marine shells, living 

 in the sands, on the borders of the sea. Some species 

 attain a large size ; the substance is generally very 

 thin, and covered with an epidermis. The form tri- 

 angular, sometimes gaping a little backward, equivalve, 

 inequilateral, either smooth or transversely ribbed on 

 the exterior, the summits protuberant and slightly 

 bent forward. The character of the hinge is very 

 singular, and clearly distinguishes this mollusc from 

 all other bivalves ; on each valve, beneath the apex, 

 is a compressed tooth, bent or angular, like two diver- 

 gent pieces, at the side of which is a subcardiform 

 oblique cavity, to which the ligument is attached ; 

 there are also two lateral teeth, compressed and 

 inserted, one of them more or less near to the cavity 

 of the ligument, and the other near to the primary 

 tooth. In some species, where the cavity of the hinge 

 is very large, the primary tooth is oblique and alrm st 

 obsolete, but the lateral teeth always exist ; in addi- 

 tion to the internal ligument it possesses also an 

 external one, which constitutes another distinguishing 

 character from other bivalves ; the interior of the 

 valves presents two muscular impressions, united by 

 a marginal ligula, narrow, and but slightly marked on 

 the back part. About thirty-five species are described ; 

 they are found in the seas of every country, but the 

 fossil species are by no means equal I v abundant. 



MACTRINA. One of Captain' Brown's fanciful 

 genera, only to be found described in his comparative 

 arrangement of the systems of Linnaeus and Lamarck, 

 upon a descending scale of the latter. 



MACTROIDES. A division of molluscs well 

 examined bv some naturalists. To distinguish those 

 of the confused genus Venus, whose characters resem- 

 ble the Mactra, modern malacologists have now dis- 

 tributed them into more natural associations, the 

 expediency of which is daily confirmed by the ex- 

 ; tended researches of naturalists, and the increased 

 knowledge acquired by them. 



MADDER. Is the Rubia tinctoria of Linnaeus,, 

 an agricultural herbaceous plant, cultivated for the 

 use of dyers. Madder is used as a dye-stuff, and a.'so 

 as a pigment. The madder-lakes, formed by pre- 

 cipitating the colouring matter from its infusion by 

 alum, are, when carefully prepared, superior in tint to- 

 cochineal. Madder is not much grown in this country, 

 although the climate suits it well enough, because it 

 can be imported from abroad at a cheaper rate than 

 it can bo raised at home. Our chief supplies are 

 received from Holland, Franco, Italy, and Turkey. 

 It, like several other of the Rubiacece, tinges the 

 secretions and excretions of animals that feed upon it. 

 The urine and milk, and even the bones, become dyed 

 red ; and curious preparations are formed by feeding 

 pigs alternately on madder and ordinary food, by 



