IDrrjwlar JStctumavg of &nimatett 



tions by an aperture at the top j for the I by their skin being covered with innumera- 

 valves, being destitute of hinges, never open ! ble small warts or tubercles, which, how- 

 or separate. The tentacula from this animal 1 ever, are only apparent when the skin of the 

 being feathered, our credulous ancestors con- living reptile is inflated or in preserved spe- 

 ceived the idea that it gave origin to a bird i cimeus. The only species accurately known 

 called the barnacle goose ; nay, BO prevalent , at present is the Acrochordua Javanicus of 

 was the opinion, that we find inserted in the ! Lacepede, chiefly remarkable on account of 

 Philosophical Transactions of this country its diet ; which, contrary to the general habit 



a grave account of its transformation. [See 

 BAKNACLE.] 



These curious but common shells are found 

 in all seas, particularlyon the coasts of Africa. 

 They are affixed to marine bodies, generally 

 in numerous groups, and the peduncle is 

 sometimes found a foot long. A large log 

 of timber (as Mr. Broderip remarks) covered 

 with these animals, twisting and diverging 

 in all directions, and so thick as entirely 



of the order, seems (according to the testi- 

 mony of Hornstedt) to consist of fruits and 

 other vegetable substances. This animal 

 averages from eight to ten feet in length, the 

 body growing gradually thicker from the 

 head to the vent, and there suddenly con- 

 tracting so as to form a very short slender tail. 



ACROCINUS. A genus of Coleopterous 

 insects belonging to the Longicorn group. 



to hide the surface of the log, is a strange 



sight. They look like an enormous collec- .. . 



tion of serpents to the ignorant ; and a bodv w 



living mass of this description, casually 



thrown into shallow water and left by the 



tide, has been so termed. Their growth 



must be exceeding rapid. A ship going out 



with a perfectly clean bottom will often 



return, after a short voyage, covered with 



them. 



ACOUCHI. (Dasyproctaacuchi.) A Ro- 

 dent quadruped, considerably smaller than 

 the Agouti ; it is of a deep olive colour, and 



mi.) 



haa only the rudiments of a tail. It inhabits 

 the woods of Guiana ; is of a mild, gentle, 

 and timid disposition ; and subsists on nuts, 

 almonds, and other vegetable food. 



ACRITA. The lowest division of the 

 Animal Kingdom, (comprising the classes 

 Spoimiue, Polypi, Polygastrica, Sterelmintfue, 

 and Acalepha,) in which there is no distinct 

 discernible nervous system, or distinct and 

 separate alimentary canal. In most of the 

 animals composing this sub-kingdom, no 

 muscular fibres are to be perceived, yet of 

 these many contract and expand their bodies, 

 and are furnished with movable and sensi- 

 tive tentacles, by which they seize their 

 prey. Many also are capable of locomotion j 

 others, like the plant, are fixed to one spot 

 for life ; and some are united together, and 

 form compound animals. There is ordi- 

 narily no distinction of sexes ; and repro- 

 duction takes place either by the simple 

 division of the body, by granular ova, or 

 gemmules which become detached from the 

 parent body, the form of which they ulti- 

 mately assume. 



ACROCHORDUS. A genus of Serpents 

 discovered in Java. They are considered 

 innoxious, and are distinguished from others 



The thorax on each side is furnished with a 

 moveable tubercle ending in a spine ; the 

 the antennae very long 

 S 



(ACROOINUS LONOIMAN 

 and slender ; the fore-legs much longer than 

 the others ; the elytra are truncated at the 

 end and furnished with two teeth. The 

 1 largest and best known species is the HAR- 

 ; LKyuiy BEETLE (A. lonyimanus) of South 

 America, the common name of which is de- 

 | rived from the agreeable mixture of grey, 

 black and red, on the elytra, giving it a re- 

 semblance to the garb of a harlequin. 



ACRYDIUM . The name applied by Fa- 

 bricius to a genus of Locusts, characterized 

 by a carinate thorax ; filiform antennae, 

 shorter than the thorax ; and equal palpi. 

 [See LOCUST.] 



ACTION. A genus of Mollusca allied to 

 Doris, a few species of which are found in 

 this country. [For habits, see NUDIBKAN- 

 CHIATA.] 



ACTINIAE. These curious and interest- 

 ing marine animals are closely allied to the 



B 3 



