of gtoimatett $aturc. 



FDLOENS.) 



The head is whitish ; the tail annulated with 

 brown ; and the soles of the feet are hairy. 

 This elegant animal frequents the vicinity 

 of rivers and mountain torrents, passes much 

 of its time upon trees, and feeds on birds and 

 the smaller quadrupeds. 



ALABES. A genus of Malacopterygioua 

 apodal fishes, distinguished by having one 

 gill-opening ; pectorals well marked, with a 

 disc between them ; gill-lids small, with 

 three rays, and pointed teeth. The species 

 inhabit the Indian Ocean. 



ALASMADON. A name which has been 

 given to some Bivalve Mollusca, of which the 

 fresh-water Pearl Mussel (.Mya margariti- 

 fera) is an example. 



ALAT^E. A family of Mollusca, belong- 

 ing to the second section of the order Tra- 

 chelipoda, containing the genera Jtostellaria, 

 Pterocera, Strombiis, &c. The shells of this 

 family are distinguished by the spreading of 

 the outer lip. 



ALAUDA. A genus of granivorous 

 singing-birds, of which there are many 

 species, found in all parts of the globe. 

 They are characterized by a long and straight 

 hind claw, a strong straight bill, and by 

 being able to raise the feathers on the back 

 part of the head into the form of a crest. 

 The greater part of them are migratory : 

 they always build their nests on the ground, 

 and may be considered as peculiarly birds of 

 the fields and meadows. [See LARK.] 



ALBATROSS. (ZHomedea.) A genus of 

 Palmipede birds : the species are the largest 

 of all aquatic birds, the wings of some when 

 extended measuring fifteen feet, and the 

 weight often exceeding twenty pounds. Its 

 plumage is white, with the exception of a 

 few of the wing feathers and some transverse 

 black bands on the back. It has a strong, 

 hard, long beak, of a pale yellow colour : the 

 feet, which are flesh-coloured, are short and 

 webbed ; and the wings are long, strong, and 

 narrow. It preys on the wing, and is very 

 voracious ; but though formidable from its 

 size and strength, it is not equally cou- 

 rageous, being frequently compelled to yield 

 its prey to the sea-eagles, and sometimes 

 even to the larger species of gulls. These 

 ! birds are continually met with in the South- 

 ern Ocean, and are also seen in immense 

 flocks about Bchring's Straits and Kamt- 

 schatka in the early part of summer, at- 

 tracted thither by the vast shoals of fish, 

 whose migrations they follow. Besides the 

 common Albatross, here described, there are 

 two other species of less gigantic proportions, 



namely, the Albatross of China and the 

 black-beaked Albatross. 



When sailors accidentally fall overboard 

 n latitudes where the Albatross abounds, 

 they find it a most formidable enemy, even 

 should only a few minutes elapse before they 

 can be rescued by their comrades. Its powers 

 of flight are prodigious. Dr.Arnott mentions 

 an instance of one of these birds following a 

 rapidly sailing ship for two or three days. 

 One species is called by sailors the " Cape 



(CIOUZDKA XULAUS.) 



Sheep," from flocks of them being seen off 

 the Cape of Good Hope Captain Sir J. C. 

 Ross, in his voyage to the Southern Seaa, 

 mentions that, in one of the islands fre- 

 quented by seal hunters, the eggs of these 

 birds, each of which averages about a pound in 

 weight, are much esteemed while the young 

 birds, when first taken from their nest, are 

 described by them as being quite delicious. 

 It is possible, he adds, the sealers may have 

 acquired the Esquimaux taste. 



ALBIONES. A genus of Abranchioua 

 Annelides, distinguished by having the 

 body bristled with tubercles. 



ALBURNUS. A fresh-water fish, a species 

 of the CyprinicUx. [See BLEAK.] 



ALCA. [See AUK.] 



ALCAD^E. A family of oceanic birds, 

 including the Auks, Puffins, and Guille- 

 mots. The power of their wings as organs 

 of flight is generally very circumscribed j 

 but their whole structure is admirably 

 adapted for an aquatic life. The legs are 

 extremely short, but powerful, and placed 

 so far backwards that, in resting on the rocks, 

 the birds appear to stand in an upright posi- 

 tion. The toes are usually only three in 

 number, and fully webbed. The bill is 

 generally compressed, and often grooved at 

 the sides, but it varies in form in the dif- 

 ferent genera. Their food consists of fishes, 

 Crustacea, and other marine productions ; 

 but they never resort to fresh water. [See 

 AUK, &c.] 



ALCEDO : ALCEDINID^. A genus 

 and family of birds, popularly known as 

 Kingfishers, of which there are numerous 



