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15 



cula, with eyes at the base of the two longest, 

 and the foot oval and large. Some of the 

 African species have reversed shells, and all 

 that are natives of Africa and America have 

 the operculum horny ; while those which 

 come from India usually have it shelly, and 

 are furnished with an internal groove for its 

 reception parallel to the mouth. The animal 

 has a large bag opening beneath, placed on 

 the side of the respiratory organs ; this they 

 fill with water, by which means they can 

 exist for a considerable period out of their 

 natural element ; and specimens have been 

 brought from Egypt to Paris alive (before 

 steam navigation was common), although 



Cked up in sawdust. The Indian species 

 globular eggs, of a pale green colour, 

 about the size of small peas, which are found 

 in clusters attached to sticks or other things 

 in the water ; when dry, they have a beauti- 

 ful appearance. 



AN ABAS. A genus of Acanthopterygious 

 fishes, whose respiratory organs are so con- 

 structed as to enable them to sustain life for 

 a space of time out of water, by having small 

 apertures or some receptacle, where they can 

 preserve sufficient water to moisten their 

 gills. In cold or temperate regions this is 

 not required, but in tropical countries it 

 often happens that many of the riverg and 

 ponds are dried up. At such times no fish 

 but such as, like the Anabas, are furnished 

 with the necessary pharyngeal apparatus 

 for keeping the gills moist, could exist ; 

 many of these, however, are able to migrate 

 in search of their natural element, and, it is 



said, they are guided by a remarkable in- 

 stinct to travel towards the nearest water. 

 One species is called the Climbing Perch. 

 (Anabas scandens.) This species, Mr. Dal- 

 dorf, a distinguished Danish naturalist, says 

 -he observed in the act of ascending palm 

 trees, which it did by means of its fins and 

 tail and the spines of its gill-covers ; but 

 other naturalists, who have mentioned its 

 habit of creeping on the ground and living 

 out of water, have not confirmed this Dane's 

 account of its climbing propensities. It is a 

 native of India. 



AN ABATES. A genus of Passerine birds, 

 distinguished by having the superior ridge 

 of the beak rather convex, like that of a 

 Thrush, without emargination. The tail is 

 long and wedge-shaped, which indicates 

 that it is employed for supporting the bird 

 when in a perpendicular position against 

 the trunks of trees. 



ANABLEPS. A viviparous fish belonging 

 to the AfaJacoptcri/gii, remarkable for being 

 apparently possessed of four eyes : this is 

 not, however, really the case ; for although 



the cornea and iris are divided by transverse 

 bands, so that two pupils are observed on 

 each side, yet the other parts of the eye are 

 single. The body is cylindrical, with strong 



scales ; the head is flat ; the snout blunt, and 

 the mouth across its extremity, with small 

 crowded teeth in both jaws ; the intermax- 

 illaries have no peduncle, but are suspended 

 to the nasal bones ; the pectorals are in part 

 scaly ; the dorsal is small, and nearer the 

 tail than the anal ; the pharyngals are large, 

 and covered with small globular teeth. The 

 species here delineated, Anableps tetraoph- 

 thalmtu, inhabits the rivers of Guiana. 



ANACONDA. (Boa.) A Ceylonese ser- 

 pent, belonging to the Boa family, of enor- 

 mous magnitude and strength ; said to be 

 capable of conquering the largest and fiercest 

 quadruped, and concerning whose actions 

 the most wonderful stories are related. An 

 encounter between one of these serpents and 

 a most powerful tiger is described by an eye- 

 witness in language of fearful interest : 

 ' Though unable to get rid of its cruel enemy, 

 the tiger gave it prodigious trouble. A 

 hundred times would it rear up, and run a 

 little way ; but soon fell down again, partly 

 oppressed by the weight, and partly by the 

 folds and wreathed twists of the serpent 

 round its body. But though the tiger fell, it 

 was far from being entirely conquered. 

 After some hours it seemed much spent, and 

 lay as if dead ; when the serpent, which had 

 many times violently girded itself round 

 the tiger, vainly attempting to break its 

 bones, now quitted its hold, twisting its tail 

 only round the neck of its prey, which was 

 in no condition either to resist or escape. 

 Having by degrees dragged the tiger to a 

 tree, the monster wound its body round the 

 animal and the tree together several times, 

 girding both with such violence that the ribs 

 and other bones began to give way : and, by 

 repeated efforts of this kind, it broke all the 

 ribs, one by one, each of which gave a loud 

 crack in breaking. It next attempted the 

 legs, and broke them severally in the same 

 manner, each in four or five different places. 

 This employed many hours, during all which 

 time the poor tiger remained alive ; and at 

 every crack of the bones gave a faint but 

 most piteous howl." A loathsome descrip- 

 tion of the serpent's " licking the body and 

 covering it with its slaver," preparatory to 

 the act of swallowing, is then given ; and 

 the account thus concludes : " Much time 

 was employed in this business ; but at length 

 the serpent having prepared the whole to 

 its mind, drew itself up before its prey ; and, 

 seizing the head, began to suck that, and 

 afterwards the body, down into its throat." 

 But this, it appears, was the work of some 

 hours ; and it had so gorged, that, the 

 next morning, on being attacked by the 



