JDirttouarw of &nimatrtt $atttrc. 41 



racter is derived from the antennae, the two 

 pairs of which are inserted in the same hori- 

 zontal line. In it are included those well- 

 known and valuable shell-fish, the Lobster 

 (Astacu.i marinus), and the Crayfish (Asta- 

 ciisfui-iutilis) : the former of these has, how- 

 ever, by recent naturalists been regarded as 

 the type of another genus (Homanis). [See 

 LOBSTER and CUAYFISII.] 



ASTERIAS. A genus of Radiated ani- 

 mals, shameless and rude in form, which we 

 find thrown up on 

 every coast, and 

 which are popu- 

 larly known as 

 Star-fishen. They 

 are formed of a 

 semi - transparent 

 and gelatinous 

 substance covered 



----- ' 1K, v -' f Sfe witl1 a tniu mem ~ 



^82% brane ; and though 



R FISH. 



at first sight they 

 ) ftcu appear like a 



lump of inanimate 

 jelly, on a more minute inspection they are 

 found possessed of life and motion. " Let a 

 star-fish thus picked up," observes Mr.Rymer 

 Jones, " be placed in some transparent pool 

 left by the tide, within a rocky basin ; watch 

 it there, and, doubtless, soon the most incuri- 

 ous looker-on will find himself compelled to 

 gaze in mute astonishment at what he sees. 

 From the inferior surface of each ray, the 

 creature, wliicli before appeared so helpless 

 and inanimate, slowly protrudes numbers of 

 fleshy tubes, which move about in search of 

 firm holding-places, and are soon fixed, by 

 means of little suckers at the end of each, to 

 the smooth siu-fr.ce of a neighbouring stone, 

 or, if the star-fish has been placed in glass 

 filled witli salt water, to the inner surface of 

 the glass, where every movement may be 

 plainly seen. When these have laid fast 

 hold, others appear in quick succession, and i 

 likewise are attached to the smooth surface, | 

 till at last hundreds of little legs, for such j 

 these suckers seem, are actively employed, j 

 and by their aid the creature glides along j 

 with such a gentle motion, that it seems I 

 rather to swim than crawl. Thus roused j 

 into activity we watch its movements, and j 

 perceive that it has appetites and instincts | 

 which direct its course. Place within its 

 reach a piece of tainted fish, or other sea- 

 side carrion, and it soon will find it out, and, 

 clasping it between its rays, will swallow 

 and digest it in its ample stomach." " We 

 see at once that they are scavengers em- 

 ployed In Nature's grand police." 



ASTRCEA. A genus of fixed Polypi, 

 either incrusting marine bodies, as in the 

 Astrcea rotulosa, an inhabitant of the West 

 Indian seas ; or collected in a hemispherical 

 mass, sometimes though rarely lobated, as 

 in the Astrcea favosa, commonly found in 

 the seas of the East Indies. 



ASTTJR. [See HAWK.] 



ATELES. [See SPIDER MONKEY.] 



ATHERICERA. The fourth section of 

 Dipterous insects, characterized by the an- 



tennae being only two or three-jointed, and 

 the proboscis capable of being withdrawn 

 into the mouth. Few of the Athcricerae 

 are carnivorous in the perfect state. They 

 are found, for the most part, on flowers 

 leaves, and sometimes on human excrement. 



ATHERINE. (Atherina.) A genus of 

 Acanthopterygious fish, of which there are 

 several species, varying in length from three 

 inches to six. They are abundant on the 

 shores of Italy and Greece, as also on the Pe- 

 ruvian and other coasts of South America, 

 where they are esteemed delicious food. They 

 are likewise taken in considerable numbers 

 on the south-western coasts of England, espe- 

 cially near Southampton, where, from their 

 similarity of appearance, they are called 

 smelts. The Atherine is of a silvery yellow 

 hue, somewhat transparent, and having a 

 well-defined silvery band or stripe running 

 along the sides, from gills to tail. 



ATLANTA. (.Atlanta Peronii.) A small 

 transparent Molluscous animal, found in the 

 seas of all hot climates ; it occupies a most 

 delicate shell spirally rolled on itself, hav- 

 ing a thin and glassy operculum. The At- 

 lanta belongs to the order Heteropoda : it has 

 two tentacula, with large eyes at the base ; 

 and the foot large. 



ATTAGEN. A local name for the Ptar- 

 migan or White Grouse. [See PTARMIGAN.] 



ATTIHAWMEG. [See SALMO ALBUS.] 

 AUK. (Alca.) A genus of aquatic birds of 

 the family ylfcacte, consisting of several spe- 

 cies -, particularly the Great Auk, the Razor- 

 bill, and the Little Auk. They are charac- 

 terized by having very short wings, and the 

 legs placed so far behind the centre of the 

 body that they stand nearly erect. They are 

 strictly sea birds, and nestle on its borders ; 

 breeding in caverns and rocky clilfs, and 

 laying only one large egg. They obtain 

 their food by diving, at which they are very 

 expert ; but the power of their wings is very 

 limited ; and when they proceed on foot by 

 land, which they do with swiftness, if pur- 

 sued, their motions are the most awkward 

 imaginable. They all feed on small fishes, 

 Crustacea, vermes, mollusca, or marine ve- 

 getables. 



The GREAT ATJK (Alca imptrmis) is three 

 feet long ; and has a black bill, four inches 



K 8 



