80 



at 



pounce upon the fish as they swim beneath. 

 The species Cancroma cochlearia is the size 

 of a domestic fowl. In the male, the fore- 

 head, and upper parts of the neck and breast, 

 are dirty white ; and from the head depends 

 a long crest of black feathers. The female 

 has the top of the head black, without the 

 elongated crest. It inhabits Guiana. Brazil, 

 anil otner parts of South America. Close to 

 this comes the gigantic African Balceniccps, 

 a bird lately described by Mr. Gould, and a 

 bird well able to capture and crunch small 

 crocodiles, crabs, and L/epidosirens : more 

 of its history will be shortly known, when 

 adventurous African travellers penetrate 

 further into that continent. 



BOAT-FLY. (Notonecta.} An aquatic 

 Hemipterous insect, the back of which is 

 shaped like the bottom of a boat ; and the 

 hind legs, which are thrice as long as the 

 fore, aptly enough resemble a pair of oars. 

 The legs of the hinder pair have a fringe of 

 bristles along their edge ; by which the sur- 

 face, with which they strike the water in 

 swimming, is greatly increased. Their ge- 

 neral form is well adapted for rapid progres- 

 sion in water ; and it is from the peculiar 

 aspect and movement of the body that they 

 have received their name. They swim on 

 their backs ; and their eyes are so placed 

 that they are able to see both above and 

 below the surface of the water, so that at the 

 approach of danger they instantly descend, 

 and are out of sight. 



BOB-0-LINK. [See RICE BUNTIWG.] 

 BODIAN. There are several species of 



fish, of the Carp kind, bearing this name. 



They are natives of the Indian and Ame- 



ricau seas ; and vary from one foot to three 



feet in length. 



BOMBUS. The Humble-bee [which see]. 



BOMBYCHXE. A familyof Lepidopterous 

 insects, one of the most interesting of which 

 is the Bombyx Mori, well known as the Moth 

 to which the Silkworm turns. The cater- 

 pillars of most of the species are hairy, and 

 assume the pupa state in a cocoon spun for 

 its protection. 



BOMBYCILLA. The name of a genus of 

 birds placed by Cuvier among the Dentiros- 

 tral genera of his second order of Passeres. 

 They may be distinguished at first sight from 

 any other birds by a remarkable appendage 

 on the tips of some of the quills, which has 

 very much the appearance of red sealing- 

 wax. Their principal generic characters 

 are Bill short, slightly depressed and tri- 

 angular at the base ; above convex, towards 

 the tip bent down, and emarginate on each 

 side. Nostrils oval, covered with small fea- 

 thers. Feet four-toed, with the outer one 

 connected at the base. [See WAXWING.] 



BOMBYLID^E. A family of insects of 

 the order Diptera. They have an appear- 

 ance somewhat resembling that of the smal- 

 ler kinds of Humble-bees, being thickly co- 

 vered with erect downy hair : their flight is 

 rapid ; and they may be frequently observed 

 to hang, as if suspended, over a flower, sip- 



ping its 

 boscis, 



sweets by means of their long pro- 

 is, while their wings vibrate so rapidly 

 as to be scarcely discerned to move ; then 

 darting to another with such rapidity that 

 the eye cannot follow them. They frequent 

 gardens, open parts of woods, and sunny 

 banks ; and are most common in spring. 



BOMBYX. [See SILK-WORM.] 

 BONASSUS. [See BISON.] 



BONITO. (Thynmts.) A handsome fish 

 of the order Acanth^terygii, a native of the 

 Mediterranean, and a rare visitant of our 



ONJTO. (THYNNG8 PELAMIS.) 



shore?. It is about three feet long : has a 

 sharp head, a small mouth, large gills, full 

 silvery eyes, and a crescent-shaped tail. It 

 has no scales except on the middle of the 

 sides, where a line of gold colour runs from 

 the head to the tail. It is greenish on the 

 back and sides, but its belly is of a silvery 

 white ; and it is distinguished by its great 

 activity and voracity, being one of the chief 

 enemies of the flying-fish. It is also called 

 the STRIPED TUNST. 



BOOBY. (Sulafusca.) The name given 

 by navigators to a large bird, a species of 

 Gaunet, which inhabits the desolate islands 



and coasts of most -warm climates. The 

 name was naturally acquired from their 

 apparent stupidity, in quietly sitting on the 

 shore, or perching on the yard of a ship, till 

 knocked on the head, or taken away by any 

 one who may attempt it. [See GANNET.] 



BOOK- WORM. A name given to various 

 species of insects in the larva state, in which 

 they destroy books and papers, by boring 

 into them ; such as the 2'tinidce, Ano- 



