128 



Qfrragurg of Natural H?ttflrt? ; 



of the limbs, in the flattened and dilated 

 extremity of the tail, and the elongation of 

 the transverse processes of the lower caudal 

 vertebrae. 2. Mole (Talpa Europca), in the 

 shortness and great strength of the legs, and 



SKELETON OF CHLAMTPHORDS TRDNCA'l 1 



in the articulation of the claws to the first 

 phalanges of the toes. 3. Sloth (Urarli/pits 

 tridactylits), in the form of the teeth, and in 

 the acute descending process of the zygoma. 

 4. Armadillo (Dasypus), in the coat of mail, 

 in the peculiar ossification of the cervical 

 vertebrae, in possessing the sesamoid bones 

 of the feet, and in the general form of the 

 bones, except those of the pelvis. 5. Oryc- 

 teropus Capensis and Myrmecoiihaga jubata, 

 in some of the bones. 6. Echidna and Orni- 

 thorhynchus, in the form of the first bone of 

 the sternum, and in the bony articulations 

 as well as the dilated connecting plates of 

 the true and false ribs. 7. and 8. Ruminun- 

 tia and Pachydermata, in the form of the 

 lower jaw, &c. The unique points in its 

 osteological structure appear to be the form 

 of the head and the open pelvis. Dr. Buck- 

 land considers Chlannjphorus one of the 

 nearest approximations to Megatherium, par- 

 ticularly in regard to its coat of mail, and 

 in the adaptation of the animal for digging. 

 Dr. Harlan, who first described this re- 

 markable animal, says, " We have been pre- 

 sented in the subject before us with a -new 

 form; an animal combining in its external 

 configuration a mechanical arrangement of 

 parts which characterizes, respectively, the 

 armadillo, the sloth, and the mole ; consti- 

 tuting in themselves, individually and se- 

 parately, of all other quadrupeds, those which 

 offer the most remarkable anatomical cha- 

 racters. * * * The structure of this ani- 

 mal, Dr. Harlan goes on to say, taken col- 

 lectively, furnishes us with an example of 

 organic structure, if not unparalleled, not 

 surpassed in the history of animals." A nn. 

 New York Lyceum, p. 245. 



CHOCOLATE-TIP [MOTHS]. A name 

 given by collectors to Moths of the genus 

 Clostera. 



CHONDROPTERYGII. The term for 

 one of the great classes or families of fishes ; 

 characterized by the cartilaginous nature of 

 the spines and bones. Cuvier divides the 

 Chondropterygii into two orders, those 

 which have their gills free,as in the generality 

 of fishes, and those in which they are fixed, 

 that is, the external edge attached to the 

 skin. 



CHOUGH (CORNISH), or RED- 

 LEGGED CROW. (Pyrrhocorax grandus.} 

 A bird somewhat taller and longer than the 

 Jackdaw, whose habits it in many respects 



resembles. Its colour is a beautiful black, 

 glossed with blue and purple : the bill is 

 long, curved, sharp at the tip, and of a brighl 

 orange-red ; the legs are of a similar colour, 

 with black claws. It builds on high clitfs, 

 by the sea side, lays four or five eggs, spotted 

 with yellow, and chiefly frequents the coasts 

 of Cornwall, Devonshire, and Wales, though 

 it is sometimes found on the cliffs of Dover, 

 in Scotland, and the Hebrides. In a wild 

 state it feeds principally on insects and ber- 

 ries. It is easily tamed, becomes extremely 

 docile, and is very fond of being caressed by 

 those to whom it shows an attachment, but its 

 shrill notes and mischievous qualities ren- 

 der it sometimes a troublesome inmate. It 

 also becomes bold and pugnacious, and re- 

 sents an affront with violence and effect. 



CHRYSIDID2E, or GOLDEN WASPS. 

 A family of Hymenopterous insects, most of 

 which seek the nests of other insects, wherein 

 to deposit their eggs. They are generally 

 distinguished by a peculiar brilliancy of 

 colour, are very active, and are seen flying 



about in the sunshine, settling upon old 

 walls, palings, &c. The most common, and 

 at the same time most beautiful British spe- 

 cies, is the Cbrysis ignita : it is about the size 

 of the common window fly, and is of a rich 

 deep blue-green colour on the head and 

 thorax, with the abdomen of a burnished 

 golden-copper hue. 



CHRYSOCHLORIS, or CAPE MOLE. A 



Rodent quadruped very much resembling the 

 mole in general structure and habits. There 

 "s no external ear, nor any appearance of the 

 :ye externally : the body is thick and short ; 

 and the claws are particularly well adapted 

 for digging and burrowing in the earth : but 

 it is chiefly distinguished by the splendid 

 colours of its fur, and is the only known 

 quadruped which exhibits anything like the 

 netallic lustre that adorns numerous birds, 

 fishes, and insects. The best known species 

 (CkrysocMoris Capensis) is, as the name im- 

 plies, a native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



CHRYSOMELA : CHRYSOMELIDJE. 



An extensive genus and family of Coleopte- 

 rous insects, generally of a small or moderate 

 size, and frequently ornamented with the 

 most brilliant colours, amongst which blue, 

 ~;reen, and gold are pre-eminently conspi- 

 upus. The antennas are moniliform, thick- 

 ening towards the tip ; the thorax margined; 

 and the body ovate, oblong, or subhemisphe- 

 rical. Chrysomela Graminis is a common 

 rat highly elegant insect, of a most vivid, 

 rat deep golden-green colour ; shape ex- 

 tremely convex Chrysomda Eetulce, found 



