|9npuTar JBtcttflnarj? of "Hmmatrtt Mature. 203 



thorax and wing-slieaths bordered with 

 yellow. The larva of this insect in shape 

 much more resembles the shrimp tribe than 

 that of its parent. It measures, when full 

 grown, about two inches and a half in length, 

 and is of a pale yellowish-brown colour, 

 with a high degree of transparency : the 

 head is very large, rather flat, and is fur- 

 nished with a pair of very strong curved 

 forceps^ with which it attacks its prey : its 

 legs are slender, and its abdomen is very 

 considerably lengthened, and ciliated_ on 

 each side the tail, which terminates in a 

 divided fin or process. The larva is very 

 bold and voracious, committing great ravages 

 not only among water insects, but even 

 among small fishes, and is therefore con- 

 sidered one of the most mischievous animals 

 that can infest a fish-pond. When full- 

 grown, the larva betakes itself to the ad- 

 joining banks, where it changes into a chry- 

 salis of a whitish colour. There are nume- 

 rous species of this genus, but none so large 

 or destructive as the one here described: 

 some of them are, by comparison, extremely 

 minute. 



A WATER-nEETIJ 



As an illustration of this family, we have 

 figured (after Sturm) the Hydaticus inter- 

 ruptus, belonging to a genus of Dytiscidue, of 

 which some species are found in this country. 

 Dr. Schaum has given in " the Zoologist " a 

 revision of all the British species of this 

 family. In the work of Dr. Aube" of Paris, 

 descriptions of the numerous species and 

 genera of Water Beetles will be found, while 

 in the pages of the " List of Hydrocanthari 

 in the British Museum Collection " will be 

 seen how very extensive and how universally 

 distributed is the family of Water Beetles. 



DZERON, or CHINESE ANTELOPE. 

 (AntiJope yutturosa.) This species of An- 

 telope inhabits China, Thibet, and Tartary, 

 chiefly frequenting the dry and rocky plains, 

 and feeding on the scanty herbage which 

 those barren localities supply. The length of 

 tliis animal is about four feet and a half : the 

 horns, nine inches long, of an opaque yellow 

 colour, and having a backward direction, 

 are stimulated nearly to the tips, and diverge 

 considerably upwards, though the points 

 bend towards each other. The head is rather 

 clumsy ; the nose obtuse ; the ears small and 

 pointed ; and on the middle of the neck 

 grows a large protuberance, occasioned by 

 the peculiar structure of the windpipe. It 

 is of a tawny hue on the upper parts, and 



white beneath ; but in winter the hair grows 

 long, thick, and hoary. This species, which 

 the Chinese call Whang Yang, or Yellow 

 Goat, is extremely swift and active, but na- 

 turally shy and timid. During the winter 

 season they herd in great numbers, but sepa- 

 rate again on the approach of spring. The 

 Tartars hunt them with the utmost eager- 

 ness, and esteem their flesh very delicious 

 food : the horns form a considerable article 

 of commerce, and are in great request among 

 the Chinese : the female has no horns. Spe- 

 cimens of this Antelope are in the British 

 Museum collection. It has never, however, 

 been brought alive to this country. 



EAGLE. (AyuUa.) Pre-eminent for cou- 

 rage, strength, and boldness among preda- 

 ceous birds, is the daring and majestic Eagle. 

 This time-honoured monarch of the fea- 

 thered tribes, which in the mythology of 

 Greece and Rome was deemed worthy to 

 rank as the chosen associate of Jupiter, was 

 ever regarded as an emblem of dignity and 

 might, and still has the reputation of being 

 equally magnanimous, fierce, and voracious. 

 What the Lion is among quadrupeds, that 

 the Eagle is presumed to be among birds ; 

 one who disdains all petty plunder, and pur- 

 sues only such prey as would seem to be 

 worthy of conquest. This laudatory cha- 

 racter of the king of birds, however, though 

 true in the main, and generally acquiesced 

 in, is, it must be confessed, more poetically 

 descriptive than logically accurate ; but 

 while, in our zoological character, we are 

 bound to make this admission, far be it from 

 us to disparage the "bird of Jove," or to 

 pluck a single plume from his upsoaring 

 wing. Eagles are distinguished by the fea- 

 thering of the tarsi down to the very base of 

 the claws ; and the males are smaller than 

 the females ; their plumage varying con- 

 siderably, according to age and other cir- 

 cumstances. Of all the feathered tribe the 

 Eagle soars the highest ; and of all others 

 also it has the strongest and most piercing 

 sight. Though extremely powerful when 

 on the wing, the joints of its legs being 

 rather stiff, it finds some difliculty in rising 

 again after a descent ; yet, if not instantly 

 pursued, it will easily carry off a goose or 

 other bird equally large. The Eagle does 

 not rise in the air so much for the purpose 

 of pursuing its prey on the wing, as that it 

 may be enabled to take an extensive survey 

 of the country beneath; for its food does not 

 consist so much of birds that pass most of 

 their time in flight, as of those that live on 

 or near the ground, and of such mammalia 

 as it can vanquish. Buffon remarks, when 

 speaking of the noble nature of this powerful 

 bird, that the Eagle despises small animals, 

 and disregards their insults ; that he seldom 

 devours the whole of his prey, but, like the 

 lion, leaves the fragments to other animals ; 

 and, except when famishing with hunger, he 

 disdains to feed on carrion. The astonish- 

 ingly acute sight of the Eagle enables him 

 to discern his prey at an immense distance ; 

 and, having perceived it, he darts down upon 

 it with a swoop which there is no resisting. 



It is well understood that the Eagle ia 



