324 



Cfjc 



nf Natural 



Holothttria, called the "Nigger" or " Cotton 

 Spinner " by the Cornish fishermen, is very 

 common in deep water off theDeadman, and 

 is held by them in great detestation, from 

 its throwing out what they call " cotton," 

 and from its slimy nature, and also because 

 where the " Niggers " are numerous and get 

 into the crab-pots, it is very rarely that 

 either crabs or lobsters are caught. Their 

 appearance, when closed up, very much re- 

 sembles a small cucumber, the back being 

 dark almost black at times and the 

 under part light yellowish green, which, 

 with the thorn-like appendages on the back, 

 make the appearance more complete. On 

 being handled, they stain the hand light 

 green. The head is furnished with twenty 

 tentacula, which surround the mouth ; the 

 opening is tolerably large, and can be much 

 expanded ; and it is amusing to watch the 

 motions of the tentacula acting as feeders. 

 If the tentacula are viewed from the upper 

 part they are club-shaped on the top, this 

 club being placed on a footstalk an inch in 

 length, which is retractile, and is invariably 

 of a lighter colour than the top. When seen 

 from the under side, they appear like the 

 umbels of the elder, and are beautifully 

 branched and tipped much in the manner of 

 the elder flowers. They can completely 

 close in their tentacula, which they do on 

 being disturbed ; and they use them at 

 times as organs of locomotion. Outside the 

 tentacula is a border of spines like processes 

 on a skin, which reaches a short way up the 

 tentacula, and serves as a covering when 

 these are withdrawn. These spines very 

 much resemble the thorns of the brier ; the 

 back and sides are covered with similar 

 ones, but not in rows. The under side is 

 furnished with feelers in very great num- 

 bers : these feelers they stretch out to a 

 great length, and attach themselves firmly 

 by them ; so much so, that in trying to de- 

 tach them the feelers have been frequently 

 left behind. Each feeler has a small round 

 calcareous plate at the tip, which, under 

 the microscope, shows that it is composed of 

 innumerable plates, an object of great beauty ; 

 these plates effervesce with acid, and so do 

 the plates of the mouth and tips of the pro- 

 cesses. When the softer parts of the feelers 

 are cut transversely, they are composed of 

 fine tubes, and when magnified have very 

 much the appearance of some of the corals. 

 The animal is covered with a dark slimy 

 mucilaginous skin, which peels off freely ; 

 underneath this it is light gray, and has a 

 reticulated appearance. They are of va- 

 rious sizes and lengths, often nearly a foot 

 in length, and thick in proportion ; they 

 sometimes draw themselves almost into a 

 ball, at others are much inflated in the 

 centre. At times they lie motionless, but 

 generally they are in motion. These ani- 

 mals are enveloped in a film so tenacious 

 that it is a difficult matter to rub them to 



eces in the water ; on exposure to air they 

 e their tenacity and crumble to pieces. 

 This species of Holothuria is extremely ir- 

 ritable, and on being touched or disturbed, 

 throws out a bunch of white taper threads, 

 about an inch in length and one-eighth in 



thickness ; these soon become attenuated, 

 either by the agitation of the water or the 

 coming into contact with something, and 

 are drawn into very long threads of great 

 tenacity ; they stick to every thing they 

 touch, and from these the animals are called 

 " cotton spinners " by the fishermen. This 

 small bunch is drawn into a large mass of 

 threads, so small that the finest sewing- 

 cotton is not equal to it, and is no doubt 

 one of the means of defence provided for its 

 preservation. 



HOM ARUS. A genus of long- tailed Crus- 

 tacea, containing the LOBSTER [which see]. 



HOMOPTERA. An order of insects, dis- 

 tinguished by their possessing two pairs of 

 wings, usually composed of a tlnn membrane, 

 and not covered by scales ; and by having 

 the anterior pair of the same substance 

 throughout, and roof- like when folded. The 

 mouth is adapted for suction, the tongue 

 being channelled, and surrounded by lancet- 

 like organs, with which the tissues of plants 

 are pierced. All the insects of this group 

 subsist on vegetable juices ; and among them 

 there are many which do an incredible 

 amount of damage to the garden crops. This 

 order may be divided into three sections : 

 in the first, Trimcra, the tarsi have three 

 joints ; in the second, Dimera, they have 

 two ; and in the third, Monomera, they have 

 but one joint. 



HONEY-GUIDE. (Cucuhts Indicator 

 Sparm.) The birds to whicli this name is 

 given inhabit various parts of Africa, and 

 are closely allied to the Cuckoo tribe, but 

 differ from them in hatching their own eggs. 

 They are celebrated for their curious habit 

 of guiding the natives to the nests of wild 

 bees, enticing them to the spot by flitting 

 before them, and reiterating a peculiar cry. 

 They have a solid, conical, and arched beak ; 

 small head ; body long and straight ; toes 

 strong and short ; and wings reaching to the 

 middle of the tail. The feathers are short, 

 hard, and pressed close to the body ; and 

 the skin is so thick and tough as to protect 

 them effectually from the stings of bees, un- 

 less the enraged insects attack their eyes. 

 The nest of this Honey-guide is composed of 

 slender filaments of bark woven together in 

 the form of a bottle, the neck and opening 

 hanging downwards ; and it is said to be 

 constructed in the hollow of trees, which the 

 bird climbs like a woodpecker. The general 

 colour is an olive-green, brownish on the 

 upper parts, and inclining to yellow beneath. 

 One species is described as being about seven 

 inches in length ; and another as ten inches : 

 they are called, respectively, the Little and 

 Great Honey-guide (Indicator minor and 

 Indicator major). 



HONEY-SUCKER, and HONEY- 

 EATER. (AnthocTicera&TidlUeJiyora.) The 

 Honey-suckers are a family of Birds, closely 

 allied to the Humming-birds (Trochilidce), 

 and peculiar to New Holland and the neigh- 

 bouring islands. The chief difference con- 

 sists in their bill and legs being stronger, 

 and their powers of flight less conspicuous. 

 Besides the juices of flowers, and the insects 



