340 



tEm&trg at Batumi Un 



and a half long, oval, and of a deep brown 

 colour, highly polished. The eggs are laid 

 in a sort of cocoon, spun by the female, and 

 coated with a gummy matter that is imper- 

 vious to the water on which it floats. The 

 larvae are observed to prey on the smaller 

 kinds of water-snails, tadpoles, &c., and ap- 

 pear very voracious ; and they remain about 

 two years before they change into pupae or 

 chrysalides. When the larva is arrived at 



HYDROFH1LUS FICEOtJ. 



its full growth, it secretes itself in the bank 

 of the water it inhabits, and having formed 

 a convenient cell, lies dormant for some 

 time ; after which it divests itself of its skin, 

 and appears in the form of a chrysalis ; in 

 this state it remains some time longer, when 

 it again releases itself of its exuvize, appears 

 in its complete or beetle form, and as soon 

 as the elytra or wing-cases acquire a suffi- 

 cient degree of strength and colour ; it 

 comes forth from its retreat, and commits 

 itself in its new form to its native element. 

 It is a curious circumstance that some of the 

 species offfi/drophilidce found in this country 

 exceed in size those from tropical climates j 

 many of the species are, however, very mi- 

 nute. [See DYTISCUS.] 



HYDROPHIS, or WATER-SNAKE. 

 This genus of reptiles is very common in 

 certain parts of the Indian Seas, where it 

 feeds on fishes, and is considered excessively 

 venomous. They have the back part of the 

 body and tail very much compressed and 



,ised vertically, which, imparting to them 

 he power of swimming, renders them 

 aquatic animals. They have a range of 

 cales a little broader than the rest under 

 lie belly ; the head small, not bulged, ob- 

 tuse, and covered with large plates. Several 

 species are found in the salt water of Bengal, 

 and others in the Indian Ocean. 



HYDRUS. A species of small aquatic 

 serpents, having the extremity of their tails 

 enlarged, and very much compressed ; which 

 conformation gives them greater facility in 

 moving through the water. They inhabit 

 the intertropioal parts of Asia, and the 

 neighbouring islands, and in some situations 

 are very abundant. 



HYLA. A genus of Batrachian reptiles, 

 known as Tree Frogs, and generically dif- 

 ferring from the common Frogs in no re- 

 spect excepting that the extremity of each 

 cf their toes is widened and rounded into a 

 sort of viscous palette, which enables them 

 to adhere to the surfaces of bodies, and to 

 climb trees, to which last they resort during 

 the summer, in pursuit of insects ; but they 

 deposit their eggs in water, and penetrate 

 'nto the mud in winter, like other Frogs. 



The TREE FROG (Hyla arborea) exceeds 

 all other European species in the beauty 

 of its colours, the elegance of its form, and 

 the agility of its movements ; while its size 

 is smaller than any of the tribe. It is a 

 native of France, Germany, Italy, and many 

 other countries of Europe, but is not found 

 in the British islands. During the summer 

 months its principal residence is on the upper 

 parts of trees, where it wanders among the 

 foliage in quest of insects, which it catches 

 with extreme celerity, either stealing softly 

 towards its prey, or springing upon it with a 

 sudden leap ; and it is often seen suspending 

 itself by its feet to the under parts of the 

 leaves, to enjoy their shade. Its colour on 

 the upper parts is green, more or less bright : 

 the abdomen is whitish, and marked by 

 numerous granules : on each side of the 

 body is a dark violet-coloured streak, tinged 

 underneath with yellow, separating the green 

 of the upper parts from the white colour of 

 the lower. The body is short, plump, and 

 smooth : the hind legs are very long and 

 slender ; the fore feet have four and the 

 hind feet five toes, all of which are termi- 

 nated by round, flat, and dilated tips, the 

 under surface of which, being soft and glu- 

 tinous, enables the animal to hang with 

 perfect security from the leaves of trees, &c. ; 

 it can also adhere to any substance by its 

 abdomen, which is covered with small glan- 

 dular granules, by merely pressing itself 

 against it. Though the Tree Frog inhabits 

 the woods during the summer months, yet 

 on the approach of winter it retires to the 

 waters, and there submerging itself in the 

 soft mud, or concealing itself beneath the 

 banks, remains in a state of torpidity, and 

 again emerges in the spring, at which period 

 it deposits its spawn in the water, like the 

 rest, in small clustered masses. The male 

 at this period inflates its throat in a sur- 

 prising manner, and croaks in so loud and 



