380 



at 



themselves in the sand. The long hirny 

 process is used by some of the Malays as a 



RING-CRAB. (LIMDLUS MOIOCCA^OS.) 



point for their arrows ; the wounds it makes 

 being dangerous, like those made by the 

 jagged spines of certain fishes. 



LING. ( Gadus molva.) This is a valu- 

 able fish of the Gadidce family, or Cod tribe. 

 The body is very long and slender, usually 

 from three to four feet ; the head is flat ; 

 the teeth in the upper jaw are numerous and 

 very small, while those in the lower are few, 

 long, and sharp ; and the lower jaw is 



LINO. fail'DS MOI.VA.) 



shorter than the upper, with a single barbule 



at its extremity : lateral line straight ; 



scales small ; two dorsal fins of equal height; 



one short near the head ; the other long, 



reaching nearly to the tail, which is rounded 



at the end. The colour of this fish varies, 



being sometimes of an olive hue on the sides 



and back, and sometimes cinereous : the 



belly is white, as are also the ventral fins, 



and the dorsal and anal are edged with 



white : the tail is marked near the end with 



a transverse black bar, and tipped with 



white. The Ling is an inhabitant of the 



Northern seas, and forms in many places a 



considerable article of commerce. Large 



quantities are taken among the Western 



Islands, in the Orkneys, on the Yorkshire 



and Cornish coasts, and, generally speaking, 



all round the Irish coast. They spawn in 



June, depositing their eggs in the soft oozy 



ground at the mouths of rivers ; at which 



I period the males separate from the females. 



j While the Ling continues in season, its liver 



1 is very white, and abounds with a fine- 



; flavoured oil ; but no sooner does it cease to 



i be in season, than its liver becomes red, 



! and destitute of oil. The same, indeed, 



| happens to the Cod and some other fishes, 



in a certain degree, but not so remarkably 

 as in the Ling. Besides a certain portion 

 which are consumed fresh, considerable 

 quantities are cured for exportation. The 

 young are called drizzles 



LINGUL A. A genus of Conchifera, found 

 in the Philippine Islands, &c., and consti- 

 tuting a singular anomaly, as being the only 

 bivalve shell that is pedunculated. The 

 animal has two long ciliated arms, which 

 are curled up during repose. Shell thin, 

 either horny or calcareous, equivalve, equi- 

 lateral, peaked at the apex, and generally 

 open at the base. There are several recent 

 species found in the Moluccas, and some 

 fossils in sandy indurated marl, limestone, 

 &c. Lingula cmatina is so named from its 

 resemblance to a duck's bill. 



LINNET. (FringillaUnota.) The Brown 

 or Gray Linnet is a well-known song-bird, 

 being common in every part of Europe. Its 

 length is about five inches and a half, in- 

 cluding the bill and tail : the bill is bluish 

 gray ; the neck, back, and upper parts of 

 the head, dark reddish brown, the edges of 

 the feathers being pale ; under parts dirty 

 reddish white ; breast deeper than the rest, 

 sides streaked with brown ; quills dusky, 

 edged with white ; the tail, which is a little 

 forked, is of a brown colour, edged with 

 white, except the two middle feathers, which 

 are bordered with a dull red : legs short 

 and brown. The female is marked on the 

 breast with streaks of brown ; her wings 

 have less of white ; and her colours are in 

 general less bright. The Linuet usually 



. (FRJNOILLA. LINOTA.) 



builds in some thick bush or hedge, preferring 

 the white-thorn and furze ; the outside is 

 composed of moss, dry grass, and roots ; 

 ind the inside of fine soft wool and hair. 

 The female lays four or five eggs, which 

 are white, spotted with blue, and irregularly 

 spotted with brown at the larger end. The 

 young are hatched towards the end of April 

 or beginning of May. The song of the 

 Linnet is lively and sweetly varied ; its 

 manners are gentle, and its disposition is 

 docile. When confined with other birds it 

 easily adopts their song, and when taken 

 young it may be readily taught to modulate 

 ts voice to any sound to which it is accus- 

 ;omed. But those persons who have paid 



