Popular JBtcttmiarj) at ^m'matett $atur. 389 



I most brilliant coloured plumage. The cir- 

 cumference of the eye and the cheeks are 

 destitute of feathers : the upper mandible 

 overhanging the under one very much, a ! 

 structure which is very important to this 

 bird, as it enables it to root up bulbs, upon 

 which it chiefly feeds. The best known spe- 

 cies, which was named after Sir Elijah Impey 

 by Dr. Latham (L. Impeyanus or refulgens), 

 seems to be common in the Himalaya moun- 

 tains ; and a pair, in May, 1847, were brought 

 alive to this country. " The crest and the 

 greater part of the plumage of the back in 

 the male is composed of the most beautiful 

 and resplendent colours, reflecting various 

 hues of gold, copper, sapphire, and emerald. 

 The tail is of a reddish chestnut ; the rump 

 white. The female and young are brown, 

 varied with gray and tawny yellow. It is 

 to be hoped that this fine species may be do- 

 miciled in this country. It can easily be 

 brought down to the plains of India, but, 

 from the great heat, it seldom long survives. 



LORIS. (Loris or Stenops.) A genus of i 

 Quadrumanous animals, allied to the Le- I 

 murs. They have a short muzzle, slender 



Mr. Westwood observes : " From the habits 

 of these insects, in burrowing into the very 

 heart of solid timber, there can be no doubt 

 that the marvellous accounts which we con- 

 stantly meet with in the journals of the 

 discovery of insects, in cutting up logs of 

 wood (especially foreign timber), relate to 

 the larvae, or perfect states, of these insects ; 

 and it is owing to the same circumstance 

 that our English catalogues have been 

 swelled by the introduction of numerous 

 species, which have, indeed, been captured 

 alive in this country, but which have no 

 legitimate claim to be regarded as natives, 

 having been entirely produced from larvae 

 imported in timber from abroad. # * * 

 From the large size of many of these larvae, 

 and the long period during which they re- 

 main in that state, it may easily be con- 

 ceived that they do much damage to trees, 

 boring very deeply, and cutting channels 

 into them. A few species appear to subsist 

 in the larva state upon the roots of plants. 

 Another peculiarity resulting from their 

 lignivorous habits is exhibited in their geo- 

 graphical distribution ; the tropical and 

 thickly wooded districts of South America 

 possessing a far greater number of species 

 (and these, too, of the largest size) than are 

 to be found in corresponding latitudes in 

 Africa ; the speedy decay of vegetable mat- 

 ter requiring the presence of great quan- 

 tities of such insects. In India but very 

 few gigantic species of Longicornes are to be 

 found." 



LONGIPENNES. Cuvier's name for a 

 family of aquatic birds, whose wings are re- 

 markably long, their powers of flight pro- 

 portionally great, and their habits entirely 

 marine. The beak is hooked at the top, and 

 the hind toe is wanting. The Albatross 

 furnishes an example. 



LONGIROSTRES. The name given by 

 Cuvier to a tribe of wading birds, divided 

 into families and genera, and distinguished 

 principally by the length and tenuity of 

 their bills. 



LOPHIADJE. A tribe of spiny- finned 

 fishes, distinguished by the bones of the 

 carpus being so elongated as to form a sort 

 of arm, by which the pectoral fins are sup- 

 ported. The Lophius piscatwius, or Angler, 

 is the type of this family. 



LOPHIUS. [See ANGLER.] 



LOPHOBRANCHII. An order of osseous 

 fishes, distinguished by the structure of 

 their gills, which are in the form of small 

 round tufts, disposed in pairs, and arranged 

 along the branchial arches. They are also 

 further distinguished by having their body 

 covered with shields or small plates, which 

 often give it an angular form. [See PIPE- 

 FISH.] 



LOPHOPHORUS, orlMPEYAN PHEA- 

 SANT ; in India also called MOXAUL. A 

 genus of gallinaceous birds, belonging to the 

 Pheasant tribe, having the head surmounted 

 by an egret, the feathers in the male being 

 very much elongated. The tail is large and 

 flat, the tail-coverts short ; the male is of the 



body, no tail, large approximating eyes, and 

 rough tongue. Two species only are known, 

 both of which are natives of the East Indies, 

 the SUORT-LIMBED LORIS (Lemur tardigra- 

 dits), and the SLENDER LORIS (Lemur grad- 

 lis) : the latter is remarkable for the dispro- 

 portionate length of its limbs, and especially 

 of its fore-arms. They are nocturnal and 

 arboreal in their habits ; they subsist on 

 insects, occasionally on small birds or quad- 

 rupeds, and have an excessively slow gait. 

 During the day they sleep clinging to a 

 branch : at night they prowl among the 

 forest boughs in quest of food. Nothing can 

 escape the scrutiny of their large glaring 

 orbs, or the tenacity of their grasp ; and 

 when they have marked their victim, they 

 cautiously and noiselessly approach it till 

 it is within their reach. 



" The genus Loris" Mr. Bennett observes, 

 in his ' Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society,' " forms part of that division 

 of the Quadrumanous order which is essen- 

 tially distinguished by an unequal number 

 or irregular disposition of the incisor teeth 

 in the two jaws ; terminal nostrils with si- 

 nuous openings ; and a long subulate or 

 sickle-shaped claw upon the fore-finger of 

 the hinder hands, all the rest of the nails 

 being flat and rounded like those of the 



