popular JStcttonarj? at ^mmatctt Mature. 399 



natical regularity with which it is formed 

 ,nd the exquisite fineness of the materials 

 composing it. * * * Let us endeavour to 

 aicture to ourselves an extent of the bed of 

 ;he ocean, spacious as these realms that we 

 inhabit, carpeted with living plants ; every 

 slade of grass and every flower instinct with 

 "ife, and all the vast expanse busily engaged 

 ^11 deriving from the surrounding water ma- 

 terials for subsistence : let us consider that 

 from age to age, the wide-spread scene is 

 building up, by constant precipitation from 

 the sea, a rocky territory, co-extensive with 

 tself, and then we shall perceive that, in the 

 course of time, even these almost unknown 

 members of the animal creation may perform 

 achievements at which the boldest mind is 

 startled when it comes to survey what they 

 have accomplished." 



MAGILUS. A genus of Mollusca, inhabit- 

 ng a thick, tubular, irrregularly contorted 

 shell ; spire short, consisting of three or four 

 whorls ; aperture longer than wide, without 

 any notch, but an angle at the base. When 

 in a young state," observes Miss Callow, 

 "this curious shell presents all the character 

 of a regular spiral univalve. This animal 



establishes itself in the excavations of M 

 drepores ; and as the coral increases around 

 it, the Magilus is obliged, in order to have 

 its aperture on a level with the surrounding 

 surface, or near it, to construct a tube, the 

 growth of the coral determining its length. 

 As this tube goes on increasing, the animal 

 abandons the spiral for the tubular part of 

 the shell ; and in the operation it leaves be- 

 hind no partitions, but secretes a compact 

 calcareous matter, which reaches to the very 

 summit of the spiral part ; so that in an old 

 specimen the posterior part of the shell pre- 

 sents a solid mass. One species only, Magi- 

 lus antiquus, is known. The colour is white 

 more or less pure." 



MAGOT. The Barbary Ape. (Pithecus 

 Inuus.} [See APE.] 



MAGPIE. (Pica catuJata.) A crafty and 

 familiar bird of the corvine family, whose 

 plumage of black and white, green and 



purple, with the rich and gilded variegations 

 )f its tail, may be safely pronounced beauti- 

 ul ; yet its propensity for mischief, its 

 noise, and its restless and quarrelsome dis- 

 position, render it every where an unwel- 

 come intruder. In length it is about eighteen 

 iches ; its bill is strong and black ; eyes 

 lazel ; head, neck, back, breast, and tail- 

 coverts deep black, forming a fine contrast 

 with the snowy whiteness of the under parts 

 and scapulars. The plumage is in general 

 glossed with green, purple, and blue, which 

 catch the eye in different lights, and are 

 particularly resplendent on the tail, which 

 is very long, and rather wedge-shaped: vent, 

 under tail-coverts, thighs, and legs black : 

 on the throat and part of the neck the 

 feathers are mixed with others, resembling 

 strong whitish hairs. It feeds both on animal 

 and vegetable substances ; and when satisfied 

 with its present meal, it will hide the re- 

 mainder of its provision for a future occasion. 

 It builds its nest of sticks and clay, with 

 great art and sagacity ; defending it on all 

 sides with sharp thorny twigs, leaving only 

 a hole for entrance, and furnishing the inside 

 with a lining of fibrous roots and other soft 

 materials. The female lays seven or eight 

 eggs, pale green, spotted with black. The 

 Magpie may easily be tamed and taught to 

 pronounce words and short sentences, but 



MAOPIE. (PIOA CAODATA.) 



its tones are too shrill and sharp to be a 

 perfect imitation of the human voice. Like 

 other birds of its kind, it is addicted to steal- 

 ing and hoarding. It will occasionally 

 plunder the nests of some other birds, and 

 even carry off whole broods of stray duck- 

 lings when its young demand more food 

 than is easily obtained : but it has its good 

 qualities also ; for it frees our pastures of an 

 incredible number of grubs and slugs, and 

 often performs a friendly office for sheep 

 and oxen, by getting on their backs and 

 freeing them from troublesome vermin. 

 Magpies may be said to be social, though 

 not actually gregarious. 



MALACODERMAT A. A section of Pen- 

 tamerous Coleoptera: for a familiar example 

 of which we must refer to the Glow-worm 

 (Lampyris), and Soldier-beetle (.Telephorus) 

 The antennae differ in the two sexes. The 

 accompanying figure represents the female 

 of the Lamprocera Latreillii, also called 



