422 



at Natural 5?t 



a bluish lead colour ; head ferruginous, 

 streaked with black ; back and wings of a 

 dark brown, tinged with bluish ash colour, 

 streaked down the shafts with black, and 

 edged with ferruginous spots : quill feathers 

 dusky, marked with reddish oval spots ; the 

 under coverts of the wings brown, beautifully 

 marked with round white spots : the tail is 

 five inches long, crossed with alternate bars 

 of dusky and reddish clay-colour : the breast 

 and belly are of a yellowish white, with 

 oblong brown spots pointing downwards : 

 the legs yellow. It breeds in woods ; and 

 lays from four to six white eggs, mottled 

 at the end with brown. 



MEROPIDJE. The family of Insessorial 

 birds, of which the Bee-eater (Merops) is the 

 type. [See BEE-EATEK.] 



MERULID.E. The family of Perchers 

 of which the Thrush i^Merula) is the type. 

 [See THRUSH.] 



MILLEPEDE. [See ICLUS.] 



MILLER'S THUMB, [See BULLHEAD.] 



MILVUS ; or KITE. A genus of Fdl- 

 conidce, with long wings and generally 

 forked tail; it contains the COMMON KITE [see 

 KITE] and other species ; of these Mr. Gould 

 found a square-tailed species in Australia 

 the MILVUS ISUKUS, or SQUARE-TAILED 

 KITE. This true species of the Kite tribe 

 inhabits South and West Australia ; and 

 may at one time be seen soaring high above 

 the trees, and at others hunting over the open 

 wastes in search of food. 



MINNOW. (Cyprimis phoxinus.) This 

 active and elegant little fish, the length of 

 which seldom exceeds three inches, is com- 

 monly found, swimming in shoals, in some 

 gravelly rivulets and trout-streams. The 

 top of the head and back are of a dusky olive, 

 mottled, and lighter on the sides ; the belly 

 white and silvery, with a tinge of yellow, 

 and sometimes in summer of a bright rosy 

 red colour ; the scales very small ; the lateral 

 line straight and of a golden yellow ; and 

 the tail forked. It bites readily at a small 



MINNOW. (OTPRINOS PHOXINUS.) 



red worm ; and we know of no fish that 

 affords more amusement to the youthful 

 angler. When they are in abundance, a 

 small casting- net may be used with ad- 

 vantage ; and they make an excellent fry ; 

 but the Minnow is principally used as a bait 

 for pike and large trout. 



MINOR [MOTHS]. A name given by 

 collectors to Moths of the genera Miana and 

 Celcena. 



MIRAFRA. A genus of Larks found on 

 the plains and open districts of New South 

 Wales. The species MIRAFRA HOBSFIELDII, 

 which is larger, redder in colour, and has a 



stouter bill than others found in the same 

 region, is more terrestrial in its habits than 

 arboreal ; and, when it rises, very commonly 

 flies merely to a short distance and descends 

 again : it may often be seen perched upon 

 the strong blades of grass, and occasionally on 

 the trees ; it frequently mounts high in the 

 air after the manner of the well-known Sky 

 lark of Europe, singing all the time very 

 melodiously, but with a weaker strain than 

 that favourite bird ; it also occasionally 

 utters its pleasing song while perched on the 

 branches of the trees. The general plumage 

 is ashy brown, the centre of the feathers dark 

 brown, the latter colour predominating on 

 the head, lower part of the back and ter- 

 tiaries; wings brown, margined with rufous; 

 over the eye a stripe of buff ; chin white ; 

 under surface pale buff ; throat crossed by a 

 series of dark brown spots arranged in a 

 crescentic form ; under surface of the wing 

 rufous ; bill dark brown at the tip ; feet 

 fleshy brown* 



MITE. By this name several minute in- 

 sects, of different species, are known. Some 

 have six legs, others eight ; each leg being 

 furnished with two small claws at the ex- 

 tremity, surrounded with hairs. Many re- 

 semble the Cheese Mite in structure and ha- 

 bits ; others are parasitic, &c. [See ACARID^J.] 



MITR A. A genus of Mollusca, inhabiting 

 a small and pretty turreted shell ; spire long 

 and pointed at the end ; columella with several 

 oblique thick plates. They exhibit a great 

 variety of patterns ; some are smooth, others 

 grooved, some are angulated, some coronated; 

 and they are variegated with every kind of 

 hue. They abound in the seas of hot cli- 



mates, the greater number being found in 

 the Pacific Ocean, generally in shallow 

 water, near coral reefs, but sometimes at 

 great deptlis. It has been asserted that the 

 animal is of a poisonous nature, and to 

 wound, with its pointed trunk, those who 

 touch it ; but this wants confirmation. The 

 species are very numerous, both recent and 

 fossil. 



MOA. The name by which the Dinornis, 

 a gigantic fossil bird, is known to the natives 

 of New Zealand. [See DINOKNIS.] 



MOCHA [MOTHS]. A name given by 

 collectors to Moths of the genus Cyclophora. 



MOCKING-BIRD. (Mimus polyglottus.) 

 This remarkable bird, sometimes called the 

 Mocking Thrush, receives its name from its 

 amazing powers of voice, being able to 

 imitate that of almost every species of ani- 

 mal, as well as many noises that are pro- 

 duced artificially. But its notes are not en- 

 tirely imitative : its own song is bold, full, 

 and exceedingly varied ; and in confinement 

 it loses little of its energy. It inhabits most 



