438 



Crcatfttrp nf 



object of Roman luxury, and for which such 

 enormous sums were paid ; though it is pro- 

 bable that the high estimation in which it 

 was held by those ancient epicures was more 



RED MULLET. (MtJI.TiaS BARRA.TUP.) 



owing to its elegant appearance than to its 

 real merit as a food. To such a pitch, indeed, 

 was their " refinement in luxury " carried, 

 that before the fish was dressed,it was brought 

 alive into the apartment in a glass vessel, in 

 order that the guests might enjoy the pleasure 

 of contemplating the beautiful changes of its 

 evanescent colours during its expiring ago- 

 nies ; immediately after which it was prepared 

 for the repast. 



MUNTJAK. (Cervits muntjac.^ An ani- 

 mal of the Deer tribe, about one-fifth larger 

 than the Roebuck, being about two feet two 

 inches high at the shoulders ; head large ; ears 

 rather large ; eyes large, with lachrymal 

 sinuses ; tail short and flattened : general 

 colour reddish-brown above ; belly and front 

 of the thighs pure white. The male has 

 large canines in the upper jaw ; the female 

 has none t nor has she horns. The Cervus 

 Muntjak is a native of Java ; and is described 

 by those who are fully acquainted with its 

 character as possessing a great portion of 

 craftiness, combined with much indolence. 

 It has a strong scent, and is easily tracked 

 by dogs. When pursued, it does not go off, 

 like the stag, in any accidental direction : 

 its flight indeed is very swift at first, but it 

 soon relaxes, and, taking a circular course, 

 returns to the spot from which it was started. 

 After several circular returns, if the pursuit 

 be continued, the Muntjak thrusts its head 

 into a thicket, and in this situation remains 

 fixed and motionless, as in a place of security, 

 and regardless of the approach of the sports- 

 men. If it remains unobserved, it is still 

 unwilling to quit its haunts: and experienced 

 hunters, acquainted with its natural dispo- 

 sition, after an unsuccessful pursuit, return 

 the following day, and in many cases find 

 the object of their previous chase in the same 

 spot. The native dogs, vulgarly denominated 

 pariahs, are regularly trained to the sport : 

 and many of them are extremely ardent and 

 courageous in the pursuit. The male animal 

 possesses a great share of courage, and when 

 the dogs are at bay with him. With his tusks 

 he makes a most vigorous defence ; and many 

 dogs are wounded in the attack. But al- 

 though possessed of great courage, the life of 

 the Muntjak is not tenacious, and the sports- 

 man, on arriving at the spot, generally dis- 

 patches it with small shot. The natives of 

 the most distant districts are in the habit of 

 bringing their best dogs to the capitals, on 

 occasion of their half-yearly attendance, to 



perform the feudal services to the sovereigns, 

 when their sports afford an occasional amuse- 

 ment to the European inhabitants. Other 

 modes of chase are also employe I by the 

 natives of rank. One in particular is common 

 in the western parts of the island. A district 

 is surrounded by a line of hunters, and the 

 Muntjak is driven in towards a central spot : 

 forty or fifty animals are in this manner 

 often obtained at a single pursuit. Many of 

 the hunters are mounted, and the horses are 

 trained to the chase. The sportsman en- , 

 deavours to overtake the animal, and to kill 

 it by a stroke with a sword. The inhabitants 

 of Fugar and Blambaligen, two provinces at 

 the eastern extremity of Java, possessing a 

 small population, but abound! ng in extensive 

 plains and acclivities, which afford an ample 

 range and abundant pasture, are particularly 

 skilled in this sport. The best horses are 

 trained for it : the sportsman, without a 

 saddle, mounts on the naked back, and ! 

 carries on the pursuit with a frantic im- j 

 petuosity, at the risk of his limbs and neck, j 

 In Banka a less arduous, but more destructive i 

 method is employed to take this animal : a ! 

 long rope of rattan is suspended, at a proper ; 

 height above the ground, between two trees ; | 

 numerous nooses, of the same material, hang ! 

 from this, in a close and continued series, i 

 and the Muntjak, driven towards it, pursued j 

 by dogs and blinded by fear, does not per- 

 ceive the slender rattan, and thrusting his 

 head into a noose, is strangled on the spot. 

 The Muntjak is impatient of confinement, 

 and requires a considerable range to live 

 comfortably : it is cleanly in its habits, and 

 delicate in its choice of food. The flesh, it is 

 said, affords an excellent venison, which is 

 often found on the tables of Europeans. We 

 are indebted to Dr. Horsfield's admirable 

 Zoological Researches in Java for the fore- 

 going particulars. 



MUR^EKID^E. By this term is a genus 

 of fishes of the Eel tribe known. They are 

 distinguished by their long, slender, snake- 

 like bodies, covered with a thick and soft 

 skin, and having the scales very minute, 

 deeply imbedded, and often scarcely percep- 

 tible. The gill-opening is small, and situ- 

 ated far back ; by which the branchiae are 

 more protected, and the fish enabled to live 

 a considerable time out of water. 



MUREX. A genus of Mollusca, contain- , 

 ing numerous species, many of them re- I 

 markable for the form and beautiful colour- 

 ing of the shells, particularly those which 

 come from the seas of tropical climates. The 

 shell is oblong; spire short, with three or 

 more longitudinal, continuous, branched, 

 spinose, or fringed varices ; channel gene- 

 rally long, and sometimes closed ; inner lip 

 smooth ; mouth round and small ; oper- 

 culum horny. The head of the inclosed 

 animal has too long tentacula furnished 

 with eyes, foot round, and generally short. 

 The general character of the gemis may 

 be seen in the accompanying figure. The 

 Murex temtispina, or Venus's Comb, is 

 entirely beset with long sharp spines, which 

 the animal has the power of dissolving 

 and replacing by a smooth and even surface, 



