&Krtt'0nar of gmmatetf 



439 



whenever it finds it necessary, in enlarging 

 its shell, to remove them. Others also 



have their distinguishing peculiarities, such 

 as the Rosebud Murex, with its pink-tipped 

 fringes : the Ducal Murex, the Royal Murex, 

 &c. ; and are much sought after by collectors. 



J/MS, a mouse.) The name 

 of an extensive group of Rodent animals 

 (of the Linnoean order Glires), consisting of 

 Mice, Rats, and other animals allied to them; 

 which, though none of them attain to any 

 considerable size, become worthy of serious 

 notice from their prodigious multiplication, 

 and the destructive influence they exert over 

 vegetation and the products of the husband- 

 man's toil. They are distinguished by their 

 long, round, scaly tails, and by the presence 

 of only three molars in each jaw. [See 

 MOUSE : RAT.] 



MUSCIC APID J3. A family of insectivo- 

 rous birds which take their prey as they fly. 

 There are a multitude of species, diffused 

 over every quarter of the globe, which, al- 

 though differing in many points of generic 

 distinction, may be all known by their es- 

 sential characteristics a notched, depressed, 

 and angular bill, with strong hairs sur- 

 rounding the base. [See FLY-CATCHER : 

 RmriDURA : TODY.] 



MUSCID^E. A most extensive family 

 of Dipterous insects, distinguished by having 

 a proboscis distinct, short, thick, membra- 

 naceous, terminated by two large labial lobes, 

 and entirely retractile within the oral cavity: 

 the antenna are triarticulate ; the body is 

 short and robust ; the legs and wings are 

 of moderate length ; and the nerves extend 

 to the posterior extremity of the wings. 

 The largest known species (Miisca grossa) 

 is nearly as large as a Humble-bee. It is 

 black, very bristly, with the head buff, eyes 

 brown, and base of thft wings reddish. It 

 makes a loud buzzing, settles upon flowers 

 in woods, and often upon cow-dung, on 

 which its larva resides: the body of the larva 

 is yellowish, shining, conical, With a single 

 hook, and two fleshy horns at its anterior 

 extremity; the other being terminated by a 

 circular plate, upon which are two spiracles, 

 each placed upon a reticular lobe, elevated 

 in the middle : the segment after the head 

 is also furnished on each side with a spiracle. 

 Mttsca vomitoria, the common Meat-fly, 

 has the forehead fulvous, the thorax black 

 and abdomen blue, with black marks It 

 possesses a remarkably fine sense of smelling, 

 and makes a loud buzzing noise, when it 

 enters our houses in order to deposit its eggs 

 on meat. When ready to assume the pupa 

 state, it quits its food and descends into the 

 earth, or else undergoes its change in some 

 dry and retired situation. The species of 



Musca domestica, the small common house- 

 fly, are found more especially in houses, 

 settling upon and sipping at almost every 

 article of food. Their larva is elongated, 

 slightly attenuated in front, with a small 

 head ; and the terminal segment bearing a 

 pair of spiracles, entire, and without any 

 radiating points. Amongst the exotic 

 species of this family many exhibit remark- 

 able variation* of structure ; as the splendid 

 Rutilke from New Holland ; the Indian 

 genus Celyphus, and others. 



Vincent Kollar, in his "Treatise on In- 

 sects," observes, that " the species of true flies 

 (Jfusciila:) deserve to be mentioned as par- 

 ticularly troublesome guests in our houses. 

 Although their bites do not cause pain, still 

 it is extremely disagreeable to feel them 

 crawling over our faces, particularly when 

 we are in a state of repose. But they may 

 even be dangerous, particularly in their 

 larva state. The larvae or maggots feed upon 

 animal as well as vegetable matter, parti- 

 cularly when it begins to decay. Open 

 wounds, when they begin to suppurate, at- 

 tract flies, and they deposit their eggs in 

 them. In a very short time the maggots 

 are hatched, and increase, by their sucking, 

 the malignity and pain of the wound. They 

 will even deposit their eggs on sound parts 

 if they happen to be smeared with matter 

 fit for the nourishment of their progeny." 

 And he gives instances of cases in which 

 much pain and suffering were occasioned by 

 the eggs of flies having been thus introduced 

 into the ears and nostrils of females. 



MUSK, or MUSK-DEER. (Moschus mos- 

 chifn-us.) These animals, which give name 

 to the well-known perfume, inhabit the great 

 extent of elevated country which occupies a 

 large part of central Asia, and are princi- 

 pally found in Thibet, Nepaul, Tonquin, 

 and the districts adjacent to the north of 



MUSK. (M08CHUS MOSCHIFBROS.) 



India and China. Their favourite haunts 

 are the tops of mountains covered with pines, 

 where they roam in places most difficult of 

 access, resembling in their manners the Cha- 

 mois and other mountain quadrupeds. In 

 size and general appearance the Musk-deer 

 is not very unlike a small roebuck, the length 



