444 



Crcatfurg of Natural l&t 



composed of an extensive series of segments, 

 each provided with a pair of legs. [See 

 IULUS : CENTIPEDE : CHILOPODA : CUILOG- 

 NATHA : SCOLOI'ENDEA.] 



MYRMECOBIUS. A genus of marsupial 

 animals which feed on ants. Myrmecobius 

 fa.icta.tus, the only known species, is a native 

 of Australia : it is formed like a squirrel, 

 and is of the size of a rat : has fifty-two 

 teeth ; and is marked on the lower part of 

 the back with white bauds on a reddish 

 ground tint. 



MYRMECOPHAGA. The name of a 

 genus of edentate quadrupeds. [See AXT- 



EATER.] 



MYRMELEON ; MYRMELEONID^E. 



A genus and family of Neuropterous insects, 

 one species of which, the Mt/rmeleon formi- 

 caleo, or ANT-LION, has been described under 

 its well-known English name. 



MYSIS, or OPOSSUM SHRIMP. (Mysis 

 vulyaris.) This curious little Crustacean 

 bears, in its general form, a strong resem- 

 blance to the ordinary Shrimps ; it is, how- 

 ever, distinguished from the true Decapoda 

 by the external position of its branch-lie, &c. 

 In regard to the number of the feet, it holds 

 an intermediate place between the Decapods 

 and ordinary Stomapods. Each of the legs 

 has a natural appendage, so much developed 

 as to make the limb appear bifid : and thus, 

 including the feet-jaws, which also possess 

 similar appendages, the Opossum Shrimp 

 rray be said to have tliirty-two legs. The 



OPO83UM SHRIMP. (MYSIS VDI.GARIS.) 



common name of this Crustacean is derived 

 from the peculiar conformation which 

 enables it to afford a special protection to 

 the eggs. Attached to the inner division of 

 each of the posterior legs the female has a 

 large concave scale : and thus a pouch is 

 formed, which is capable of considerable ex- 

 tension. Here the eggs are received when 

 they quit the ovarium, and here the young 

 remain till their form is fully developed; 

 when the parent opens the valves of the 

 pouch, and liberates the whole brood at once. 

 These are the chief Crustacea which inhabit 

 the Arctic Ocean in such amazing numbers 

 as to constitute the principal food of the 

 Whalebone Whale, and to support the pro- 

 digious shoals of Salmon which resort thither 

 in the months of July and August. 



MYTH/ACE^. An order of Mollusca, 

 of which the common Mitssel furnishes an 

 example. 



MYTILUS. [See MUSSEL.] 



MYZANTHA. A genus of Australian 



j birds, belonging to the family JUeKphagidee, 



One species is the M. Garrula, or GAKJIULOUS 



HONEY EATEK, called the Miner by the co- 

 lonists in Vau Diemen's Land : it moves 

 about in small flocks of from four to ten in 

 number. Mr. Gould tells us that it is very 

 restless and inquisitive if its haunts be in- 

 truded upon ; " no sooner does the hunter 

 come within the precincts of its abode than 

 the whole tribe assemble round him and 

 perform the most grotesque actions, spread- 

 ing out their wings and tail, hanging from 

 the branches, and keeping up all the time 



AUSTRALIAN BELIXBIRD. 

 (MYZANTHA MELANOPHRYS.) 



one incessant babbling note :" by following 

 up the intruder in this way, " they become 

 very troublesome and annoying, awaking 

 as they do the suspicions of the other animals 

 of which you are in pursuit." It feeds 

 among the branches of the Eucalypti, from 

 the pollen of the flowers of which it obtains 

 abundance of genial food ; but it also preys 

 with avidity on insects. Its nest is cup- 

 shaped, and very neatly built of fine twigs 

 and coarse grass, and lined with feathers, 

 and it is about the size of that of the com- 

 mon Thrush (Turdus musicus). Another 

 pretty yellow-olive species peculiar to New- 

 South Wales is the AUSTHALIAN BELL-BIKD 

 (Myzantha meJaiwphrys), figured in our cut 

 from Mr. Gould's fine work. The note of 

 this is peculiar, and from it the colonists 

 have given the species the name of Bell-bird; 

 the sound having been compared, and justly, 

 to the sound of distant sheep-bells : and 

 when this is poured forth from a hundred 

 throats it produces a most singular effect. 

 The Bell-bird of Demerara is quite another 

 bird. [See CAMPANEKO (Procnias caruncu- 

 lata)."} By some naturalists the generic name 

 given to these birds is Manorhiiia. Other 

 species will be found figured in the great 

 work of Mr. Gould. 



NAIDES. (Nais.~) These are small semi- 

 aquatic worms, of the order Terricolce, closely 

 allied to the Earthworms, but having the 

 elongated body, and the rings less marked. 

 They live in holes which they perforate in 

 mud at the bottom of water, and from which 

 they protrude the anterior portion of the 

 body, incessantly moving it. Some have 

 black points upon the head, which have been 

 regarded as eyes. Many species exist in our 

 fresh waters ; and their reproductive power 

 is not less astonishing than that of the Hydra 

 or Polypus. Some have very long bristles ; 

 others a long protrusile trunk ; end several 

 have small tentacles at the hind extremity. 



