454 



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NOCTITRNA ; or NOCTURNAL LEPI- 

 DOPTERA. iSee MOTHS.] 



NODDY. A bird of the Tern genus (Sterna 

 sloUda), well known to seamen for the stu- 

 pidity with which it throws itself on vessels, 

 and allows itself to be taken. [See BOOBY.] 



NOTACANTHA. The name of a family 

 of Dipterous insects, mostly small and gaily 

 coloured. Some of the larvse are completely 

 aquatic ; and respire like the larvas of the 

 Gnats, by extending their tails to the surface, 

 the spiracle or breathing-pore being in that 

 situation. 



NOTONECTA : NOTONECTID^E. A 

 genus and family of aquatic insects. [See 

 BOAT-FLY.] 



NOTOXIDJE. A family of Coleopterous 

 insects, of small extent, and composed of 

 species minute in size. The majority of 

 them are found upon the ground, and at the 

 roots of grass in sandy situations ; some fre- 

 quent flowers, and others evidently prefer 

 the neighourhood of decayed vegetable 

 matter. They are active in their motions, 

 and fly well. In the genus Notoxus the front 

 of the thorax is produced into a long horn 

 extending over the head. 



NTJCIFRAGA. A genus of birds. [See 

 NUTCRACKER.] 



NUCUL A. A genus of Conchifera, found 

 in the Baltic and Mediterranean, the Indian 

 seas, the English Channel, &c. These shells 

 are small, and vary in shape, but are gene- 

 rally pearly inside ; they are equivalve, in- 

 equilateral, and covered with a green or 

 dark brown epidermis ; hinge linear ; bosses 

 contiguous and curved ; teeth small, nume- 

 rous, and prominent, with a large one in the 

 middle ; muscular impresssons two, simple. 

 The row of teeth on each side of the umbones, 

 and the ligamentary pit in the centre of the 

 hinge, are the distinguishing characteristics 

 of tliis genus. Foot of the animal, large but 

 thin. They are chiefly found on the sand 

 and mud, either on the open coast or at the 

 JTIOU th of rivers. The species are both recent 

 and fossil. 



NUDIBRANCIIIATA. A numerous 

 Order of marine molluscous animals, which, 

 being adapted to breathe water at any depths, 

 are often found at a great distance from 

 land. The work of Messrs. Alder and Han- 

 cock on the British Nudibranchiates, pub- 

 lished by the Ray Society, gives figures and 

 descriptions of all the species, beautifully 

 drawn from the life. [See Doius.] 



NUMENIUS. A genus of Grallatorial 

 birds, containing the well-known CURLEW 

 and VVIIIIIBREL [which see]. 



NUMIDA. A genus of Rasorial birds, 

 containing the well-known GUINEA-FOWL or 

 PINTADO (Numida meleagrix\ and five other 

 species, like it, natives of Africa. 



NUMIDIAN CRANE. [See DEMOI- 

 SELLE.] 



NUMMULITES. Small round fossil shells, 

 which in various parts of the world are found 



in immense numbers, and which receive 

 their name from their external resemblance 

 to battered coins. They are orbicular, con- 

 volute, and show no trace of spire exter- 

 nally; whorls contiguous, and not apparent; 

 cells numerous and small ; partitions trans- 

 verse, and not perforated. Some are very 

 minute, and scarcely any are more tha an 

 inch in diameter. It is eaid that they are in 



some places accumulated in such vast masses 

 to form entire mountains, and that 

 many buildings have been constructed of 

 limestone crowded with them. The pyra- 

 mids of Egypt, for example, are built of 

 stone composed of the Nummulina discoid- 

 alis, and perhaps other species. 



NUTCRACKER. (Nncifraga r.aryoca- 

 tacics.} An Insessorial bird, resembling in its 

 manners and habits both the Jay and the 

 Woodpecker. It is about the size of a Jack- 

 daw; its wings, when closed, measuring near 

 seven inches. The nostrils are covered with 

 whitish feathers, which point forwards ; the 

 plumage of the head, neck, and body is of 

 a dark brown hue, a little inclining to red ; 

 and the feathers on the lower side of the 

 head and neck have each a triangular white 

 spot at their tips : the wings are black, with 

 triangular white spots on the lesser coverts ; 

 the tail is composed of black feathers, tipped 

 with white ; and the legs, feet, and claws 

 are black. It feeds on nuts, berries, and 

 insects ; climbing the trees and tapping the 

 bark with its bill to get at the larvce beneath. 

 It lays five or six yellowish-white eggs. 



NUTHATCH. (Sitta Europccn.) A Scan- 

 sorial bird which frequents woods, and, like 

 the Woodpecker, moves up and down the 

 trunks of trees with great facility, in search of 

 food. It is near six inches in length ; bill 

 strong ; black above, beneath almost white ; 

 and the eyes hazel. A black stroke passes 

 over each eye, from the bill, extending down 

 the side of the neck ; all the upper part of 

 the body is a fine blue gray ; breast and 

 belly of a pale orange , sides marked with 

 streaks of chestnut ; quills dusky ; tail short, 

 the two middlemost gray, and the three 

 outermost feathers spotted with white ; legs 

 pale yellow ; claws large, sharp, and much 

 bent, the back claw very strong. The 

 female lays her eggs, which are white with 

 a few pale brown spots, in holes of trees, 

 frequently in those which have been deserted 

 by the Woodpecker ; and when driven from 

 her nest, oil being disturbed, hisses like a 

 snake. The Nuthatch, like the Woodpeckers, 

 runs with facility upon and about the trunks 



