646 



Ciffttfurn of Batumi 



rocky and weedy pools between tide-marks. 

 They are about eight inches in length, and 

 of ail elliptical form or pear-shaped, formed 

 by matting together the branches of some 

 common fucus, as, for example, the fucus 

 nodosiis, with various confervas, alvae, the 

 smaller Floridese, and corallines. These 

 are all tied together in one confused compact 

 mass, by jneuns of a thread run through, 

 and around, and amongst them in every 

 conceivable direction. The thread is of 

 great length, as fine as ordinary silk, tough, 

 and somewhat elastic ; whitish and formed 

 of some albuminous secretion. It is evi- 

 dent that the fish must first deposit its 

 spawn amid the growing fucus. and after- 

 wards gather its branches together around 

 the eggs, weaving and incorporating at 

 the same time all the rubbish that is lying 

 or floating around the nucleus. They were 

 narrowly watched for some weeks, and 

 it was observed that the same fish was 

 always in attendance upon its own nest. 

 During the time of hope and expectation, 

 they become fearless, and will allow them- 

 selves to be taken up by the hand repeatedly. 

 There can be no doubt that their object in 

 remaining near the nest is to guard it against 

 the attacks of such animals as might feel 

 inclined to prey upon its contents. 



STILIFER. A genns of Molluscous ani- 

 mals, one of which was discovered by Arthur 

 Adams, Esq., of H. M. S. Samarang, living 

 on the body of a starfish (Asterias) on the 

 coast of Borneo. It has two elongate subu- 

 late tentacles, with the eyes sessile near the 

 outer side of their base, and a small rounded 

 head. The mantle is entirely enclosed and 

 covered by the thin shell, and the foot is 

 narrow, slender, very much produced beyond 

 the head in front, and scarcely extended at 

 all behind. 



STIPITURUS, or SOFT-TAILED FLY- 

 CATCHER. (Stijiiturus malachurus.) This 

 curious species of bird inhabits Australia. 

 The beak, which is dark brown, is furnished 

 with strong bristles : the general colour of 

 the plumage is ferruginous, but the feathers 

 of the upper parts of the body and wings 

 are streaked down the middle with brownish 

 black : over the eyes, arising at the base of 

 the beak, is a pale blue streak ; throat and 

 fore part of the neck of the same blue colour: 

 the feathers of the rump are soft, long, 

 and silk}' ; wings short, nearly reaching to 

 the base of the tail, which is upwards of 

 four inches long ; the shafts very slender 

 and black, the webs on each side consist- 

 ing of minute slender hairy black fila- 

 ments, placed at distances, and distinct from 

 each other, as in the feathers of the Cas- 

 sowary. It is fond of marshy places, 

 abounding with long grass and rushes. 

 When disturbed, its flight is very short, 

 and it runs on the ground with great swift- 

 ness. 



STOAT. [See ERMIXE.] 



STILT, or STILT PLOVER. (Himan- 

 topus.) A genus of wading birds, remark- 

 able for the extreme length and sleuderness 

 of their legs, and for the peculiar form of the 



bill, which is round, slender, and pointed. 

 Stilts, though not numerous, are found iu 

 every quarter of the globe ; the species which 

 occasionally visits England and Western 

 Europe being spread throughout Asia and 

 Africa two others being met with in Ame- 

 rica, and one in Australia. The European 

 species is white, with a black calotte and 

 mantle, and red legs. They are destitute of a 

 hind toe, and their long legs are so feeble as 

 ! to render walking a painful effort to them ; 

 but they fly with great swiftness, and swim 

 well. They frequent marshes, shallow lakes, 

 &c. ; and feed upon minute shell-fish, insects, 

 Crustacea, &c. In constructing their nests, 

 six or eight pairs of birds unite to build a 

 platform, by which the nests may be raised 

 above the middle of the water. [See UiMAjf- 



TOPL'S.] 



STOCK-DOVE. ( Columba cenas.) From 

 the Stock-dove, or common WILD-PIGKON, 

 it was once supposed that most oi the beau- 

 tiful varieties of the Columbidce, which in a 

 state of domestication are dependent upon 

 man, derived their origin : hence the name 

 jStoci-dove. It is, however, now believed 

 that the Rock-dove (Col. livia) is the parent 

 stock. It is fourteen inches in length : the 

 bill is pale red ; the head, neck, and upper 

 part of the back are of a deep bluish gray, 

 reflected on the sides of the neck with glossy 

 green and gold ; breast pale reddish purple ; 

 the lower part of the back and the rump 

 light gray or ash, as are also the belly, 

 thighs, and under tail-coverts ; the primary 

 quill feathers are dusky, edged with white, 

 the others gray, marked with two black 

 spots on the outer webs; tail ash-gray, 

 tipped with black : legs and feet red ; claws 

 black. The pigeon-fancier's art has been 

 carried so far as to produce an almost end- 

 less variety of tints among the various do- 



mesticated species. Wild Pigeons are said 

 to migrate into England at the approach 

 of winter, from the northern regions, and 

 return in the spring ; many of them, how- 

 ever, remain in this country. They build 

 in the hollows of decayed trees, and usually 

 have two broods in the year ; but in a state 

 of domestication they generally breed every 

 month ; and although they only lay two 

 eggs at a time, if all were suffered to livi 

 their increase in a few years would become 



