ipaputar Qtrtianarn flf "HntmatcXf feature. 667 



TELESCOPE FLY. [See Diorsis.] 



TELLIXA : TELLINID/E. A genus and 

 family of bivalve Mollusca, which have in 



mouth is a small cirrus. It is considered as 

 a very prolific fish, and of quick growth. 

 It deposits its spawn, consisting of very small 

 greenish ova, among aquatic plants, &c. ; this 



the centre of the hinge., tooth on the left , ES^^fZ^riSuXTEZiXZ 



a^me ^S^^^fUS^ '' tZ&JStt&SSfi&Sl 



the right valve a lateral tooth or plate, which ^^3SXS^SS&A^fSS 

 does not penetrate into a cav.ty.of the oppo- j of ^ wa a ters BBEBEB5SS*M25 



site one. There is a slight fold near the 

 extremity of both valves, which renders 

 them unequal in that part, where they gape 

 a little. The animal has two long tubes, 

 respiratory and excrementitial, which can 

 be withdrawn into the shell, and concealed 

 in a duplicatnre of the mantle. The shells 

 are generally transversely striated, and beau- 

 tifully coloured : some arc oval and thick- 

 ish ; others are oblong and much compressed; 

 others lenticular. Instead of a fold, we 



often find in the latter merely a deviation 



during that season. We glean from Mr. 

 Yarrell the following observations : " As the 

 Tench is one of our most useful fresh-water 

 fishes, from the ease with which it may be 

 preserved and its increase promoted, the 

 facility of transportation from its great te- 

 nacity of life, and the goodness of ita flesh, 

 which is not, however, generally held in 

 the estimation which I think it deserves, 

 as the Tench is also, like the Carp, one of 

 those species first selected as stock for orna- 

 mental waters, I venture to recommend that 

 large and fine fish be chosen as breeders, as 

 the most certain mode of obtaining sizeable 

 fish for table in the shortest space of time. 

 Two males to one female, or not less than 

 three to two, should be the proportion of the 

 sexea ; and from the pond which is found 

 by experiment favourable for breeding, the 

 small fish should be in part withdrawn from 

 time to time, and deposited elsewhere, to 

 afford more space for all. The male of the 

 Tench is recognized by the large size of the 

 ventral fins, which reach far enough to 



in the course of the transverse striae. Sow- cover the vent, and are deeply concave in- 



erhy says, " The irregular flexuosity of the ! ternally : in the females the ventral fiua are 



anterior ventral margin appears to have j smaller, shorter, and leas powerful, " 



been constantly regarded as the principal 



distinguishing character of this beautiful 



genus ; and when we consider the number OermB ny, differing from the common Tench 



of species possessing this character, ^ and > , n ^ * >f the ^^ Q e ow vftrie . 



y***!^ > *ff!3i*S?S*Z+ gated with small black spotsfwhile the fins are 



it may perhaps be still considered the essen- 

 tial character of the genus." 



TENCH. (Tinea vufyaris.) A fish be- 

 longing to the Cyprinoid family, or Carp 

 tril>e ; common in most of the lakes of the 

 European continent, and more or less abun- 

 dant in ornamental waters and ponds in this 

 country, but is seldom found in our rivers, 

 being more fond of still and muddy waters. 

 Its general length is about twelve inches : 

 its usual colour a deep olive, accompanied 



by a s 

 paler or ye 



light golden tinge ; the ab 

 or yellower than the oth 



.bdomen being 



gated with small black spots, 

 thin, transparent, and of a bright red colour. 

 It is said to be of slow growth, and to live, 

 like most others of this genus, on worms, 

 water insects, *c. These Tenches are de- 

 lighted with warmth, and in bright weather 

 are observed to swim in small shoals near 

 the surface. 



TENEBRIONID^E. A family of Coleop- 

 terous insects, distinguished by having the 

 elytra not soldered together, with the wings 

 fitted for flight. The body is generally ob- 

 long or ovate ; depressed, or but slightly 

 elevated ; the thorax square or trapeziform ; 

 and the palpi enlarged at the tip, the last 

 joint being generally hatchet-shaped. One 

 of the most Familiar of these is the Tcnebrio 

 molitor, the larva of wliich is commonly 

 called the MEAL-WORM, and may be re- 

 garded as the type of the family. This in- 

 sect frequents corn-mills, granaries, bake- 

 houses, &c., doing much damage by de- 

 vouring flour, meal, bran, &c. It is also 

 very destructive to ship -biscuits packed in 

 ks, w" " " 



3 

 casks, wliich when opened are found eaten 



the fins, which are thick and opaque, pf a through in holes by these insects and their 

 dull violet colour. The body is short and larvae. The latter are about an inch long, 

 thick ; and the skin is covered, like that of of a cylindrical and linear form, very smooth 

 an eel, with a tenacious mucus or slime, and glossy, of a fulvous colour, consisting 

 beneath which its small and numerous scales of twelve segments, exclusive of the head, 

 appear : the head is rather large, the eyes j which is provided with short trophi, and a 

 small, the lips thick, and on each side of the | pair of very small antennae. This larva 



