flibfequent naturalifls who thought proper to 
take any notice of ir, by their f!:range contradic- 
tions, and the diverfiry of their opinions, fiifii- 
ciently evince that they were blundering v.'ithout 
a certain objeft. 
.■ What commonly pafTes among the moderns for 
tlie horn of the Unicorn, and is fnewn as fuch in 
the colledtions of the curious, we arc afflircd by 
Fcveyra, is notiiing more than the tooth of a 
large fil'h of the whale kind, frequent enough in 
the Icy Sea, and called by the iOanders Narwal. 
Some of thefe horns or teeth are feven or eight 
feet ion.o-. 
UNICORN, SEA. A cetaceous fifh, called 
alfb Narvval, remarkable for a horn proceeding 
from it's nofe, after the manner of the fuppofed 
Unicorn's horn. In the Linntran fyftem, it is a 
fpecies of monodon. 
This fiPn feeds on or other fidi ; and is 
not only found in the main fea, but alfo in large 
rivers. In 1736, a large one was caught in the 
river Ofte, near it's influx into the Elbe, four 
German miles from the fea. The flcin of this 
fifh was fpottcd with dark brown on a white 
ground; the epidermis v/as tranfparcnt ; and un- 
der it vv'as another fl<in very thin and fpotted ; 
but the true fkin was brown, and nearly an inch 
in thickncfs. On the top of the head there was 
a femilunar hole, as in porpoifes; and this hole 
opened into two channels, which ran through the 
fkuU to tlie palate. 
Thofe who examined this fifii were unable to 
difcover any aperture in the bony for the dif- 
charge of it's excrements ; whence it has been 
generally fuppofed that the creature voids them 
through this paffage in it's head. Authors differ 
as to the name of the procefs i filling from the 
head; feme calling it a horn, and others a tooth. 
Some are of opinion that it ferves to break the 
ice, for the admiffion of air; others pretend that 
it is an offenfive weapon, with v/hich the Unicorn 
wounds the common whale, and other large fifli ; 
and that, after plunging it to the head into 
the vv'hale's body, it fucks the juices of that 
animal. 
The fifh caught in the Ofte was near twenty 
feet long, and about four feet in diameter. The 
horn, which ftood on the fore-part of the head, 
juft above the mouth, v/as fix feet long, white 
like ivory, and curioufly wreathed or tv/ifted; 
the body was fmooth and flippery, like that of an 
eel; the head was fmall in proportion to the 
body, not exceeding fixteen inches in length ; 
and the eyes were equally fmall. On each fide 
of the neck there were two black fins, one above 
the other, at a fmall diftance : thefe were two 
feet long, and about half an inch in thicknefs. 
Unicorn, Sea, is alfo an appellation given 
to two forts of fmall fifh caught in the American 
feas, known among authors by the name of mo- 
noceros pifcis, 
UNISETA. A fpecies of fiy, fo called from 
having only one long hair or briflle proceeding 
from it's tail. See Hknothrix. 
UNIVALVE. A term by which the largeft 
and moft beautiful clafs offliells is demominated. 
See Shells. 
VGLVOX. In the Lynnasan fyftem, a genus 
of the order of zoophytes, and clafs of vermes. 
It's difiinguifhing charafters are; that the body 
is fmooth, gelatinous, roundifh, without joints, 
and formed for a* vertiginous motion. The 
U R A 
young aj'e roundifh, and lodged in fmall holes in 
different parts of the body. Linnaeus enume- 
rates four fpecies, of which the globe animalcule 
is one. 
VOLUTA. A genus of fiiells : the charac- 
ters of which are; that the flie!!s are univalve, 
with an oblong mouth; arid a clavicle, fometimcs 
ere£i, fometimes depreffed ; and that there arc 
fome fpecies coronated at the top. 
In the Linnsean diftribution, the Voluta is a 
genus of the teflacea order, in the clafs of vermes. 
The charafters are: that the inclofed animal is a 
(lug; and that the fhell is univalve and fpirai, the 
aperture narrow without a beak, and the eolu- 
meila or pillar plaited. 
Linnsus enumerates forty -fix fpecies; among 
which are the mitres, Perfian crowns, cylinders, 
and other univalves with their pillars plaited or 
wrinkled. The Voluta of other conchologifts he 
denominates conus. 
In Da Coda's arrangement, the Voluta con- 
ftitutes the twelfth family of univalves. This 
genus of fiiells is frequently c-onfoundtd vvith 
that of the cylindri : however, when accurately 
examiined, thev will be found to be very diiFe- 
rent. The Volutte are of a conic fhape. Of c 
of tiieir extremities is of a pyramidal figure, and 
the other form.ed into high ribs, wlfich conftitute 
a deprcfiTed clavicle, or a dentated crown : on 
the contrary, the cylinder is nearly of an equal 
fize at both extremities ; and it is not necefiuiry to 
recur to the form of the mouth of this fhell to fix 
it's generic character. 
The Volutffi form the mofl rich and beautiful 
fliells of the whole body of fea produftions. 
Rumphius gives them the epithet of eximijEj and 
the admiral and vice-admiral fhells, fo famous 
among the curious, and fo highly valued, both 
belong to this genus. Indeed, the brightnefs of 
the colours, the perfeft white of tite enamel, and 
the elegant fhape of thefe fliells, would render 
them the firft in efieem among this clafs, were 
they even common; but, what enhances their 
value, is, that they are prodigioufly fcarce. See 
Shells. 
UPLOPER. An appellation by which fome 
writers exprefs a particular fpecies of pigeon, the 
columba gutturofa fallens of Moore. It was 
originally introduced into this country from 
Holland, and bears a flrong refemblance to the 
pigeon called a pouter, but is fmaller. Pi- 
geons of this fpecies have round crops in which 
they bury their bills, fmall flender legs, and fhorn 
clofetoes; their colours are ufually blue, black, 
or white, being feldom pyed. They receive 
their name from the Dutch word Oplopen, to leap 
up. They are very fcarce and much valued in 
England. 
UPUPA. See Hoopoe. 
URANOSCOPUS. A fifh denominated the 
flar-gazer in England ; and callionymus by fome 
ichthyologifls. 
In the Linnsan fyftem, the Uranofcopus is a 
genus of the order of jugulares. It's charailers 
are thefe : the head is flat, rough, and large; the 
upper-jaM/ is fhorter than the lower ; the branchio- 
ficge rnambrane contains five rays, and is co- 
vei ed with, fmall eminences like teeth ; the oper- 
cula are membranaceous, and ciliated ; and the 
anus is fituated in the middle of the body. There 
is only one fpecies, the trachinus of Artedi, with 
m.any beards in the lower jaw. 
This 
