p n a 
P H A 
300 
P H A 
committing great ravages on the leaves: 
these caterpillars inhabit a common web, and 
usually move in large group es together; 
their colour is a pale greyish yellow, with 
numerous black spots; each caterpillar, at the 
lime of its change to chrysalis, envelops it- 
self in a distinct oral web with pointed extre- 
mities; and many of these are stationed close 
to each other, hanging, in a perpendicular 
direction, front the internal roof of the ge- 
neral enclosing web; the chrysalis is blackish, 
and the moth appears in the month of Sep- 
tember. 
To this division also belong the moths em- 
phatically so called, or cloth-moths. Of these 
the principal is the phalama vestianella, 
which, in its caterpillar state, is very destruc- 
tive to woollen cloths, the substance of which 
it devours, forming for itself a tubular case 
with open extremities, and generally ap- 
proaching to the colour of the cloth on which' 
it is nourished. This mischievous species 
changes into a chrysalis in April, and the 
moth, which is universally known, appears! 
chiefly in May and June. 
In the last division, called alucitse, is one ; 
of the most elegant of the insect tribe, though 
not distinguished either by large size or ; 
lively colours. It is a small moth, of a snowy - 
whiteness, and, at first view, catches the at- 1 
tention of the observer by the very remark- j 
able aspect of its wings, which are divided 
into the most beautiful distinct plumes, two 
im each upper, and three in each under wing, ! 
and formed on a plan resembling that of the; 
long wing-feathers of birds viz. with a strong- 
middle rib or shaft, and innumerable lateral 
fibres. This moth, which is the phalama 
pentudactyla of Linnxus, appears chiefly in 
the month of August. Its caterpillar, which 
is yellowish-green, speckled with black, feeds 
on' nettles, and changes into a blackish chry- 
salis enveloped in a white web. 
Another very remarkable species of this 
division is the phalama hexadactyla of Lin- 
iiams; each wing consisting of six distinct 
plumes. The insect is of a pale grey-brown 
colour, with several transverse lines or bars 
across the feathers, and exhibiting a very cu- 
rious spectacle in the microscope. It chiefly 
makes its appearance in the month of Sep- 
tember. This little moth is by the English 
collectors somewhat improperly called the 
twenty-plumed moth, the plumes being in 
reality twenty-four in number. See Plate 
]Vat. Hist. figs. 325, 326, 327, 323. 
PHALANGIUM, a genus of insects of 
the order aptera. The generic character is, 
legs eight ; eyes tsvo vertical, and two la- 
teral ; front furnished with cheliform anten- 
na: ; abdomen generally rounded. 
Of all the insects in the order aptera, 
few perhaps will be found of a form more re- 
pulsive than that of the present genus ; 
which, exclusive of its spider-like shape, is, ! 
in some species, armed with weapons resem- 
bling those of the genus aranea, but operating . 
with greater malignity. The phalangia differ j 
very much in size, some being very minute 
insects, while others are equal in magnitude j 
to the larger kind of spiders. | 
The phalangium reniforme is one of the ! 
largest of the genus. This animal is a native i 
of the hotter regions of the globe, being found 
in Africa and South America. It lias the ge- 
neral appearance of a very large spider, with 
the thorax heart- (or rather kidney-) shaped, j 
and the abdomen rounded : the legs are very- 
long, and the palpi or clampers are strongly- 
toothed on the inner side by several sharp- 
pointed curved processes : the first pair of 
legs have all the appearance of a pair of an- 
tenna: ; far exceeding the rest in length, arid 
being of a slender or filiform shape. The 
whole insect is of a deep chesnut-brown co- 
lour, with a yellowish cast on the abdomen. 
Its particular history seems to be little known, 
but there can be no doubt of its being of a 
predacious nature, living probably on the 
smaller insects. 
Phalangium caudatum is, in general, of 
rather smaller size than the former, and of a 
j lengthened shape, with shorter limbs in pro- 
! portion : it is principally distinguished by the 
| long setaceous process in which -the abdo- 
I men terminates: the chela or clampers are 
| large, and toothed on the inside towards the 
| tips. The general colour of the animal is 
chesnut-brown. ft is a native of the East 
I Indies. 
To this genus belong those well-known in- 
! sects called long-legged, shepherd, or har- 
vest spiders, being popularly considered as 
such, though differing very considerably from 
spiders properly so named. The most com- 
mon insect of this kind is the phalangium 
opil io of Linnaeus, which, during the autumn, 
may be observed in gardens, about walls, 
&c. It is remarkable for its plump, but flat- 
fish, orbicular body; and its extremely long 
and slender legs, which are generally so car- 
ried, that the body appears suspended or ele- 
vated to a considerable height above the sur- 
face on which the animal rests: the eyes are 
situated on the top of the head, and resemble 
two very minute glassy globules; the colour 
of the whole animal is a pale greyish-brown. 
This species preys on the smaller kind of in- 
sects in general. 
Among the minute species of phalangium, 
the most remarkable is the phalangium can- 
croides of Linnaeus, a very small insect, of a 
reddish-brown colour, and of slow motion, 
occasionally found among papers, dried 
plants, &c, &c. Its shape is obtusely oval, 
with a sharpened front, furnished with a pair 
of very long and large jointed claspers, which 
give the insect a very remarkable appear- 
ance ; the body is very much depressed. 
This little insect has been occasionally refer- 
red to very different genera. It is a species 
which seems to vary considerably in size ; 
those which are found in our own country 
rarely exceeding the length of the tenth of an 
inch, while in some parts of Europe it appears 
to arrive at twice that length. It is said by 
Linnaeus, but probably on no just foundation, 
to introduce itself occasionally under the skin, 
and to excite a painful tumour; a circum- 
stance which, considering the size of the ani- 
mal, seems scarcely possible. It preys on 
smaller and weaker insects. See Plate Nat. 
Hist. tig. 329. 
Phalangium. See Anthericum s 
PHALANX, in G recian antiquity, a 
square battalion, consisting of 8000 men, with 
their , shields joined, and pikes crossing each 
other, so that it was next to impossible to 
break it. 
PH A LAPIS, or Canary-grass, a genus 
of the trigynia order, in the triandria class of 
plants. The calyx is bivalved, carinated, 
and equal in length, containing the corolla. 
There are 12 species, of which the most re- 
markable are the canariensh, or manured 
canary-grass; and the arundinacea, or reed 
canary-grass, dhese are both natives of Bri- 
tain. The first grows by the load-sides, and 
is frequently cultivated for the sake of the 
seeds, which are found to be the best food 
for the canary and other small birds. The 
second grows on the banks of rivers. It is 
used for thatching ricks or cottages, and en- 
dures much longer than straw. Jn Scandi- 
navia they mow it twice a year, and their 
cattle eat it. There is a variety of this cul- 
tivated in our gardens with beautifully striped 
leaves. The stripes are generally green and 
white; but sometimes they have a purplish 
cast This is commonly called painted lady- 
grass, ladies’ tressesS, or riband-grass. 
PIIALEUCIAN VERSE, in antient poet- 
ry, a kind of verse which consists of five feet, 
the first of 'which is a spondee, the second a 
dactyl, and the three last trochees : such i< 
the following one of Martial: 
1 2 3 4 5 
Summam | nec metu | as di | cm, nec | optes, 
PHALLUS, the morel, a genus of the or- 
der of fungi, belonging to the cryptogamia 
class of plants. The fungus is reticulated 
above arid smooth below. There are thre e 
species; the most remarkable ar 
1. The esculentus, or esculent morel, is a 
native of Britain, growii g in woods, graves, 
meadows, pastures, &c. The substance, 
when recent, is wax-like and friable ; tire co- 
lour a whitish yellow, turning brownish in 
decay; the height of the whole fungus, about 
four or five inches. The stalk is thick and 
clumsy, somewhat tuberous at the base, and 
hollow in the middle. The pileus is either 
round or conical ; at a medium about the size 
of an egg, often much larger; hollow within; 
its base united to the stalk; and its surface 
cellular, or latticed with irregular sinuses. 
The magnified seeds are oval. It is much 
esteemed at table both recent and dried, 
being commonly used as an ingredient to 
heighten the flavour of ragouts. We are 
informed by Gleditsch, that morels are ob- 
served to grow in the woods of Germany in 
the greatest plenty in the places where 
charcoal has been made. Hence the good 
women who collect them ;o sell, receiving a 
hint how to encourage their growth, have 
been accustomed to make fires in certain 
places of the w oods, with heath, broom, vac- 
cinium, and other materials, in order to ob- 
tain a more plentiful crop. This strange 
method of cultivating morels being however 
sometimes attended with dreadful conse- 
quences, large woods having been set on fire 
and destroyed by it, the magistrate thought 
fit to interpose his authority, and the prac- 
tice is now interdicted. 
2. The impudicus, stinking morel, or stink- 
horns,- is also a native of Britain, and found in 
woods and on banks. It arises from the earth 
under a veil or velva, shaped exactly like a 
lien’s egg, and of the same colour, having a 
long fibrous radicle at its base. This egg- 
like volva is composed of two coats or mem- 
branes, .the space between which is full of a 
thick, viscid, transparent matter, which, 
when dry, glues the coats together, and 
shines like varnish. In the next stage of 
growth, the volva suddenly bursts into se- 
veral lacerated permanent segments, from 
the centre of which arises an erect, white. 
j 
