MYR 
like the former species, principally on in- 
sects, and particularly ants. It is a native 
of Guiana. Animals of a similar descrip- 
tion are found both in Africa and the In- 
dian islands. In the former, they are stated 
to attain the weight of a hundred pounds, 
and to have such a tenaciousness of gi'ipe, 
that the efforts of the strongest man cannot 
unfix their claws when fully stuck in tlie 
ground. 
M. aculeata, or the aculeated ant-eater, is 
a native of New Holland, and appears to 
connect the ant-eater genus with the porcu- 
pine. It has the spines of the latter, and 
the mouth, tongue, and habits of the for- 
mer. It is generally found in the middle 
of an ant’s nest, and will burrow with ex- 
treme celelerity. It will even tear up a 
pavement of some firmness. It is little 
more than a fopt long. For a representa- 
tion of the ant-eater, see Mammalia, Plate 
XVII. fig. 3. 
MYRMELEON, in natural history, lion- 
ant, a genus of insects of the order Nen- 
roptera. Mouth with a horny, acute man- 
dible and jaw ; feelers six; antennae thicker 
at the tip ; wings deflected ; tail of the male 
armed with a forceps, ' composed of two 
straight filaments. There are sixteen spe- 
cies of this genus enumerated by Gmelin, 
which are divided into two sections, viz. 
A. Hind-feelers much longer ; jaw one tooth- 
ed ; lip membranaceous, square, truncate, 
emarginate. B. Feelers nearly equal; jaw 
ciliate; lip horny, rounded, entire. The 
animals of this family prey with the most 
savage ferocity on ants and lesser insects, 
and for the purpose of ensnaring them, 
sinks itself into the sand, and forms a kind 
of funnel or pit in which it lies buried, the 
head only appearing above the sand. Into 
this hollow such insects as wander near it 
are sure to fall, and not being able to crawl 
up the sides of loose sand, are seized and 
devoured by the lion ant. But if the sides 
of the pit do not give way, or the unlucky 
insect appears to be able to make its es- 
cape, its merciless enemy, by throwing with 
its head repeated showers of sand, forces it 
down till it comes within its reach. The 
larva is six-footed, with exserted, toothed 
jaws ; pupa enclosed in a ball composed of 
sand or earth, agglutinated and connected 
by very fine silk, which it draws from a 
tubular process at the extremity of the bo- 
dy ; with tliis silk it also lines the internal 
surface of the ball, which, if opened, ap- 
pears coated by a fine pearl-coloured silken 
tissue. It continues in the state of chrysa- 
MYR 
lis about four weeks, and then gives birth 
to the complete insect. M. formicaleo, in 
its complete or fly-state, beats a great re- 
semblance to a small dragon-fly, from which 
it may be distinguished by its antenfiap. It 
is not found in this country, but occurs in 
many parts of the Continent. See Plate III. 
Entomology, fig. 5. 
MYRODENDRUM, in botany, a genus 
of the Polyandria Mouogynia class and or- 
der. Essential character: corolla five-pe- 
talled, spreading, much larger than the five- 
toothed calyx; stigma capitate, five-lobed; 
pericarpimn five celled, with one seed in 
each cell. There is but one species, viz. 
M. balsamiferum : this is a tree from fifty 
to sixty feet in height, and two in diameter ; 
it throws out from the top several large 
branches, which divide into branchlets be- 
set with alternate, smooth, green, long 
leaves, terminating in a point ; these leaves 
are largest at their base, where they partly 
embrace the branchlets; the flowers are 
borne in heads or clusters, from the leaves 
at the extremities of the branchlets, of a 
white colour. The bark of this tree affords 
a red balsamic fluid, resembling styrax in 
scent ; this liquor, after it has exuded from 
the bark, becomes hard, brittle, and transpa- 
rent, and when burnt, affords a very agree- 
able odour. The Negroes use the bark for 
the purpose of slips, to make flambeaux, 
and the natives for building their houses. 
It grows naturally in the forests of Guiana. 
MYRODIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Monadelphia Polyandria class and order. 
Natural order of Coluinniferoe. Malvace®, 
Jussieu. Essential character : calyx single, 
one-leafed ; corolla five-petalled ; pistil one ; 
column of anthers undivided; drupe dry, 
inclosing two nuts. There are two species, 
viz. M. turbinata, and M. longiflora ; the 
former is a native of the West Indies, and 
the latter of Guiana, growing on the banks 
of rivers. 
MYROSMA, in botany, a genus of the 
Monandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Scitamine®. Cann®, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : calyx double, 
outer three-leaved, inner three-parted ; co- 
rolla five-parted, irregular ; capsule three- 
cornered, three-celled, many-seeded. There 
is but one species, viz. M. cann®formis, a 
native of Surinam. 
MYROXYLUM, in botany, sweet-wood, 
a genus of the Decandria Monogynia class 
and order. Natural order of Lomentace®. 
Leguminos®, Jussieu. Essential character : 
calyx bell-shaped; petals five, the upper- 
