Part 6
CONCHOLOGY.
PLATE XV.
MUREX FOLIATUS FOLIATED MUREX OR, FOLIATED ROCK SHELL.
UNIVALVE.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Shell spiral, rough with membranaceous sutures: aperture oval, ending in an entire straight or slightly ascending canal.
* Sutures expanding into crisped foliations: beak abbreviated PURPURA _Gmel._
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.
Three rows of foliations: aperture one-toothed.
MUREX FOLIATUS: testa trifariam frondosa: apertura unidentata. _Gmel. Linn. Syst. T. 1. p. 6. 3529. 174._—_Martyn Conch. 2. t. 66._
MUREX Purpura alata, testa triangulari, transversim costata trifariam frondosa, frondibus alatis membranaceis instructa cauda recta clausa, labro latissimo, labio adnato, apertura subovata, fauce alba. _Chemn. Conch. 10. f. 1538._
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This is a shell far more remarkable for the singularity of its growth, than for any elegance or beauty of its colouring. The peculiarity of its character consists in the large, erect, and longitudinal foliations, which are disposed in three distinct, and nearly equi-distant series throughout the whole length of the shell: for they appear in continuity upon every whorl, from the base to the apex. It is from this peculiarity that the species has obtained the very appropriate appellation of foliatus, or Foliated Rock Shell.
In point of colour, as before observed, the Murex foliatus is not particularly conspicuous, and they are of a texture so delicate that it almost constantly occurs in a bleached or depauperated state; it is also a very fragile shell, and from this cause very liable to be broken. When in fine condition, as in the example selected, for the representation now before us, the general hue is a lacteal white; the body of the shell, externally, a deep tawny, with the foliations whitish, and the opening, or mouth of the shell, very delicately tinted with a violaceous hue. Sometimes the foliations have the appearance of fine white porcelain.
This is esteemed a scarce shell, and very rarely occurs perfect, or in a living state. Found on the sea coast of North America.
CONCHOLOGY.
PLATE XVI.
MUREX SCORPIO var MINOR LEAST STAG’S HORN MUREX.
UNIVALVE.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Shell spiral, rough with membranaceous sutures: aperture oval, ending in an entire straight, or slightly ascending canal.
* _Sutures expanding into crisped foliations: beak abbreviated._ PURPURA _Gmel._
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.
Shell with four rows of foliations: spire capitate: beak truncated.
MUREX SCORPIO: testa quadrifariam frondosa: spira capitata, cauda truncata. _Mus. Lud. Ulr. 628. n. 296._—_Gmel. Linn. Syst. T. 1. p. 6. 3529. 14._—_Rumpf. Mus. t. 26. f. D._—_Seba. Mus. 3. tab. 77. fig. 13. 16._
Cochlis volutata muricata parva sex duplici laciniarum serie horrida, spiris quatuor capitatis faucibus, quasi Scorpionum forficulis armatis. _Purpura_ quæ SCORPIO Auctorum. _Chemn._
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The extraordinary form of this very rare and singular kind of Murex cannot fail to interest the curious observer. The shell is of the spiral kind, with an oval aperture; the head of the spire large or tumid, and the first or body whorl beset with four distinct longitudinal rows or series of elongated foliations or processes. These last mentioned appendages are flat and somewhat cylindrical from the base nearly to their summits, where they become cleft or furcate, expanding most commonly into two, sometimes three, or rarely four distinct little lobes, and the radiation of these process by which the exterior margin of the aperture is encircled, have a groove or canal extending from the margin of the lip to the cleft or lobate summits.
The learned Seba, to whom this very remarkable shell, it appears, was known, has well observed in speaking of the Murices, which he describes, that this kind is more particularly distinguished by the greater disproportion of those advanced processes in comparison with the size of the body of the shell than any other of his species; so that their superior length in this respect was, in his opinion, to be considered truly characteristic of the species.* It is from these processes it may be also added, that this curious shell has been variously and not unfrequently fantastically designated by appellations that cannot very readily be reconciled in our ideas with any object they have been supposed to resemble, even admitting that latitude of fancy which may be tolerated when we are entirely aware that the assimilation is remote. Thus this shell has obtained in various languages names according with those of the Ragged Spike Whelk, the Stag’s Horn Whelk, the Skeleton, Water Trough, and others of no less vague import. The Least Ragged Whelk is a name assigned to it by our countryman Petiver: the Scorpion Shell is a very old name for it among the early collectors, it is the Murex Scorpio of Rumpfius. In France it was distinguished formerly by the name of _Patte de Crapaud_, (the Toad’s Foot) because, says the author of Davila’s Catalogue, besides the spires on the body, the exterior edge of the lip is bordered with others that are very large and flat at the extremity, and no doubt, for the same reason it is called by Seba _Bufonis Pedes_. It was known at that time also among the collectors in Holland by the name of the Stag’s Horn,[11] from a remote similitude which these processes are supposed to bear to the horns of that quadruped. And lastly, in conclusion it may be added, that for nearly half a century past it has been distinguished among the collectors of this country by a title not less whimsical, namely, the “Water Wheel,” from a fancied similitude the contour of the shell and its verticillation of processes bear to the circle and lamellar appendages or sweeps of a water wheel.
Not one of any of those various appellations, it must be confessed, appear so applicable and well chosen as to supersede the propriety of introducing any other that might be deemed tolerably appropriate, but upon the whole the species and varieties which it embraces have been so long known by the name of the Scorpion Shell, that there can be no great impropriety in allowing it to remain under that name: we have for our example the authority of Rumpfius, and the sanction of Linnæus throughout all his works; and in the Gmelinian System it also stands under the name of Murex Scorpio. The appellation of the Stag’s Horn Murex, in conformity with the epithet assigned to it by the old French writers “_bois de cerf_,” is not altogether inappropriate, the elongated processes have much the appearance of the antlers of the stag, in the first stages of their growth; or considered in the aggregate, the shell presents a number of ramose processes like the horns of the Stag or the Rein Deer, and some other quadrupeds of the Cervine tribe; a characteristic feature that may perhaps justify the appellation.
There are several varieties of this remarkable shell, some of which might at the first view be considered as distinct species, and in reality have been occasionally arranged as such by collectors. These upon the most attentive comparison do not, however, appear to differ specifically, notwithstanding the differences in point of colour are very striking. One variety rather exceeds the rest in size, and is of a deep testaceous or tawny brown colour, or rather inclining to a chesnut hue: we have seen it of a tawny tint with darker splashes upon the transverse ribs, particularly on the body and the tumid whorl of the spire. Occasionally this shell also occurs of a deep or Ethiopian blackness; this kind is extremely rare. The white variety occurs more frequently, but is, nevertheless, uncommon in comparison with the brown or testaceous kind: two examples of the white variety, clouded with yellow, appears to have occurred in the celebrated cabinet of the French collector Davilla, about the year 1776. He distinguishes them by the title of “deux petites _epineuses_,” and tells us they have six longitudinal sides like the “_rameuses_,” which are also named “Pattes de crapaud,” an epithet by which we are well aware the Linnæan Murex Scorpio was discriminated, and which therefore leads to a conclusion that the “epineuses” of a white colour, clouded with yellow, which that cabinet contained, were not specifically distinct from the shell at present under our consideration. When extremely fine the white variety of this shell is usually very delicately tinged with violet in all its shades and transitions of light.
All these varieties, as before observed, are very easily reconciled to the same species; nor is it ourselves alone that are inclined to this opinion. Seba, to whom the larger brown and white variety, were known, admits them as the same without any hesitation.[12] The expression “_Testa alba aut fusca_,” the Linnæan description of this shell in the cabinet of the Queen of Sweden, implies the like persuasion, and the authority of Chemnitz may be adduced still further in support of this opinion: Some modern writers have thought differently, but we must confess the distinctions they assign are by no means satisfactory to us. The larger shell is usually of a brown colour, but we have seen one of the white variety rather larger than any of the brown colour that have occurred to our notice.
The shell we have selected for the figures in the annexed plate is chosen rather for its extreme perfection than the superiority of size; we have observed it larger by nearly one half, but have not in any instance met with one more entirely perfect: it is delineated from the example of this very curious species in the late Leverian Museum.
This species which for a century past or more has maintained its reputation as a rare production is still held in much esteem, and bears a price proportionately considerable: it inhabits the shores of Southern Asia. Gmelin has the expression “_Habitat pretiosus et rarus in_ mari, Asiam australem _alluente_, _&c._” and describes the species as being either white, brown, or black.
Footnote 11:
“Cornua cervina—_bois de cerf_.”—Seba.
Footnote 12:
“Horum processus admodum producti sunt; ut ideo Cornua cervina appellentur ob qualemcunque similitudinem. Corpus tamen Cochleæ semper pro ratione ramorum minus est, quam in Muricibus superioribus.”[12a]—_Seba T. 3. tab. 77. p. 172._
Footnote 12a:
As _Murex ramosus_, of which several varieties are given in the plates Seba, _Murex Saxatilis_, &c.
ORNITHOLOGY
PLATE XVII.
PSITTACUS GALGULUS SAPPHIRE CROWNED PARRAKEET.
PICÆ.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Bill falcated; upper mandible moveable, and in general covered with a cere: nostrils rounded, placed in the base of the bill: tongue fleshy, obtuse, entire: feet formed for climbing.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.
Green: rump and breast scarlet: crown of the male blue.
PSITTACUS GALGULUS: viridis, uropygio pectoreque coccineis, vertice (maris) cæruleo.—_Linn. Amoen. ac. 4. p. 286._—_Mus. Ad. Fr. ii. p. 16._—_Osbeck. it. 101._
PSITTACUS GALGULUS: viridis, uropygio pectoreque coccineis, vertice cæruleo, lunula cervicis lutea, tectricibus caudæ rubris.—_Lath. Ind. Orn. T. 1. 148. p. 131._
Perruche à tête bleue. _Buff. hist. nat. des. ois. 6. p. 163._
Petite perruche de Pérou. _Buff. pl. enlum. n. 190. f. 2._
Petite perruche de l’isle de Luçon. _Sonner, it. p. 76. t. 33._
Sapphire-Crowned Parrakeet. _Edw. glean. t. 293. f. 2._
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This gay little creature is one of the smaller kind of the Psittacus or Parrot tribe, and of that family which is distinguished by having the tail short and equal at the end. Its size is rather less than that of our common house sparrow. The prevailing colour of the plumage a rich vernal green, deepest in its hues on the back and wings, and rather paler or more delicate in its tint beneath; the breast and rump scarlet; the feathers of the latter elongated and extending far over the tail, which is green; the crown of the head a beautiful Sapphirine blue. This appears to be the male bird. That which is considered as the female has a yellow spot upon the throat: it is destitute of any scarlet spot upon the breast, and the Sapphirine colour on the crown of the head is also wanting.
These are the characteristic distinctions observable generally in the species; besides which there are other less material particulars in which these birds are known to differ.
In some birds we find a yellow transverse stripe on the hind part of the neck, varying in colour from luteous to orange, and which is more or less conspicuous in different individuals. Others have a somewhat similar band of yellow, but which is situated at the back of the head instead of the neck. The first of these is distinguished by the name of the Sapphire Crowned Parrakeet, the other by that of the Phillippine Parrakeet. Dr. Latham has endeavoured to establish the characteristic distinctions of these two kinds in his _Index Ornithologicus_: he considers them as permanent varieties, but we must confess we regard them rather as accidental than permanent. The characteristic band of yellow by which they are to be discriminated chiefly, appears to be more or less developed in different birds at different periods of their growth; and in the absence of this character from the back of the head in the Phillippine Parrakeet, or the hind part of the neck in the Sapphire Crowned Parrakeet, the resemblance is so very near as to afford no certain means of distinguishing one from the other.
This bird has been long known in Europe. It appeared in the work of Edwards, the ingenious English Ornithologist, who lived about the middle of the last century. Linnæus describes the species with much critical minuteness in the fourth volume of his _Amoenitates Academicæ_, as PSITTACUS GALGULUS, _brachiurus viridis pectore uropygioque coccineis, vertice cæruleo_; and this description accords so exactly with the bird before us, that no doubt whatever can remain of its being exactly the variety which that eminent Naturalist has described.
Edwards informs us that this bird is a native of Sumatra; Osbeck met with it in Java, where he tells us it is known by the name of Parkicki. The title of Perruche de Pérou which it bears in _Pdl. Enl._ might induce a persuasion of its being an inhabitant of South America, which, however, is not believed among Ornithologists. We have already mentioned that it occurs in the Phillippine Islands, and that from this locality, the particular variety found there has obtained the appellation of the Phillippine Parrakeet.
We are indebted to Osbeck for a concise description of the manners of this interesting species when in a state of captivity, “if put into a cage,” observes this traveller, “it whistles very seldom and commonly grows quite sullen: it hangs itself with its feet so that the back is turned towards the earth, and seldom changes this situation: it is fed with boiled rice; in which manner, in the year 1752, one was brought to Gottenburgh.” It is probably this information to which Linnæus alludes in his Academic paper, delivered in 1760, where in speaking of the manners of this bird, he tells us it sleeps on trees, suspended by one foot with its head downwards, in order to escape the observation of the rapacious birds of night. The nest of these birds are described by Toreen. “We observed,” says this writer, “that their nests were remarkable for their exceeding fine texture, but we did not see the birds. If these nests were differently constructed, the monkies would be very mischievous to them; but now, before they can get to the opening, the lowest part, as the weakest, breaks into pieces, and the visitor falls to the ground without danger to the young birds.”
This bird is observed to be very partial to the fresh juice of the cocoa tree, which flows from the ends of the branches when the fruit has been fresh cut off; and which before it undergoes fermentation is said in taste to resemble new-made cyder.
ENTOMOLOGY.
PLATE XVIII.
PAPILIO ACAMAS ACAMAS BUTTERFLY.
LEPIDOPTERA.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Antennæ thicker towards the tip, and generally terminating in a knob: wings erect when at rest. Fly by day.
* EQUITES TROJANI.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.
Wings indented, caudated, or ending in a tail; brown, above and beneath the same colour; anterior wings with a yellow band, posterior wings with red, blue and yellow lunules.
PAPILIO ACAMAS: alis dentato caudatis concoloribus fuscis: anticis fascia flava, posticis lunulis rubris cæruleis flavisque.—_Fabr. Ent. Syst. T. 3. p. 1. 8. 22._—_Jon. fig. pict. 1. tab. 72._
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Papilio Acamas is one among the number of those Papiliones, which, from their magnitude, as well as beauty, constitute the more attractive species of the first family of this interesting tribe, the _Equites Trojani_ of the Fabrician system. Papilio Acamas is scarcely surpassed in size by any other of the Papilio genus, and when it is added, as it may be with confidence, that the figure now presented to the reader is the first that has appeared in elucidation of such a noble species, we cannot doubt that its introduction will be received with pleasure by every Naturalist in this country and throughout Europe.
This fine and very striking species has been long since known by repute to Entomologists; but from the description only which Fabricius had left us in his _Entomologia Systematica_. Those conversant with this work of our author, will be aware, that Papilio Acamas constitutes one of those many species for which Fabricius refers only to the drawings of the late Mr. Jones: the present figure is a faithful copy of that original drawing referred to and described by Fabricius, and as such cannot fail to prove acceptable to every Entomologist. It is certainly the only figure extant by means of which the Fabrician species P. Acamas can be ascertained.
The identity of this species, it will hence appear, does not rest upon opinion or conjecture, and this circumstance must be deemed of no small importance in an enquiry of this nature. In the present instance it may be also added that this identity is essentially material to be considered, because there is another insect of the same tribe, the Papilio Laodocus of the same author, which assimilates so closely with it, that without due attention, the one might readily be confounded with the other. These two butterflies, however, although they appear so nearly allied, present characters which considered accurately, demonstrate very clearly that Fabricius was right in separating them. Fabricius adverting to this close affinity, observes, that in size and appearance Papilio Acamas agrees with Papilio Laodocus. The predominant colour of P. Acamas, he observes, is a dark or fuscous brown, much less inclining to black than P. Laodocus. The anterior wings in both species have a yellow transverse band: this band in P. Acamas extends from the anterior margin almost close to the posterior margin, and touches the posterior rib; in P. Laodocus this yellow band is abbreviated or shorter, of greater breadth, and placed more immediately towards the middle of the wing, the band in P. Acamas being situated rather nearer towards the exterior end of the wing. There is also a marginal series of yellow spots at the extremity of the anterior wings, the form of which is very singular, and affords a striking distinctive character of P. Acamas. There is also a characteristic difference observable in the markings of the posterior wings: in both species, on the upper as well as lower surface, those wings are elegantly marked with a distinct arch of red lunules, posterior to which is another of blue; beyond these in P. Acamas is a third series of lunules, rather larger than either of the former, the colour of which is bright yellow. There is a final or posterior arch of lunules in P. Laodocus, behind the two series of red and blue lunules, similar to those of P. Acamas, but they are smaller, and instead of yellow are white. And lastly, the body in P. Acamas is dark brown above and pale beneath: in P. Laodocus, on the contrary, the body beneath as well as above is black, with a longitudinal line each side the body.
We have been thus minute in pointing out precisely the differences that prevail between these two Papiliones, from a persuasion that they might perhaps be otherwise confounded together, either as the same species, or as varieties of each other. There is assuredly a general approximation in the appearance of those two insects, although they prove so very distinct upon a close and attentive comparison.
Papilio Acamas is a native of Jamaica: Papilio Laodocus of South America. A figure of P. Laodocus occurs in the work of Cramer, under the name of Papilio Glaucus.
ENTOMOLOGY.
PLATE XIX.
PAPILIO HOMERUS HOMER’S BUTTERFLY.
ORDER LEPIDOPTERA.
GENERIC CHARACTER.
Antennæ thicker towards the tip, and generally terminating in a knob: wings erect when at rest. Fly by day.
* EQUITES ACHIVI.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS.
Wings caudated or terminating in tails, black with a yellow band; lower ones yellowish beneath, with seven ocellar spots:
PAPILIO HOMERUS: alis caudatis nigris: fascia flava posticis subtus flavescentibus: maculis ocellaribus septem.—_Fabr. Ent. Syst. T. 3, p. 1. 29. 85._
PAPILIO HOMERUS: _Jon. fig. pict. 1. tab. 8._
Corpus magnum nigrum. Alæ anticæ supra nigræ fascia maculari maculisque apicis flavis. Subtus anticæ concolores, at macula apicis tantum unica, marginalis, albida posticæ fuscæ, fascia media pallida maculis septem ocellaribus, atris iride rufa.
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In the present instance, as in many others that will occur during the progress of this undertaking, we have the pleasure of introducing to the attention of the Naturalist, a species of the Papilio tribe, no less distinguished for its beauty than its rarity; and one, moreover, that has never been before depicted in the work of any author.