loud humming noise. It is believed that they subsist principally upon putrescent wood and the detritus of other vegetable matter. Among the most remarkable may be mentioned the Dynastes Hercules, or HERCULES BEETLE. It is usually about four, but sometimes measures not less than five, or even six inches in length: the elytra are of a smooth surface, of a bluish or brownishgray colour, and generally marked with several small round deep-black spots, of different sizes: the head and limbs are jet black; from the upper part of the thorax proceeds a horn or process of enormous length in proportion to the body, sharp at the tip, curving slightly downwards, and furnished throughout its whole length with a fine, short, velvet-like pile, of a brownish orange colour: from the front of the head proceeds also a strong horn, about two-thirds the length of the former, toothed on its upper surface, but not covered with any of the velvet-like pile. This species is a native of several parts of South America, where great numbers are sometimes seen on the tree I called the Mammaa Americana, and have been said by some travellers to rasp off the rind of the slender branches by working nimbly round them with the horns, till they cause the juice to flow, which they drink to intoxication, and thus fall senseless from the tree. This, however, has a very fabulous air, nor, although the account has been often repeated, do we find it any where sufficiently well authenticated to depend upon; in short, the structure of the horns would render it impossible. The female is destitute both of the frontal and thoracic horn, and but for her large size would hardly be regarded as her lord's mate. The next species, Megasoma elephas, or ELEPHANT BEETLE, is also a native of South ELEPHANT BEETLE.-(MEGASOMA ELEPRAS.) America (having been brought from Venezuela by Mr. David Dyson), though for a long time it was erroneously supposed to be a native of Africa. Some specimens are at least three inches long. Our figure will show better than any description its form and general appearance. It is covered with a yellowish gray down, which is very short and thickly set: the head is furnished with a long arched horn, which is bifid at the extremity, of a blackish colour, with a large tubercle at the base, directed forwards: the thorax has two small smooth tubercles in the middle, and a strong somewhat oblique horn on each side: the front legs are considerably arched. The next species figured is from the Eastern Islands. It is the Chalcosoma Atlas, or Atlas Beetle. It is of a highly polished metallic surface: ATLAS BEETLE.-(CHALCOSOMA ATLAR.) the horns on the head and thorax vary very much in the different specimens ; but our figure is taken from a specimen in which these prominences are well developed. It seems to be far from uncommon in the Philippine Islands. There are fine specimens of it and many other species of Dynastida in the collection of the British Museum. We may here say that the females of the Dynastida are devoid of spines or projections on the head and thorax, just like our British Onthophagi, and that, like them, the males have the head more or less armed, according to the quality and quantity of the food they have taken in the larva state. This observation, as far as regards European Lamellicorn beetles, is made by M. Mulsant of Lyons, in his excellent and extensive work on the Coleoptera of France. DYTISCUS: DYTISCIDE. A genus and family of insects belonging to the aquatic carnivora; which during their larva and perfect states live in water, but quit that element to undergo their metamorphoses, and to pass the time of their pupa condition. The Dytiscus marginalis (one of the largest European species) is common in stagnant waters; it is an inch or rather more in length, and is of a dark olive colour, with the thorax and wing-sheaths bordered with yellow. The larva of this insect in shape much more resembles the shrimp tribe than that of its parent. It measures, when full grown, about two inches and a half in length, and is of a pale yellowish-brown colour, with a high degree of transparency: the head is very large, rather flat, and is furnished with a pair of very strong curved forceps, with which it attacks its prey: its legs are slender, and its abdomen is very considerably lengthened, and ciliated on each side the tail, which terminates in a divided fin or process. The larva is very bold and voracious, committing great ravages not only among water insects, but even among small fishes, and is therefore considered one of the most mischievous animals that can infest a fish-pond. When fullgrown, the larva betakes itself to the adJoining banks, where it changes into a chrysalis of a whitish colour. There are numerous species of this genus, but none so large or destructive as the one here described: some of them are, by comparison, extremely minute. white beneath; but in winter the hair grows long, thick, and hoary. This species, which the Chinese call Whang Yang, or Yellow Goat, is extremely swift and active, but naturally shy and timid. During the winter season they herd in great numbers, but separate again on the approach of spring. The Tartars hunt them with the utmost cagerness, and esteem their flesh very delicious food: the horns form a considerable article of commerce, and are in great request among the Chinese: the female has no horns. Specimens of this Antelope are in the British Museum collection. It has never, however, been brought alive to this country. EAGLE. (Aquila.) Pre-eminent for courage, strength, and boldness among predaceous birds, is the daring and majestic Eagle. This time-honoured monarch of the feathered tribes, which in the mythology of Greece and Rome was deemed worthy to rank as the chosen associate of Jupiter, was ever regarded as an emblem of dignity and might, and still has the reputation of being equally magnanimous, fierce, and voracious. What the Lion is among quadrupeds, that the Eagle is presumed to be among birds; one who disdains all petty plunder, and pursues only such prey as would seem to be worthy of conquest. This laudatory character of the king of birds, however, though true in the main, and generally acquicsced in, is, it must be confessed, more poetically descriptive than logically accurate; but while, in our zoological character, we are bound to make this admission, far be it from us to disparage the "bird of Jove," or to pluck a single plume from his upsoaring wing. Eagles are distinguished by the feathering of the tarsi down to the very base of the claws; and the males are smaller than As an illustration of this family, we have the females; their plumage varying configured (after Sturm) the Hydaticus inter-siderably, according to age and other cirruptus, belonging to a genus of Dytiscidae, of which some species are found in this country. Dr. Schaum has given in the Zoologist" a revision of all the British species of this family. In the work of Dr. Aubé of Paris, descriptions of the numerous species and genera of Water Beetles will be found, while in the pages of the "List of Hydrocanthari in the British Museum Collection" will be seen how very extensive and how universally distributed is the family of Water Beetles. DZERON, or CHINESE ANTELOPE. (Antilope gutturosa.) This species of Antelope inhabits China, Thibet, and Tartary, chiefly frequenting the dry and rocky plains, and feeding on the scanty herbage which those barren localities supply. The length of this animal is about four feet and a half: the horns, nine inches long, of an opaque yellow colour, and having a backward direction, are annulated nearly to the tips, and diverge considerably upwards, though the points bend towards each other. The head is rather clumsy; the nose obtuse; the ears small and pointed; and on the middle of the neck grows a large protuberance, occasioned by the peculiar structure of the windpipe. It is of a tawny hue on the upper parts, and cumstances. Of all the feathered tribe the Eagle soars the highest; and of all others also it has the strongest and most piercing sight. Though extremely powerful when on the wing, the joints of its legs being rather stiff, it finds some difficulty in rising again after a descent; yet, if not instantly pursued, it will easily carry off a goose or other bird equally large. The Eagle does not rise in the air so much for the purpose of pursuing its prey on the wing, as that it may be enabled to take an extensive survey of the country beneath; for its food does not consist so much of birds that pass most of their time in flight, as of those that live on or near the ground, and of such mammalia as it can vanquish. Buffon remarks, when speaking of the noble nature of this powerful bird, that the Eagle despises small animals, and disregards their insults; that he seldom devours the whole of his prey, but, like the lion, leaves the fragments to other animals; and, except when famishing with hunger, he disdains to feed on carrion. The astonishingly acute sight of the Eagle enables him to discern his prey at an immense distance; and, having perceived it, he darts down upon it with a swoop which there is no resisting, It is well understood that the Eagle is able to look stedfastly on the sun, and to sustain his most dazzling rays: which alone must give him a decided superiority over every other denizen of the air: this is accounted for by his being furnished with double eyelids, one of which may be shut while the other is open, so that the glaring light of any dazzling object may be rendered more easily supportable. The nest is composed of sticks, twigs, rushes, heath, &c., and is generally placed upon the jutting ledge of some inaccessible precipice; or in forests, near some lofty tree. The largest species of Eagles seldom lay more than two eggs, and the smallest never more than three. The IMPERIAL EAGLE. (Aquila imperialis.) This is the largest species of Eagle known, measuring three feet and a half from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail; and to it may be referred all the accounts of the ancients respecting the strength, courage, and magnanimity of these birds. Its colour above is rufous gray, barred with black, the black prevailing most on the wings: the head is strongly crested with long gray feathers, the two middle ones being five inches long the tail is gray, barred and spotted with black, and tipped with rufous: the under parts of the bird are pale cinereous, very soft and downy; the beak and cere black; the feet and legs yellow. It is a native of South America, inhabiting the deep recesses of the forest; and has the reputation of being extremely bold and ferocious. The GOLDEN EAGLE. (Aquila chrysieta.) This bird is the largest and noblest of the European Eagles; its length being three feet three inches, the extent of its wings seven feet six inches, and its weight from twelve to sixteen pounds. The bill is of a deep lead colour, with a yellow cere; eyes large, deep sunk, and covered by a projecting brow; the irides golden hazel-colour, bright and lustrous. The general colour of the plumage is deep brown, mixed with tawny on the head and neck, and the feathers on the back being finely shaded with a darker hue. The wings, when closed, reach to the end of the tail; the quill-feathers are chocolate-coloured, with white shafts; and the tail brown, the base being generally marked with irregular ash-coloured bars or blotches: the legs are yellow, short, and very strong, being three inches in circumference, and feathered to the very feet, which are covered with large scales, and armed with most formidable claws. It occurs in various mountainous parts of Europe and Asia, and also, though more rarely, in America: in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, it has also occasionally been found. The cyrie or nest of the Golden Eagle is extremely large and strong, being composed of twigs and branches, interlaced and covered by layers of rushes, heath, &c., and built on the summits of rocks or lofty cliffs. The female lays two or, at most, three eggs, one of which is said to be generally unprolific. The longevity of this species is said to be great indeed, instances being quoted of its having survived more than a century. The RING-TAILED EAGLE (the Falco fulvus of Buffon), though described as a separate species by him, is no other than the young bird of one and two years of the preceding. Its colour is a deep brown, the base of the tail being distinguished by a white ring; the bill is of a dark horn-colour, the upper mandible, which is arched, hanging over the lower one about an inch, and having an angle or tooth on each side; and the feet are feathered to the toes. The breast is marked with white triangular spots in the middle of each feather: between the bill and the eyes there are spaces of bare skin of a dirty hue, thinly set with small black hairs: and the wings when closed, is white, except the tips tail, which is of an equal length with the of the feathers, which are black, or dark brown; and the coverts under the tail are a reddish brown or bay. The toes are very thick and strong, and covered with yellowish scales; and the talons, which are black and lar figures, and terminate in very sharp very powerful, bend almost into semicircupoints. aborigines of America, as it is by almost "It is held," says Dr. Richardson, "by the every other people, to be an emblem of might glories in his Eagle plume as the most and courage, and the young Indian warrior honourable ornament with which he can adorn himself. Its feathers are attached to the calumets, or smoking pipes, used by the Indians in the celebration of their solemn festivals, which has obtained for it the name of the Calumet Eagle. Indeed, so highly are these ornaments prized, that a warrior will often exchange a valuable horse for the tail feathers of a single eagle." He further observes that the mature British Golden Eagle has a darkish brown tail and wings, blackish-brown back, clouded with brownish-black, and a paler and brighter-brown head. The identity of the Ring-tails with the Golden Eagles may now be considered unquestionable, the observations of so many late ornithologists concurring to establish the fact. And though Dr. Richardson says that the Golden Eagle is seldom seen farther to the eastward than the Rocky Mountains, M. Audubon asserts that he has seen it on the coast of Labrador, and various other parts of the United States. It inhabits Russia, Iceland, and Germany, and is said to occur in Northern Africa and Asia Minor. It is also frequently met with in Scotland, and its northern and western islands; in Ireland also, though much less often; and occasionally even in the western counties of England. The ROYAL EAGLE (Aquila regalis) is a bird of great beauty, having an elegantly varied plumage and commanding attitudes; in fact, the account given of it by M. Sonnini, in his edition of Buffon's Natural History, would lead to the belief that it is much larger and more ferocious than any one of which we have a knowledge. His description of it is to this effect:-The head is large, and furnished with a crest in form of a casque: the bill long; the eyes bright and piercing; the claws black, crooked, and of the length of the middle finger: the back, the northern: the two birds being, in fact, wings, and tail are brown, spotted with beautiful analogues of each other in their black, and variegated with whitish or yellow-respective habitats, and doubtless performing ish streaks; the belly white, the feathers similar offices in the great scheme of creabeing very soft, and equal in elegance to tion." In courage, power, rapacity, and those of an egret. It flies with majestic size, they are also very similar; but the rapidity, and such is the expanse of its wings, lengthened and wedge-shaped form of its that it sometimes strikes and kills its prey tail gives to the Australian bird a far more with them before it touches it with its claws. pleasing and elegant contour. One, but by Its strength is such as to enable it to tear no means the largest, of those which were in pieces in an instant the largest sheep; killed by Mr. Gould, weighed nine pounds, and it pursues, almost indiscriminately, wild and measured six feet eight inches from tip animals; but its principal food consists of a to tip of the opposite pinions. The Wedgeparticular kind of monkeys, called Guaribas, tailed Eagle frequents the interior portions which it instantly kills, and devours with of the country rather than the neighbour. extraordinary voracity. Its general residence hood of the sca; preying indiscriminately is on lofty mountains, and it builds its nest on all the smaller species of Kangaroo which on the highest trees, employing for their tenant the hills and plains; and whose reconstruction the bones of the animals it has treats, from the wonderful acuteness of its slaughtered, and some dry branches of trees, vision, it descries while soaring and performwhich it binds together with the ends of ing its graceful evolutions in the air. The climbers. It is said to lay two or three eggs, enterprising ornithologist, from whose which are white, spotted with reddish-brown. splendid work we have derived the foreIt is chiefly found about the borders of the going information, goes on to say, that "its river Amazon. Many virtues are attributed tremendous stoop and powerful grasp carry to its burnt feathers. Such is the account, inevitable destruction to its victim, be it with some slight abridgment, of the de- ever so large and formidable. The breeders scription given by Sonnini, and copied by of sheep find in this bird an enemy which Shaw; the whole resting on the authority commits extensive ravages among their of Don Laurent Alvarez Roxo de Postflitz, lambs, and consequently in its turn it is a Portuguese ecclesiastic at Brazil. persecuted unrelentingly by the shepherds fice in their power to effect its extirpation, of the stock-owners, who employ every artiand in Van Diemen's Land considerable rewards are offered for the accomplishment of the same end." He adds, that "the tracts impenetrable forests will, however, for a of untrodden ground and the vastness of the long series of years to come, afford it an asylum, secure from the inroads of the destroying hand of man: still, with every one waging war upon it, its numbers must necessarily be considerably diminished." In the adult bird, the head, throat, and all the upper and under surface of the plumage is blackish brown, stained on the edges and extremities of many of the wing and tail feathers with pale brown; back and sides of the neck rusty-red; irides hazel; cere and space round the eye yellowish white; bill yellowish horn colour, the tip black; feet light yellow. The colour of the young birds is altogether lighter, and the tail is indistinctly barred near the extremity. The nests are of a very large size, built of sticks and boughs, nearly flat, and, placed on trees which from their vast height, are all but inaccessible to man. It appears that although the Wedge-tailed Eagles mostly feed on living prey, they do not scruple to feast on the carcase of a dead bullock when they find one, or refuse to devour carrion, though it may be almost in a state of putridity. WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE. (Aquila fucosa.) This noble bird is the species of Eagle common to Australia, "being of course,' as Mr. Gould observes, "more plentiful in such districts as are suited to its habits, and where the character of the country is congenial to the animals upon which it subsists." He further says, that although he has not yet seen it in any collection, either from the WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE.—(AQUILA FUCOSA.) northern portion of Australia or any other country, in all probability it will hereafter be found to extend its range as far towards the tropics in the southern hemisphere as the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysalta) does in We lately saw three specimens of this very fierce Eagle in the Gardens of the Zoological Society. Their piercing eyes and enormous beaks clearly indicated their "will and power," while their restlessness was a convincing proof that they could ill brook captivity. VULTURINE EAGLE. (Aquila vulturina.) The general colour of this species, which in T CROWNED EAGLE. (Aquila coronata.) This species is about one-third less than the generality of Eagles, but of proportionate boldness and strength. It is a native of Africa, and is said to be principally seen in Guinea. The circles round the eyes are of a deep orange colour; the fore part of the head, the space round the eyes, and the throat, are covered with white feathers, with small black spots: the hinder part of the head and neck, the back and wings, are of a dark brown, the outer edges of the feathers being lighter: the ridge in the upper part, and the tips of some of the lesser covertfeathers of the wings, are white: the tail is brown, barred across with black, and on its under side appears of a dark and light ashcolour: the breast is of reddish-brown, with large transverse black spots on the sides: the thighs and legs, down to the feet, are covered with white feathers, beautifully marked with round black spots. The feet and claws are very strong; the former co vered with scales of a bright orange colour, and the latter being black. It takes its name from raising the feathers on the hinder part of the head in the form of a crest or crown. very dark; breast irregularly marked with white spots; tail white; legs of a bright yellow, and claws black. It is strong, and very ferocious. It usually lays two or three eggs, building its nest upon lofty trees. The WHITE-HEADED SEA EAGLE. (Halictus leucocephalus.) This distinguished bird is about the size of the Golden Eagle, to which it bears a considerable resemblance; it is, however, of a lighter colour, and the legs are only feathered a little way below the knees. The bill is large, much hooked, and bluish. A row of strong bristly feathers hangs down from under its lower mandible, whence it has sometimes been termed the Bearded AMERICAN, OR WHITE HEADEL SEA EAGIE (HALIARIUS LEUCOCEPHALUP.) Eagle. It preys chiefly on fish, which it seizes by darting down upon them while swimming near the surface: it also occasionally preys on birds and other animals. The American variety is superior in size to the European; frequenting the neighbourhood of the sea, and the shores and cliffs of lakes and large rivers, which localities he prefers, from his great partiality for fish. Wilson, the American ornithologist, thus picturesquely describes this powerful bird :Elevated upon a high, dead limb of some The SUPERB EAGLE (Falco superbus) inhabits the vast forests of Guiana, and is distinguished by a kind of pendent naked craw, like some of the vultures. From the tip of the bill to that of the tail is about twenty-gigantic tree, that commands a wide view of five inches: the upper part of the head and the crest are brown: the back and wings brown, with a few transverse tawny bars: and the tail is alternately barred with black and pale brown: the sides of the neck are tawny; the throat and breast white; the abdomen white, with transverse black stripes, interrupted by the white ground-colour: the feathers of the thighs and legs are white, striped with black. The CHEELA EAGLE. (Falco Chcela.) This species is a native of India, where it is called Chcela. It is of a stout make, two feet long, and of a deep brown colour; but on each side of the head there is a mixture of white the wing-coverts and thighs are marked with small white spots, and the tail is crossed in the middle by a white band: the bill is blue at the base, and black at the tip. The WHITE-TAILED EAGLE. (Haliatus albicilla.) This bird inhabits all the northern parts of Europe, and is found in Scotland and other parts of Great Britain. The beak, cere, and eyes are of a pale yellow; the sides of the head and neck a pale ash, mixed with reddish-brown: general colour of the plumage brown, darkest on the upper part of the head, neck, and back: quili feathers the neighbouring shore and ocean, he seems calmly to contemplate the motions of the various feathered tribes that pursue their busy avocations below-the snow-white gulls slowly winnowing the air; the busy tringaæ, coursing along the sands; trains of ducks, streaming over the surface; silent and watchful cranes, intent and wading; clamorous crows, and all the winged multitudes that subsist by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. High over all these hovers one, whose action instantly arrests all the fish-hawk, settling over some devoted victim Eagle's attention. He knows him to be the balancing himself with half-opened wings on of the deep. His eye kindles at the sight, and, the branch, he watches the result. Down, rapid as an arrow from heaven, descends the distant object of his attention, the roar of its wings reaching the ear as it disappears in the deep, making the surges foam around. At this moment the eager looks of the Eagle are all ardour, and, levelling his neck for flight, he sees the fish-hawk once more emerging, struggling with his prey, and mounting in the air with screams of exultation. These are a signal for our hero, who, launching into the air, instantly gives chase; soon gains on the fish-hawk; each exerts his utmost to |