The naturalists' miscellany, or, Coloured figures of natural objects; drawn and described immediately from nature

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ΜONOCULUS POLYPHEMUS.

ARACTER GENERIC US. Pedes natatorii. Corpus crusta tectum.

Oculi plerisque approximati, testae innati.

CHARACTER SPECIFICUS, isto. MONOCULUS testa antica convexa lunata, CaUda triquetro- subulata.

MONOCULUS testa convexa sutura lunata: possitica dentata, cauda subulata longistima. Lin . Sets. Nat. P. 1O57.

Clus exot. l. 6. C. Iq. p. 128. Boni. DU. l. 5. C. 31. Monoculum dicitur hoc genus, quod oculi, Ut plurimum, sibi invicem adeo appropinquant, Ut primo intuitu Unicus esse oculus Videantur. Aliquarum tamen specierum oculi, et praesertim ejus de qua jam agitur, sunt alter ab altero valde remoti. Animal quod repraesentat tahula, omnium proculdubio est maximum, quotquot inter insecta numerare hodiernis visum est phy sicis: est enim illi corpus, extra caudam, interdum bipedaleia longitudinem. Linnaeus dicit insectorum omnium

facile

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facile maximum.' Oceanum Indicum incolit, et, ut sertur) bina plerumque simul conspiciuntur, scilicet maset tamina prope natantes. Ρleraeque hujus generis, species parvula sunt insecta in aquis dulcibus viventia,

quorum multa adeo sunt minuta, ut inter animalcula microscopica nUmerentur. Qui intimas et minus cognitas Naturae partes scrutari solent, et innumera animal culorum agmina quibus aquae scatent, attentius examinare, ii sane summa cum voluptate conspiciant necesse est varias hujus generis species, quae sine ope micros Opii vix videndae, characteribus tamen genericis plane demonstrant certissimum esse illis cum ingenti et gigantea specie de qua jam loquimur, cognationis Vinculum. Haec animalcula mensibus aestivis in omnibus sere aquis stagnantibus facillime reperiuntur; e iam etiam nonnulla a scriptoribus microscopicis, Bakero praecipue, non sene eleganter, satis tamen accurate delineantur, et exempla sunt mirae quoad magnitudinem differentiae quam in ejusdem generis animalibus non possumus non

Huic descriptioni Monoculi Polyphemi non abs re

sit addere, quod tunica oculi externa, quae in aliis insectis e convexitatibus innumeris basi hexagona inclusis constat, in hoc, attestante Domino Andre Phil. Trans . r. 72. e corpuscUlis plurimis conicis sit conflata. Possit etiam observari quod oculi multarum parvularum Monoculi specierum, ab oculis aliorum insectoriarii structura et aspectu differunt, et velut e pluribus ocellis seu globulis tunica communi contentis, componi videntUr.

Notandum praeterea est genus Monoculi generi Cancri quod astacos omnes et cancros includit valde esse

assine.

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The name Monoculus was besto*ed on this genus ofinsedis from the circumstance of the eyes heing generalty seated near each other, as, Iapon a Cursory Vie , to appear as is single. In s me species however, as in the present, it happens that they are reatly Very remotefrom each other. Os ali the animais whicli modern naturalists have agreed to distinguisti by the appellationos Insedis, the creature figured on this plate is by farthe largest yet known; specimens being somelimes seen of two stet in tength, exclusive of the tall. Linnaeus il ε

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calis it insectorum omnium lacile maximum.'' It is a native of the Indian ocean, and is sald to be generalty found in patrs, or male and semale sinimming to-gether. Most of the species of Monoculus are smalis res h-water insedis, and sonae of them even belong to the tribe of microscopic animalcules. To those whoare ac customed to penetrate in to the lessi conspicuoui provinces of Nature, and to investigate the legions ofani maled heings With whicli the waters in particular arepeopled, it must afford a pleasing entertainment to Vie severat species of this genus, whicli though scarce perceptibie without the assistance of the microscope, yet with respect to their generic characters, bear the most

striking resemblance to the gigantic species just descri-hed. These minute Monoculi are Very commQn animalcules, and may be found in the Rammer monilis inalmost ali stagnant waters. Some of them a re figured, vhough not Very elegantly, 3 et with sufficient examness, in Baher's works ora the microscope. and maysei Ve as Curio has ex amples of the wondei sui disparily of si Ze whicli somelimes takes place in animais of the sanae

To What has been said os the Monoculus Polyphemus, I smould not omit to ad J, that the eyes in this animal, according to the observations of Mr. Andre, Phil. Trans. vol. 72. consist os a great number of very smali cones, in Whicli res pedi they differ froni those of most other insedis, in Whicli the outward coat of theeye is composed of innumerable sight convexities, eachbo unded by an hexagonal ouiline. It may be properto add, that the eyes of most of the sinalter species of Monoculi

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Monoculi differ in their structure and appearance Domitiose of the generality of insedis, and seem composed os a number of smaller eyes or globular paris United by the fame externat tunic. It may also be observed that the genus Monoculus is very nearly allied to that of Cancer, whicli contains the Crab and Lobster tribe.

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CΠARACTER GENERICUS. Antennae apicem Versus crassiores, saepius clavato capitatae.

A sedentis) eredis sursumque conniventes, volatu diurno. CAARACTER SPECIFICUS. DAPILIO alis caudatis nigris, disco Caeruleo radiante ; posticis subtus ocellis septem. Lin. 58s. Nat. p. 748-Fabr. spe . IV. 2. p. 13. Eq. Achis.

Cisrh. P. t. 23. Cram. pap. 11. t. 121. Insolitae pulchritudinis est Ulysies. Alta sunt nigerrimae et quasi holosericae; area autem seu pars media plaga magna amaenissime caerulea impletur, cum ad pras pertigerit radiata. Exemplo est hoc inseruam papilionum caudatorum, in quibus scilicet alae posticae in processus seu quasi caudas excurrunt. Asiae est incola Ulysses. In quibusdam speciminibus color alarum fuscus est potius quam niger. Superficies inferior nigra est, prope apices rufo tincta; alarumque posticarum

orae serie macularum ocellatarum caeruleO-rusescentium, albo nigroqqe fimbriatarum, decorantUr.