See Enzyk. A new species of this insect was discovered in the South Sea by Le Martiniere, naturalist in Perouse's voyage of discovery. He found it it buried about half an inch in a shark's liver, but could not conceive how it had got thither. It was something more than an inch long, of a whitish colour, and composed of several rings similar to those of the tenia. The superior part of its head was furnished with four small ciliated mamillae, by which it took its food; under each mamilla on both sides was a small oblong pouch, in the form of a cup; and, in the form of its instrumenta cicatricia, it very nearly resembles the animal which has been supposed to be the cause of measles in swine. Both these species are referable to the genus hirundo, the characters of which, as given by Linnæus, stand (says Martiniere) in need of reformation.

Hirundo Esculentata (see Hirundo, Encycl. n° 3.), is thus described in the Transactions of the Batavian Society in the Island of Java, vol. iii.; and the description confirms the sagacious conjecture of Mr Latham respecting the size of the bird, which the reader will find in our article referred to.

"The hirundo esculentata is of a blackish grey colour, inclining a little to green; but on the back to the tail, as well as on the belly, this blackish colour gradually changes into a mouse colour. The whole length of the bird from the bill to the tail is about four inches and a half, and its height from the bill to the extremity of the middle toe three inches and a quarter. The distance from the tip of the one wing to that of the other, when extended, is ten inches and a quarter. The largest feathers of the wings are about four inches in length. The head is flat; but, on account of the thickness of the feathers, appears round, and to be of a large size in proportion to the rest of the body. The bill is broad, and ends in a sharp extremity, bent downwards in the form of an awl. The width of it is increased by a naked piece of skin somewhat like parchment, which, when the bill is shut, lies folded together; but which, when the bill opens, is considerably extended, and enables the bird to catch with greater ease, while on wing, the insects that serve it for food. The eyes are black, and of a considerable size. The tongue, which is not forked, is shaped like an arrow. The ears are flat, round, naked spots, with small oblong openings, and are entirely concealed under the feathers of the head. The neck is very short, as well as the legs and the bones of the wings. The thighs are wholly covered with feathers; and the very tender lower parts of the legs, and the feet themselves, are covered with a skin like black parchment. Each foot has four toes, three of which are before and one turned backwards. They are all detached from each other to the roots; and the middle one, together with the claw, is fully as long as the lower part of the leg. Each toe is furnished with a black, sharp, crooked claw of a considerable length, by which the animal can with great facility attach itself to crags and rocks. The tail is fully as long as the body together with the neck and the head. When expanded it has the form of a wedge, and consists of ten large feathers. The four first on each side are long; and, when the tail is closed, extend almost an inch beyond the rest. The other feathers decrease towards the middle of the tail, and are equal to about the length of the body."

There is a variety of this species of hirundo, with a speckled breast, and white spots on the tail feathers; and this, though less numerous than the other, and indeed not found at all in Java, appears to have been the Hispaniola only hirundo esculentata known to Linnæus. For an account of the eatable shells of these birds, and the manner of collecting them, see Cap and Button in this Supplement.