Iceland. They are said to return to the latter place in flocks of about a hundred at a time in the spring, and also to pour in upon that island from the north, in nearly the same manner, on their way southward in the

autumn.

Swan-Goose. (Anas Cygnoides, LINN.; L'Oie de Guinée, Burr.)-This species is more than a yard in length, and is of a size between the swan and the common goose; it is distinguished from others of the goose tribe by its upright and stately deportment, by having a large knob on the root of the upper mandible, and a skin, almost bare of feathers, hanging down like a pouch, or a wattle, under the throat; a white line or fillet is extended from the corners of the mouth over the front of the brow; the base of the bill is orange; irides reddish-brown; a dark-brown or black stripe runs down the hinder part of the neck, from the head to the back; the fore part of the neck, and the breast, are vellowish-brown; the back, and all the upper parts, brownish-grey, edged with a lighter colour; the sides, and the feathers which cover the thighs, are clouded with nearly the same colours as the back, and edged with white; belly white; legs orange.

It is said that these birds originally were

found in Guinea only; the breed has, however, now become pretty common, and they are widely dispersed, in a wild as well as a domesticated state, over various parts of the world, both in warm and in cold climates.

They are found wild about the lake Baikal, in the east of Siberia, and in Kamtschatka; and they are kept tame in most parts of the Russian empire.

These geese, like others of the tame kind, vary much both in colour of the bill, legs, and plumage, as well as in size; but they all retain the knob on the base of the upper mandible, and the pouch or wallet under the gullet.

They are kept by the curious in various parts of England, and are more noisy than the common goose; nothing can stir either in the night or in the day, without their sounding the alarm, by their hoarse cacklings, and loud shrill cries. They breed with the common goose, and their offspring are as prolific as those of any other kind. The female is of a smaller size than the male; the head, neck, and breast are fulvous; paler on the upper part; the back, wings, and tail, dull brown, with pale edges; belly white; in other respects they are like the male, but the knob over the bill is smaller. -Bewick.

SWARD, 8. The skin of bacon; the surface of the ground.

SWARM, 8. A great body or number of bees or other small animals; a multitude, a crowd.

SWART OF SWARTH, a. Black, darkly brown, tawny.

SWEEPNET, S. A net that takes in a great compass.

SWEEPSTAKE, 5. A man that wins all; a prize at a race.

SWIFT, a. Moving far in a short time, quick, fleet, speedy.

SWIFT (Cypselus murarius, TEMMIN CK,) 8. A bird like a swallow.

This species is nearly an ounce in weight: | four toes, all placed forward. In this partilength near eight inches; breadth about cular it deviates from one of the characters eighteen; the bill is black; irides dusky; of the swallow genus. the whole plumage is black, except the chin, which is whitish; the wings are extremely long in proportion, and the legs so short that it rises from the ground with difficulty; the tail is forked; legs and toes black. It has SWIFTNESS, 8. Speed, rapidity, velocity.

In very warm weather these birds soar to a great height, but in cold or moist weather fly low in search of flies and other winged insects, which at that time cannot ascend.-Montagu.

SWIM, v. To float on the water, not to sink; to move progressively in the water by the motion of the limbs; to be conveyed by the stream; to glide along with a smooth or dizzy motion; to be dizzy.

An accidental fall into water may be most legs exactly as in the action of walking up dangerous to those ignorant of the art of stairs, his shoulders will rise above the water, swimming; by observing the directions here so that he may use less exertion with his given, a person may save himself from drown-hands, or apply them to other purposes. ing. If he falls into deep water, he will rise to the surface by floating, and will continue there if he does not elevate his hands, and the keeping them down is essential to his safety. If he moves his hands under the water, in any way he pleases, his head will rise so high as to allow him free liberty to breathe. And if, in addition, he moves his

Swimming of Birds.-The superior velocity with which aquatic birds swim under water has not wholly escaped notice; but it is not entirely produced by the action fof the wings, which are sometimes used as fins to accelerate the motion, but is occasioned by the pressure of the water above. In swimming on the surface a bird has two motions;

one upward, the other forward, at every stroke of the feet; so that when covered with water, that force which was lost by the upward motion is all directed to the progressive, by which it is enabled to pursue its SWINE, s. A hog, a pig, a sow.

prey, or to escape an enemy with incredible speed. The otter and water rat swim much faster under water than they do upon the surface.-Montagu.

SWOOP, v. To fall at once as a hawk upon its prey, to prey upon; to catch up.

SWOOP, 8. Fall of a bird of prey upon his quarry.

SYCAMORE, S. A tree.

SYLVAN, a. Woody, shady.

SYLVIA (LATHAM), 8. Warbler, a genus thus characterised :

toes three before and one behind, the outer toe being joined at its base to the middle one: wings with the first quill very short, sometimes indeed wanting; the second and third nearly of equal length; wing coverts and scapulars short.-Montagu,

Bill slender, rather awl-shaped, and straight; but with the point of the upper mandible slightly bent and notched; lower mandible straight; base more high than broad; nostrils at the sides of the base oval, and partly covered with a membrane; legs having the shank longer than the middle toe; SYMPATHETIC, a. Having mutual sensation, being affected by what happens to the other.

SYMPATHY, 8. Fellow feeling, mutual sensibility, the quality of being affected by the affection of another. Animals which are unable to associate with their own species will sometimes form most strange attachments. I had last year a solitary pigeon, who, being unable to procure a mate, attached itself to an old barn-door fowl, whose side it seldom left at night, roosting by him in the hen-house. The cock seemed sensible of the attachment of the pigeon, and never molested it, or drove it from him. At Alston Hall, in Warwickshire, I remember to have seen a cat and a large fierce blood-hound who were always together, the cat following the dog about the yard, and never seeming tired of his society. They fed together, and slept in the same kennel.

Some animals of the same species form also strong attachments for each other. This was shown in the case of two Hanoverian horses, who had long served together during the

Peninsular war, in the German brigade of
artillery. They had assisted in drawing the
same gun, and had been inseparable compa-
nions in many battles. One of them was at
last killed; and after the engagement the sur-
vivor was picqueted as usual, and his food
brought to him. He refused, however, to
eat, and was constantly turning round his
head to look for his companion, sometimes
neighing, as if to call him. All the care that
was bestowed upon him was of no avail. He
was surrounded by other horses, but he did
not notice them; and he shortly afterwards
died, not having once tasted food from the
time his former associate was killed. A gen-
tleman, who witnessed the circumstance, as-
sured me that nothing could be more affect-
ing than the whole demeanour of this poor
horse.-Jesse.

SYMPTOMATIC, a. Happening concurrently; betokening.
SYRINGE, 8. A pipe through which any liquor is squirted.
SYRINGE, v. To spout by a syringe; to wash with a syringe,

TABBY,

THE TEAL.

ABBY, a. Brinded, brindled; term applied to a cat.

TADPOLE, s. A young shapeless frog or toad, consisting only of a body and a tail.

TAGTAIL, 8. A worm which has the tail of another colour.

TAIL, S. That which terminates the animal behind, the continuation of the vertebræ of the back hanging loose behind; the lower part; the hinder part of anything; to turn tail, to run away.

will weaken the animal too much, and early dis emper may follow; but when the tail alone is cut, no ligature is necessary. When a ligature is used, neither tie it too tight, or suffer it to remain more than twelve hours. On the twisting off either the ears or tail, I will waste no invective; for if the cruelty does not strike the performer, I am sure no assertion of mine, that it is far inferior in every point of view to excision, and has for ever deafened many it has been practised on, will be attended to.-Blaine.

When a dog is cropped, it is usual also to cut off a portion of the tail. Dog fanciers as they are termed, commonly bite it off; but it were to be wished that a larger portion was added to both their knowledge and humanity. The tail does not grow materially after cut. ting, therefore the length may be previously determined on with sufficient accuracy, and cut off with a pair of sharp scissors. If the ears and tail are cut off at the same time, it is prudent to tie a ligature about the tail, to prevent the effusion of blood, as sometimes the bleeding, from both ears and tail together, TALLOW, 8. The grease or fat of an animal, suet. TALON, S. The claw of a bird of prey.

TAME, a. Not wild, domestic; crushed, subdued, depressed, spiritless, unanimated.

TAME, t. To reduce from wildness, to reclaim, to make gentle; to conquer.

TAN, v. To impregnate or imbue with bark; to imbrown by the sun.
TAN, 8. A dark brown colour; the marks of a terrier.
TANSY, 8. A plant.

This plant grows abundantly about the borders of fields; it has a strong bitter taste, and rather a pleasant odour. It may be employed in the form of a decoction as a vehicle for

TAR, 8. Liquid pitch.

Tar Ointment. This is a good remedy for thrushes, and other diseases of the frog. It appears to promote the growth of horn by gently stimulating the secretory vessels of that part.

tonic or stomachic medicines. It has been said to possess an athelmintic quality, but I believe there is no foundation for this opinion. It is used also in fumentations.-White.

be employed.

Tar mixed with oil of turpentine and can. tharides forms a strong blister. Farriers sometimes employ tar as a remedy for cough; but it more frequently aggravates than relieves the complaint.

The rotten parts of the frog having been carefully removed with a knife, and the rest well cleansed, the tar is to be melted and poured into the cleft or cavity; a pledget of tow is then to be laid on the part, and confined by some proper contrivance. In bad cases a small proportion of sulphuric acid should be carefully mixed with the tar; and when a thrush has degenerated into the disease termed canker, a larger proportion of the acid should TARGET, 8. A kind of buckler or shield borne on the left arm. TARPAWLING, S. Hempen cloth smeared with tar.

Tar, when mixed with verdigris, or finely powdered blue, or white vitriol, forms a good liniment or ointment for canker or thrushes. It may be occasionally employed also with alum. Tar is an excellent stopping for flat thin soles, mixed with tallow : in the latter form it makes a good hoof ointment, and when rubbed about the coronet and hoof, is said to render the hoof tough.—White.

TARRIER, 8. A sort of small dog that hunts the fox or otter out of his hole. In this sense it ought to be written and pronounced Terrier, which see.

the divided black and green bar or beauty spot of the wings.

TEAL (Anas Crecca, LINN.; La Petite Sarcelle, BUFF.) 8. A wild fowl. This beautiful little duck seldom exceeds eleven ounces in weight, or measures more, stretched out, than fourteen inches and a half in length, and twenty-three and a half in breadth.

the sides, and olive brown on the ridge; nail black, and the under bill yellow; breast, belly, and vent glossy yellowish white, spotted on the latter parts with brown; the upper plumage is dark brown, each feather bordered with rusty brown, and ǝdged with grey: the wings and legs nearly the same as those of the male.

The tail consists of fourteen feathers, of a hoary hrown colour; with pale edges: the legs and feet are of a dirty lead colour. The feThe bill is a dark lead colour, tipped with male, which is less than the male, is prettily black; irides pale hazel; a glossy bottle green freckled about the head and neck with brown patch, edged on the upper side with pale and white. She has not the green patch bebrown, and beneath with cream coloured bind the eyes, but a brown streak there, which white, covers each eye, and extends to the extends itself to the nape of the neck; the nape of the neck: the rest of the head, and crown of the head is dark brown; the upper the upper part of the neck, are of a deep red-mandible yellow on the edges, olive green on dish chestnut, darkest on the forehead, and freckled on the chin and about the eyes with cream coloured spots; the hinder part of the neck, the shoulders, part of the scapulars, sides under the wings, and lower belly, towards the vent, are elegantly pencilled with black, ash-brown, and white transverse waved lines; the breast, greatly resembling the beautifully spotted appearance of an India shell, is of a pale brown or reddish yellow, and each feather is tipped with a roundish heart-shaped black spot: the belly is a cream coloured white back and rump brown, each feather edged with a pale colour: vent black: the primary quills, lesser and greater coverts, are brown; the last deeply tipped with white, which forms a bar across the wings; the first six of the secondary quills are of a fine velvet black; those next to them, towards the scapulars, are of a most resplendent glossy green, and both are tipped with white, forming

The teal is common in England in the winter months, but it is uncertain whether or not they remain throughout the year to breed, as is the case in France. The female makes a large nest, composed of soft dried grasses, (and it said, the pith of rushes) lined with feathers, cunningly concealed in a hole among the roots of reeds and bulrushes near the edge of the water, and some assert that it rests on the surface of the water, so as to rise and fall with it. The eggs are of the size of those of a pigeon, six or seven in number, and of a dull white colour, marked