sary, fully resolved to defend his life as well as he could to the utmost. My friend did not take upon him to determine whether this position and manner of his intimidated the lion or not; it had, however, such an effect upon the creature, that it likewise made a stand, and, what was still more singular, laid itself down at the distance of a few paces from the heap of stones, seemingly quite unconcerned. The sportsman in the mean while did not dare to stir a step from the spot; besides, in his flight, he had the misfortune to lose his powder-horn. At length, after waiting a good half hour, the lion rose up, and at first went very slowly, and step by step, as if he had a mind to steal off, but as soon as it got to a greater distance it began to bound away at a great rate.'

An elderly Hottentot,' says the same writer, in the service of a Christian, near the upper part of Sunday River, on the Cambdebo side, perceived a lion following him at a great distance for two hours together. Thence he naturally concluded, that the lion only waited for the approach of darkness in order to make him his prey, and in the mean time could not expect any other than to serve for this fierce animal's supper, inasmuch as he had no other weapon of defence than a stick, and knew that he could not get home before it was dark. But as he was well acquainted with the nature of the lion, and the manner of its seizing upon its prey, and at the same time had leisure between whiles to ruminate on the ways and means in which it was most likely that his existence would be put an end to, he at length hit upon a method of saving his life. For this purpose, instead of making the best of his way home, he looked out for a kilpkrans (so they generally call a rocky place, level and plain at the top, and having a perpendicular precipice on one side of it), and sitting down on the edge of one of these precipices, he found, to his great joy, that the lion likewise made a halt, and kept the same distance as before. As soon as it grew dark, the Hottentot, sliding a little forwards, let himself down below the upper edge of the precipice upon some projecting part or cleft of the rock, where he could just keep himself from falling. But, in order to cheat the lion still more, he set his hat and cloak on the stick, making with it, at the same time, a gentle motion, just over his head, and a little way from the edge of the mountain. This crafty expedient had the desired success. He did not stay long in this situation before the lion came creeping softly towards him like a cat, and, mistaking the skin cloak for the Hottentot himself, took his leap with such exactness and precision, as to fall headlong down the precipice directly close to the snare which had been set up for him.'

The strength of the lion is very great. We are informed by Dr. Sparrman, that this animal was once seen at the Cape to take a heifer in his mouth, and though the legs of the latter dragged on the ground, yet seemed to carry her off with the same ease as a cat does a rat. It likewise leaped over a broad dike with her without the least difficulty. A buffalo perhaps would be too cumbersome for this beast of prey, not

withstanding his strength, to seize and carry off with him in this manner. Two yeomen, upon whose veracity I can place some confidence, gave me the following account. Being a hunting near Boshies-man River with several Hottentots, they perceived a lion dragging a buffalo from the plain to a neighbouring woody hill. They, however, soon forced it to quit its prey, in order to make a prize of it themselves; and found that this wild beast had had the sagacity to take out the buffalo's large and unwieldly entrails, to be able the easier to make off with the fleshy and more eatable part of the carcase. The lion's strength, however, is said not to be sufficient alone to get the better of so large and strong an animal as the buffalo; but, to make it his prey, this fierce creature is obliged to have recourse both to agility and stratagem; insomuch that, stealing on the buffalo, it fastens with both its paws upon the nostrils and mouth of the beast, and keeps squeezing them close together, till at length the creature is strangled, wearied out, and dies. Buffaloes which had escaped from the clutches of lions, bore the marks of the claws of these animals about their mouths and noses. The lion itself, however, risked its life in such attempts, especially if any other buffalo were at hand to rescue that which was attacked. A traveller once had an opportunity of seeing a female buffalo with her calf, defended by a river at her back, keep for a long time at bay five lions, which had partly surrounded her, but did not dare to attack her. I have been informed, from very good authority, that on a plain to the east of Kromme River, a lion had been gored and trampled to death by a herd of cattle, having, urged probably by hunger, ventured to attack them in broad day light.' This the reader will, perhaps, not so much wonder at, when he is informed, that in the day time, and upon an open plain, twelve or sixteen dogs will easily get the better of a large lion. Some other important particulars, such as the hunting, &c., of the lion, together with some account of the late combats of the lions and bull dogs, we shall give under the English name of this animal. See LION.

F. leopardus, the leopard, differs from the panther and the ounce, in the beauty of his color, which is a lively yellow, with smaller spots than those of the two latter, and disposed in groups. He is larger than the ounce, and less than the panther, being about four feet long, and the tail from two to two feet and a half. He inhabits Senegal and Guinea, and, when beasts of chase fail, descends from the internal parts of Africa among the numerous herds that cover the rich meadows of the lower Guinea. It tears its prey to pieces with both claws and teeth; but is always thin, though perpetually devouring. The panther is its enemy, and destroys numbers of them. The negresses make collars of their teeth, and attribute to them certain virtues. The negroes take these animals in pit-falls, covered at the top with slight hurdles, on which is placed some flesh as a bait. They make a banquet of their flesh, which is said to be as white as veal, and very well tasted. Leopards' skins are often brought to Europe, and

reckoned very valuable. In Asia these animals are found on the mountains of Caucasus, from Persia to India; and also in China, where they are called Poupi. By the Bukharian traders, who often bring their skins to Russia, they are styled Bars. The leopard inhabits also Arabia, where it is called Nemr. Mr. Forskal says, that in that country, as well as in Egypt, it will do no harm to man unless provoked; but will enter houses by night and destroy the cats.

F. lynx Canadensis, the Canadian lynx, has pale yellow eyes, and erect ears tufted with long black hair. The body is covered with soft and long fur, cinereous tinged with tawny, or gray mixed with white, and marked with black or dusky spots more or less visible in different subjects, dependent on the age or season in which the animal is killed; the legs are strong and thick; the claws large. It is about three times the size of a cat; though only about a foot high, and the tail is four inches long, tipt with black. This species inhabits the vast forest of North America. It is called in Canada le chat cervier, or le loup cervier, on account of its being so destructive to deer: which it drops on from the trees, like the puma, and, fixing on the jugular vein, never quits its hold till the exhausted animal falls through loss of blood. The English call it a wild cat. It is very destructive to the young pigs, poultry, and all kinds of game. The skins are in high esteem for the softness and warmness of the fur; and great numbers are annually imported into Europe.

F. caracal, the siyah-ghush, or Persian lynx, has a lengthened face and small head; very long slender ears, terminated with a long tuft of black hairs; eyes small: the upper part of the body is of a very pale reddish brown; and the belly and breast are whitish: the limbs are strong and pretty long; and the tail is about half the length of the body. These animals inhabit Arabia, Persia, India, and Barbary; where they are often brought up tame, and used in the chase of smaller quadrupeds, and the larger sort of birds, such as cranes, pelicans, peacocks, &c., which they surprise with great address. When they seize their prey, they hold it fast with their mouth, and lie for a time motionless on it. They are fierce when provoked; Dr. Charleton says, he saw one fall on a hound, which it killed and tore to pieces in a moment, notwithstanding the dog defended itself to the utmost.-The Arabian writers call it anak el ard; and say, that it hunts like the panther, jumps up at cranes as they fly, and covers its steps when hunting.

F. lynx chaus, the Caspian lynx, has a round head, a little more oblong than that of the common cat; shining restless eyes, with a most brilliant golden pupil; ears erect, oval, and lined with white hairs; their outside reddish, their summits tufted with black. The hairs are coarser than those of the cat or common lynx, but less so than those of the wolf. They are shortest on the head, but on the top of the back above two inches long. The color of the head and body is a yellowish-brown; the breast and belly of a bright brown, nearly orange. The tail reaches only to the flexure of the leg; is thick and cylindric; of the same color with the back, tipped

with black, and thrice obscurely annulated with black near the end. In general appearance it has the form of the domestic cat. Its length is two feet and a half from the nose to the base of the tail its tail little more than eleven inches: its height before is nineteen inches; behind twenty. It is sometimes found larger, there being instances of its reaching the length of three feet from the nose to the tail. This animal inhabits the reeds and woods in the marshy parts that border on the western sides of the Caspian Sea, particularly about the castle of Kislar on the river Terek, and in the Persian provinces of Ghisan and Masenderan, and frequent about the mouth of the Kur, the ancient Cyrus.-In manners, voice, and food, it agrees with the wild cat. It conceals itself in the day, and wanders over the flooded tracts in search of prey; feeding on rats, mice, and birds, but seldom climbing trees. It is excessively fierce, and never frequents the haunts of mankind. It is so impatient of captivity, that one which was taken in a trap, and had a leg broken, refused for many days the food placed by it; but in its fury devoured the fractured limb, with pieces of the stake it was fastened to, and broke all its teeth in the phrensy of its rage.

F. lynx vulgaris, the common lynx, is about two feet and a half long and fifteen inches high. He has a great resemblance to the common cat; but his ears are longer and tufted, and his tail is much shorter: his head and body are of a grayish color tinged with red; his hair is streaked with yellow, white, and black colors. The lynx inhabits the vast forests of the north of Europe, Asia, America, and Japan. His eyes are brilliant, his aspect is soft, and his air is gay and sprightly. Like the cat, he covers his urine with earth; he howls something like the wolf, and is heard at a considerable distance; he does not run like the dog or wolf, but walks and leaps like a cat; he pursues his prey even to the tops of trees; neither wild cats nor squirrels can escape him; he lies in wait for stags, goats, hares, weasels, birds, &c., and darts suddenly upon them; he seizes them by the throat and sucks their blood; then opens the head and eats the brain; after this, he frequently leaves them and goes in search of fresh prey. The color of his skin changes according to the season or the climate; the winter furs are more beautiful than those of summer. These furs are valuable for their softness and warmth: numbers are annually imported from North America, and the north of Europe and Asia; the farther north and east they are taken, the whiter they are, and the more distinct the spots. Of these the most elegant kind is called irbys, whose skin sells on the spot for £1. sterling. The ancients, particularly Pliny, (viii. 8.) celebrated the great quickness of the lynx's sight; and feigned that its urine was converted into a precious stone.

F. onca, the American tiger, the jaguar of Buffon, is of a bright tawny color; the top of the back marked with long stripes of black; the sides with rows of eyes like annular spots, open in the middle, which is of the ground color of the hair: the thighs and legs are marked with full spots of black, the breast and belly whitish: the tail

is half the length of the body. This species, which grows to the size of a wolf, and even larger, inhabits the hottest parts of South America, from the isthmus of Darien to Buenos Ayres. It is fierce, and destructive to man and beast. Like the tiger, it plunges its head into the body of its prey, and sucks out the blood before it devours it. It makes a great noise in the night, like the howling of a hungry dog; and is very cowardly. It is easily put to flight, either by the shepherds' dogs, or by a lighted torch, being very fearful of fire. It lies in ambush near the sides of rivers.

F. pardalis, the Mexican panther, or ocelot of Buffon, has its head, back, upper part of the rump, and tail, of a bright tawny; a black stripe extending along the top of the back, from head to tail; and, from the nostrils to the corners of the eyes, there also runs a stripe of black: the sides are whitish, marked lengthways with long stripes of black, hollow and tawny in the middle, in which are sprinkled some small black spots; the legs are whitish, varied with small black spots; and the tail is also varied with small spots near its base, and larger near the end, which is black. It is above four times the size of a large cat, and strongly made. It inhabits Mexico, California, the neighbourhood of Carthagena, and Brasil. It lives in the mountains; and is very voracious, but fearful of mankind; preying on young calves, and different sorts of game. It Jurks amidst the leaves of trees; and sometimes wili extend itself along the boughs as if dead, till the monkeys, tempted by their natural curiosity, approaching to examine it, become its prey.

F. pardus, the panther, is about the size of a large dog, and has a great resemblance to a domestic cat. The tongue is rough, and remarkably red; the teeth are strong and sharp; the skin is exceedingly beautiful, being of a yellow or bright tawny color, variegated with roundish black spots, and the hair is short. Each spot is composed of four or five small spots, with a single spot in the centre. He has a cruel and ferocious aspect; his motions are brisk and lively; his cry resembles the growi of an enraged dog, but is more strong and rough. The panther inhabits Africa, from Barbary to the remotest parts of Guinea. This species is next in size to the tiger; next to it in cruelty, and its general enmity to the animal creation: it is to Africa what the former is to Asia, with this alleviation, that it prefers the flesh of brutes to that of mankind; but, when pressed with hunger, attacks every living creature without distinction. Its manner of taking its prey is the same with that of the tiger, always by surprise, either lurking in thickets or creeping on its belly till it comes within reach; it will also climb up trees in pursuit of monkeys and smaller animals, so that none are secure from its attacks. He is not so perfectly ungovernable as the tiger: but, notwithstanding all attempts to render him obedient and tractable, he may rather be said to be subdued than tamed; for he never entirely loses his natural ferocity. Accordingly, when kept with a view to the hunting of bucks, goats, or other animals, great care is necessary in training him, and still greater in conVOL. IX.

ducting him. When leading out to the field, they put him in a cage and carry him on a cart. When the game is sprung, they open the door of the cage; he instantly springs towards the animal, often seizes hun in a few bounds, throws him to the ground, and strangles him. But if he happens to miss his aim, he becomes mad with rage, and sometimes falls upon his master, who, to prevent such accidents, generally carries along with him pieces of flesh, or perhaps a lamb or a kid, which he throws to him in order to appease his fury. The ancients were well acquainted with these animals. Scaurus exhibited at one time 150 panthers; Pompey the Great 410; Augustus, 420. Probably they thinned the coasts of Mauritania of these animals, but they still swarm in the southern parts of Guinea. Oppian describes two species of panthers, a large and a small one; the first of which has a shorter tail than the smaller, and may possibly be this kind. An animal of this species is found in Bukharia, called there Babr; it is seven feet long, very destructive to horses, and even camels; the skin is fine, and valued in Russia at £1 sterling. In China there is a most remarkable kind, called there louchu, whose skins sell at £6 sterling a-piece. These skins equal those of the old continent in beauty and size. Though Buffon denies the panther to be an inhabitant of America, yet Pennant is of opinion that the same, or a variety at least, inhabits that country.

F. serval, the serval, has the upper part of the body of a dusky color, interspersed with round black spots; the belly and the orbits of the eyes are white. This animal, which is very fierce and untameable, inhabits the woods in the mountainous parts of India and Thibet; where it lives in trees and breeds in them. It scarcely ever descends on the ground; but leaps with great agility from tree to tree. It is called by the natives of Malabar the maraputé, by the Portuguese the serval.

F. tigrina, the margay of Buffon, is about the size of a common cat. The upper part of the head, the neck, back, sides, shoulders, and thighs, are of a bright tawny color; the face is striped downwards with black: the shoulders and body are marked with stripes and oblong large black spots: the legs with small spots: the thighs are whitish spotted with black: the tail is very long, marked with black, tawny and gray. It inhabits South America, where it lives on the feathered game and on poultry. It is untameable. It makes a noise like the common cat, lives much in trees; it is very active and goes by bounds or leaps. It brings forth in all sea sons of the year, in hollow trees, and has two a a time.

F. tigris, the tiger, according to some author is larger, and according to others somewhat less, than the lion. M. de la Landemagon assures us, that he has seen a tiger in the East Indies fifteen feet long, including undoubtedly the length of the tail, which, supposing it to be four feet, makes the body of the tiger abou eleven feet in length. The skeleton preserved in the ci-devant royal cabinet at Paris, indicate that the animal was about seven feet long from the point of the muzzle to the origin of the tail;

K

but then it must be considered, that he was caught young, and lived all his days in confine.. ment. The head of the tiger is large and roundish; and the ears are short, and at a great distance from each other. The form of the body has a great resemblance to that of the panther. The skin is of a darkish yellow color striped with long black streaks; the hair is short, excepting on the sides of the head, where it is about four inches long. The point of the tail is black, and the rest of it is interspersed with black rings. His legs and claws resemble those of the lion, only the legs are much shorter in proportion to the size of the animal. The tiger is more ferocious and savage than the lion. Although gorged with carnage, his thirst for blood is not appeased; he seizes and tears in pieces a new prey with equal fury and rapacity, the very moment after devouring a former one; he lays waste the country he inhabits; he neither dreads the aspect nor the weapons of men; slaughters whole troops of domestic animals; and attacks young elephants, rhinoceroses, &c., and sometimes even braves the lion himself. The tiger seems to have no other instinct, but a constant thirst after blood, a blind fury which knows no bounds or distinction, and which often stimulates him to devour his own young, and to tear the mother in pieces for endeavouring to defend them. He lies in wait on the banks of rivers, &c., where the heat of the climate obliges other animals to repair for drink. Here he seizes his prey, or rather multiplies his massacres; for he no sooner kills one animal, than he flies with equal fury upon the next, plunges his head into their bodies and drinks their blood. However, when he kills a large animal, as a horse or buffalo, he sometimes does not tear out the entrails on the spot, but, to prevent any interruption, drags off the whole carcase to the wood, with incredible swiftness. This is a sufficient specimen of the strength of this rapacious animal. Neither indulgence nor restraint can tame the tiger. He is equally irritated with good as with bad treatment: he tears the hand which nourishes him with equal fury as that which administers blows: he roars and is enraged at the sight of every living creature. There is a sort of cruelty in his devastations, unknown to the hion; as well as a cowardliness in his sudden retreat on any disappointment. 'I was informed,' says Pennant, by very good authority, that, in the beginning of this century, some gentlemen and ladies, being on a party of pleasure, under a shade of trees, on the bank of a river in Bengal, observed a tiger preparing for its fatal spring; one of the ladies, with amazing presence of mind, laid hold of an umbrella, and furled it full in the animal's face, which instantly retired, and gave the company an opportunity of removing from so terrible a neighbour. Another party had not the same good fortune: a tiger darted among them while they were at dinner, seized on one gentlemen, carried him off, and he never was more heard of.' There is in some parts of India a popular notion, that the rhinoceros and the tiger are in friendship, because they are often found near each other. But Mr. l'ennant says, the fact is, that the rhinoceros,

like the hog, loves to wallow n the mire; and, on that account, frequents the banks of rivers; the tiger, to quench his raging thirst, is met with in places contiguous to them. Pliny has been often censured by the moderns, for calling the tiger animal tremendæ velocitatis; they allow it great agility in its bounds, but deny its swiftness in pursuit.

Two travellers of authority, however, both eye-witnesses, confirm what Pliny says: the one indeed only mentions in general its vast fleetness: the other saw a trial between one and a swift horse, whose rider escaped merely by getting amidst a circle of armed men. The chase of this animal was a favorite diversion with the great Cam-hi, the Chinese monarch, in whose company Mr. Bell, and father Gerbillon, saw these proofs of the tiger's speed. The tiger, according to Mr. Pennant, is peculiar to Asia; and is found as far north as China and Chinese Tartary, and about lake Aral and the Altaic mountains. It inhabits Mount Ararat and Hyrcania, famous of old for wild beasts; but the greatest numbers, the largest, and the most cruel, are met with in India and its islands. In Sumatra the natives are so infatuated that they seldom kill them, having a notion that they are animated by the souls of their ancestors. The tiger has always been more rare than the lion; though the female brings forth an equal number of young, viz. four or five at a litter. The female is furious at all times; but, when her young are attempted to be taken from her, her rage is redoubled: she braves every danger: she pursues the ravishers, who are obliged, when hard pressed, to drop one of the young in order to retard her mo on; she stops, takes it up, and carries it into some secret part of the forest; but she instantly returns and pursues the bunters into their villages or boats. The tiger moves the skin of his face, grinds his teeth, and roars, like the lion; but the sound of his voice is different.

F. uncia, the ounce, is less than the panther; the tail is longer; the hair is likewise longer, and of a whitish-gray color, marked with irregular black spots. The ounce is easily tamed; and is employed in hunting in several parts of Asia, where dogs are very scarce. He has not the delicate scent of a dog; does not trace other animals by the smell; neither can he run them down in a fair chase; but lies in wait for their approach, and then darts upon them unawares. He leaps so nimbly, that he easily clears a ditch or a wall several feet high; he often climbs trees, waits till some animal passes, and instantly leaps upon them. This method of catching their prey, is practised by the panther and leopard, as well as by the ounce. The ounce inhabits Barbary, Persia, Hyrcania, and China; from which last place the skins are brought into Russia, and sold for 20s. a-piece. It is an animal of a more gentle and mild nature than most of the preceding. It is like the F. leopardus, used for the chace of antelopes, and even hares; but, instead of being conveyed in a waggon, is carried on the crupper on horseback. It is under as much command as a setting-dog; returns at the least call, and jumps up behind its master. This animal is supposed to be the rapdaris odiyorepa,

FELL, V. a. Sax. Fyllan; Teut. fellen; FELLER, n. s. Goth. fella. To knock down; bring to the ground; down, or along, added seem redundant.

Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

Isa. xiv. 8. Whom so dismayd when that his foe beheld, He cast to suffer him no more respire, gan his sturdy sterne about to weld, And him so strongly stroke, that to the ground him feld Spenser's Faerie Queene.

But

Then would he seem a farmer that would sell

Bargains of woods, which he did lately fell. Hubberd.
Villain, stand, or I'll fell thee down. Shakspeare.
Up and down he traverses his ground;
Now wards a felling blow, now strikes again,

Dan.

The poplars are felled, farewell to the shade, And the whispering sound of the cool colonnade : The winds play no longer and sing in the leaves, Nor Ouse in his bosom their image receives. Cowper. FELL. See FALL.

FELL (Dr. John), a learned English divine, born at Longworth in Berkshire, in 1625, and educated at Christ Church, Oxford, of which his father was dean. In 1648 he was ejected by the parliamentary visitors, being then in orders; and from that time to the Restoration, lived at Oxford a retired and studious life. He was installed canon of Christ Church, in July 1660; and dean in 1661; in which places he did great services to the college, and reformed several abuses. He was consecrated bishop of Oxford in 1675; and had leave to hold his deanery in commendam, that he might continue his services to the college and university. He published several works, and died in 1686.

FELL (John), an English dissenting minister, and controversial writer, born at Cockermouth in Cumberland in 1732. He was bred a taylor, and followed this occupation for some time in London, but soon after, he was enabled by a friend to pursue his studies at an academy, after which he became pastor of a congregation at Beccles, near Yarmouth, whence he removed to Thaxted in Essex, where he also kepta boarding school. After several years residence at Thaxted, he accepted an invitation to be resident tutor in the dissenting academy at Homerton. But he had not been long there, before a misunderstanding took place between him and the managers of that institution, which ended in his dismissal. Some respectable friends then subscribed a yearly stipend of £100, for which he was to deliver a course of lectures on the evidences of Christianity. Four of these were preached by him in 1797, but he died on the 6th of September in that year. The late Dr. H. Hunter completed and published the lectures. Mr. Fell was a man of considerable erudition; he was the author of an answer to Mr. Farmer's Essay on the Demoniacs, and also to that on the Idolatry of Greece and Rome by the same gentleman: this last, which was published in 1785, is an acute and learned treatise. Besides these, he wrote an Essay on the Love of One's Country; Genuine Protestantism; A letter to Mr. Burke on the Penal Laws; An Essay towards an English Grammar, &c.

FELLER (Francis Xavier), known for some time as Flexier de Reval, a name which he assumed on the suppression of the society of Jesuits, to which he oelonged; was a native of Brussels, born in 1735, and enjoyed a reputation for learning. But his principal work, an Historical Dictionary, printed at Liege in eight octavo volumes, has been attacked on the score of piracy by the proprietors of the Nouveau Dictionnaire Historique. His other writings are: