327 



FEU 



five species: (.1). The saccharine fermen- 

 tation, in which starch and gum are 

 changed into sugar; (2.) The vinous fer- 

 mentation, in which sugar is converted 

 into alcohol; (3.) The mucilaginous fer- 

 mentation, in which sugar is converted 

 into slime ; (4.) The acetous fermentation, 

 in which alcohol and other substances 

 are converted into vinegar ; (5). The pu- 

 trid fermentation, or putrefaction, which 

 produces ammonia. 



FER'RET. 1. An African animal of the 

 weasel tribe (see MVSTELA) used to hunt 

 rabbits, rats, &c., as it is slender and can 



enter their holes. 2. In glass makituj, 



the iron used to make the rings at the 

 mouths of bottles. 



FERRI-CAL'CITE, a species of calcareous 

 earth combined with iron (fernim). 



FER'RO-CHY'AZIC ACID, an acid obtained 

 by adding to a solution of ferro-cyanite 

 of baryta just enough of sulphuric acid 

 to precipitate the baryta, and thus named 

 from / and chyazic acid (q. T.). It is 

 of a yellow colour, and is decomposed by 

 a gentle heat or strong light, when hy- 

 drocyanic acid is formed, and a white 

 hydrocyanite of iron is precipitated, 

 which becomes blue by exposure. 



FERRO-CY'ANATE, a salt formed by the 

 union of the ferro-cyanic acid with a 

 base: more correctly, ferro-cyanide. 



FER'RO-CY'ANIC ACID, ) The ferruretted 



FER'RO-PRUS'SIC ACID. } chyazic acid of 

 Mr. Porrett. A lemon-coloured compound 

 of cyanogen, protoxide of iron , and water. 



FERRO-CY'ANIDE, \ A compound of the 



FERRO-CYAN'ODIDK, >protocyanide oj 



FERRO-PRUS'SIATE. ) iron with a cyanide 

 of potassium, sodium, barium, &c. The 

 double cyanide of iron and potassium is 

 the important salt called prussiate of pot- 

 ash, or technically ferrocyanodide of pot- 

 assium. Prussian blue is a ferrocyanodide 

 of iron. 



FER'RT, Ger. and Sax. fahre>^, to pass 

 over. In law, a grant to have a boat to 

 carry men and horses across a river, and 

 to levy a reasonable toll. 



FE'SAPO, an arbitrary name for one of 

 the modes of the fourth figure of syllo- 

 gisms. 



FES'CEXNTNE VERSES (so called, from 

 Fescennia, in Etruria, where they origin- 

 ated), were pieces of poetry recited by 

 the youths at rustic festivals. They con- 

 sisted principally of raillery and playful 

 abuse. 



FESSE. In heraldry, one of the honour- 

 able ordinaries, which occupies the third 

 part of the middle of the field. The term 

 is Lat. fascia, a band. Any charge within 

 the breadth of the fesse is borne en fesse ; 

 Jie centre of the escutcheon is the fesse 

 point ; anything borne in a rank across the 

 middle of the shield is borne t fesse or 

 fitte-ways; a parting across the middle of 



the shield, from side to side, throu^V". the 

 fesse point, is parle /)< /C.M, &c. 



FES'TINO. An arbitrary term in '.os;is f^r 

 a mood of syllogisms in the second figure : 

 the first proposition is a universal nega- 

 tive, the second a particular affirmative, 

 and the third a particular negative. 



FESTO'ON, fr.feston ; a term in architec- 

 ture for an ornament of carved w-.-ti, in 

 the form of a wreath, or garland of flower? 

 or leaves twisted together. 



FESTD'CA, the stalk or shoot of an her- 

 baceous plant ; also the Fescue-grass a, 

 genus of herbaceous and mostly perennial 

 plants. TriandriaDigyma. There are 

 28 species, 15 of which are British. 



FET'ICHISM, 1 The worship of idols 



FET'ICISM. / among the negroes of 

 Africa. Fetich is their name for an idol, 

 or more generally fetich is the name which 

 they give to any object of worship. Every 

 family has a. fetich to watch, reward, and 

 punish the members of the household as 

 they deserve. 



FET'LOCK, feet and lock. A tuft of hair 

 that grows behind the pastern joint of 

 horses. 



FET'TERED. In zoology, applied to the 

 feet of animals when they are stretched 

 backwards and appear unfit for walking. 



FEU, Lat. feodum, fief. In Scotch law, is 

 used in contradistinction to ward-holding, 

 or military tenure, to signify that the 

 vassal makes a return in grain or money, 

 in lieu of military service. The feu-con- 

 tract is that which regulates the giving 

 out of lands, the rent paid being called 

 feu-duty. 



F E c D. I . Sax . ftehw , a quarrel between 

 families or parties of a state: originally 

 applied to a combination of kindred to 

 avenge the murder of a kinsman on the 



offender and his race. 2. From Norm. 



fei, faith, and had, state; a fief, fee, or 

 right to lands or hereditaments held in 

 trust or on the terms of performing cer- 

 tain conditions. See FEE and FEOD. 



FEU'DAL SYSTEM. A form of government 

 anciently subsisting in Europe, and which 

 forms the basis of our modern forms and 

 customs. It was this : When the Goths, 

 Vandals, Franks, Hunns, and Lombards 

 overran Europe, on the declension of the 

 Roman empire in the fifth century, they 

 made it a principle that all conquered 

 land should be divided among the chief 

 officers. These again divided their shares 

 among the officers of a second rank, who 

 divided in like manner to the third rank, 

 &c. These stipends of land were called 

 fiefs, feods, or feuds, and the condition of 

 tenure was that the tenants in fief should 

 serve the owner of the fee-simple, at 

 home and abroad, in all wars an I military 

 expeditions. To this they bound Jiem 

 selves by an oath of feaiti . se th/U i !"::- 

 procal tie .linked the highest chief witte 



