OVE 



OVE 



that of the great bustard, rich and delicate, 

 and it would appear worth while to attempt 

 the domestication of both these birds. 



OTTER. SeeLuTRA. 



OVAL, an oblong curvilinear figure, 

 otherwise called ellipsis. 



However, the proper oval, or egg- 

 shape, differs considerably from that of 

 the ellipsis, being an irregular figure, nar- 

 rower at one end than at the other; where- 

 as the ellipsis, or mathematical oval, is 

 equally broad at each end, though it must 

 be owned these two are commonly con- 

 founded together; even geometricians 

 calling the oval a false ellipsis. 



The method of describing an oval 

 chiefly used by artificers is by a "string, 

 the length of which is equal to the great- 

 er diameter of the intended oval, and 

 which is fastened by its extreme ends to 

 two pins, placed in its longest diameter, 

 then by holding it always stretched out 

 with a pin or pencil carried round the 

 inside, the oval is described, which will 

 be longer or shorter, as the two fixed 

 points ure further apart. 



OVLEUA, in botany, so named in ho- 

 nour of Gonsalvo Fernandez d'Oviedo, a 

 genus of the Didynamia Angiospermia 

 class and order. Natural order of Per- 

 sonatse. Caprifolia, Jussieu. Essential 

 character : calyx five-cleft ; corolla tube 

 subcylindric, superior, very long ; berry 

 globular, one-celled, quadripartile, four- 

 seeded. There are two species, viz. O. 

 spinosa, andO. mitis. 



OVERSEERS of the poor. By 43 Eliza- 

 beth, c. 2, 1, the churchwardens of 

 every parish, or two substantial house- 

 holders, to be nominated yearly in Easter 

 week, or within one month after Easter, 

 under the hand and seal of two justices 

 of the peace of the county, shall be over- 

 seers of the same parish. In general all 

 persons are liable to serve, with some ex- 

 ceptions as to peers of the realm, clergy- 

 men, parliament men, attornies, practis- 

 ing barristers, the president and mem- 

 bers of the college of physicians, sur- 

 geons, and apothecaries free of the hall ; 

 dissenting ministers, prosecutors of fe- 

 lons, having a Tyburn ticket, and sol- 

 diers actually serving in the militia. In 

 extensive parishes a greater number of 

 overseers are appointed under 13 and 14 

 Charles II. c. 12, 21 ; and by 17 Geo. II. 

 c. 38, if an overseer dies, removes, or be- 

 comes insolvent, the justices may uppoii.t 

 another, und their appointment is sunject 

 to appeal to the sessions. By 43 Eliza- 

 beth, c. 2, 2, overseers shall, within 

 fourteen days after the appointment of 



new ones, deliver to them an account, t 

 be allowed by two justices, and pay over 

 balances due from them, which, if not 

 paid, may be levied by distress, and the 

 party committed to prison by the justices 

 until the balance is paid, and the account 

 delivered in ; and by 17 George II. c. 38, 

 the account is to be verified by oath. If 

 he removes, the overseer is to account in 

 like manner. If he dies, his executors 

 have forty days to account, and must pay 

 the balance before any other debts. 

 Their duty consists in raising the poor's 

 rate, taking care of the poor, giving re- 

 lief to casual poor, and removing persons 

 who come to settle in a tenement under 

 10/. a year, &c. without a certificate. 

 They are also to bind out the children 

 of poor persons, and in that case the in- 

 fant parish apprentice and his master 

 cannot vacate the indentures without the 

 overseers. They also are to procure or- 

 ders of maintenance of bastards to be 

 made, and bonds to be token from the 

 reputed father to indemnify the parish. 

 It has been usual for overseers in those 

 cases, instead of taking a bond of indem- 

 nity, to accept of a sum of money, and 

 discharge the father. But this has been 

 lately held to be illegal, because it gives 

 the overseers an interest to procure the 

 death of the child. In cases of removal 

 also overseers should be careful not to ex- 

 ecute the order in a harsh or improper 

 manner, for if a person die in conse- 

 quence of a removal at a time of sickness, 

 the overseer may be guilty of murder, 

 and liable to an indictment. Overseers 

 also should not improperly conspire to 

 force persons who are with child of bas- 

 tards to marry, and relieve the parish, for 

 this also is indictable. By 17 George II. 

 c. 38, if any person shall be aggrieved by 

 any thing done or omitted by the church- 

 wardens and overseers, or by any of his 

 Majesty'sjustices of the peace, he may, 

 giving reasonable notice to the church- 

 wardens or overseers, appeal to the next 

 general or quarter sessions, where the 

 same shall be heard, or finally determin- 

 ed ; but if reasonable notice be not given, 

 then they shall adjourn the appeal to the 

 next quarter sessions; and the court 

 may award reasonable costs to either 

 party, as they may do by 8 and 9th Wil- 

 liam, in case of appeals concerning set- 

 tlements. See POOH. By 43 Elizabeth, 

 c. 2, 2, they forfeit 20s. on neglecting' 

 to meet, in the vestry one Sunday in 

 the month ; and by 13 and 14 Charles 

 II. c. 4, foifeit 51. for refusing relief 

 to a person duly removed by warrant 



