L E P 
animal inhabits feveral parts of India, China, and 
Arabia: in China it is called Poupii and, in Ara- 
bia, Ncmr. 
Leopard, Hunting. This fpecies has a finall 
head, pale orange-coloured irides, and fliort tawny 
ears; the face is flightly fpotted; the body is of 
a light tawny brown hue, marked with a great 
number of fmali round black fpots, diftinft from 
each other; and the tail, which is longer than the 
■whole body, is of a reddifii brown colour. This 
animal, which is about the fize of a large grey- 
hound, has a long body, a narrow cheft, and very 
long legs, inhabits the forefts of India, and is tamed 
and trained for the chace of antelopes: it is carried 
to the fcene of aftion in a finall kind of waggon ; 
and is chained and hoodwinked till it approaches 
the herd. When liberated, it does not immediately 
make it's attack, bur winds along the ground, and 
endeavours to conceal itfelf till it gets a proper ad- 
vantage ; and then it darts on the timid game with 
furprizing fwiftnefs. If it does not fucceed in it's 
firft efforts, which confift of four or five leaps, it 
mifles it's prey; and for that time defifts, and rea- 
dily returns to it's mafter, fatigued, and almoft 
breathlefs. 
Leopard, Lesser. The face of this animal is 
fpotted with black ; the breafl: is marked with fmall 
fpots ; the belly is white, fpotted with black; the 
back, fides, and rump, are of a bright yellow co- 
lour, marked with circles of fpots ; and the tail, 
which is Ihort in proportion to the length of the 
body, tapers to a point. This fpecies inhabits the 
Eaft Indies. Some years fmce, a live fpecimen 
was imported into England, and lodged in the 
Tower. 
LEPAS. A genus of fhell-fifh, fynonymous 
with the patella. In the Linnsean fyflem, it is a 
genus of teftaceous worms, comprehending ten 
different fpecies. It's animal Is a triton; and the 
fliell is multivalve, unequal, and fixed by a fi:em. 
The common barnacle is of this genus. 
LEPIDOPTER A. An order of infeas in the 
Linnsean fyftem, having four wings imbricated 
with fcales, the mouth furnifhed with a fpiral 
tongue, and the body covered with hair. This 
order comprehends three genera, the papilio or 
butterfly, the fphinx, and the phalsena or moth. 
The fubordinate fpecies under each genus are very 
numerous. 
LEPISMA. A genus of the aptera order of 
infefe; with fix feet formed for running; a mouth 
having two fetaceous palpi or feelers, and two 
rounded at their extremity; a fetofe tail; and a 
body covered v^^ith fcales. This genus includes 
three fpecies. 
LEPORARIA AQUILA. An appellation 
given by fome authors to the black eagle, from 
his being extremely deftru6live to the hare kind. 
LEPORINUM GENUS. A genus of ani- 
mals, lo called from the general refemblance they 
bear to the hare tribe. Their diftinguifhing cha- 
rafters are: that the feet are divided into claws; 
that there are two very long teeth in the fore-part 
of the mouth; and that the food is vegetable. 
LEPRAS. A marine fifn of the turdus or 
wrafTe kind, remarkable for the variety and bril- 
liancy of it's colouring. It feldom exceeds half a 
foot in length, but is very broad and flat in pro- 
portion. It is fpotted like the leopard; and is 
univerfally allowed to be one of the moft beauti- 
ful fifhes in the Mediterranean, where it is caught 
in abundance. It's flefli, however, is not much 
efteemed, being of an infipid and watery tafte. 
Vol. II. 
LEY 
LEPTURA. A genus of four-winged flies 3 
the characters of which are : that the antennse are 
oblong, flcnder, and fetaceous; that the exterior 
wings are truncated at their extremities; and that 
the thorax is of a fubcylindiic figure. In the Lin- 
nsan fyfliem, this genus belongs to the order of 
coleoptera, and comprehends twenty-five fpecies. 
The following kinds are moft: comm.on. 
Leptura, Great. This infeft is of a red vio- 
let colour: the body is oblong fhaped, and fmailefl 
behind; and the legs, feelers, and other appen- 
dages, except the wings, are black varying to 
white. The cafes of the wings, in the female, are 
of a deep red hue ; but thofe of the male are lighter, 
and fringed with black or grey. The furface of 
the cafes of the wings, in both fexes, is adorned 
with a number of fmall hollow dots, with a few 
fine fhort hairs; and the head and breaft are fome- 
times yellowifli. This fpecies frequents woods.. 
Ray calls it an unicorn beetle, with the head, 
fhoulders, and feelers, black; and of a blackifh 
yellow hue at the extremities. 
Leptura, Middle-SiziiD. This infer^ is of 
an oblong narrow lliape : the general colour is a 
blackifli brown, except that the upper edge of the 
breaft is yellow, and that there is a yellow fpot at 
the junftion of the cafes of the v/ings. There are 
likevv'iie fome undulated 3/ellow lines running tranf- 
verfely on the cafes of the wings, which are trun- 
cated at the points, and fbmcwhat fetofe; and the 
legs and feelers ai-e of a reddifh brown colour. 
This fpecies is frequently found among hedges in 
orchards and gardens. 
Leptura, Yellow Gold-Coloured. This 
fpecies has black feelers, an oblong body, a fmall 
head, and dentated hinder legs. The colour re- 
fembles that of copper with an admixture of fine 
ftrong gilded yellow variegations. The head, 
breaft, and cafes of the wings, as well as the legs, 
are fpeckled with extremely minute and conti- 
guous hollow dots, irregularly difperfed over the 
breaft, head, and legs; but on the wings they are 
pretty uniform, placed in ten rows running longi- 
tudinally. The eyes are black ; and the feelers arc 
brown . 
LEPTURUS. A Greek appellation for a 
fifli with a very long and flender tail. The term 
is derived from Leptos, Slender; and Oura, a 
Tail. 
LEPUS. The clafTical name of the hare. See 
Hare. 
LEPUS AQUEUS. An appellation given to 
the crefted diver, or colymbus of America; fb 
called from it's prodigious aftivity in the water. 
It is very common in Mexico, and other parts of 
the American continent; but is alwaj^s caught 
v/ith extreme difficulty. 
LEUCISCUS. A clafTical name^ %metimes 
given to the dace. See Dace. 
LEUCOCROTTA. An animal faid to be 
the fwifteft of any in nature; called alfo Leucro- 
cotta, and Leocrocotta. 
LEUCOMiENAS. An appellation given by 
fome authors to the fmaris, a fmall fifli very com- 
mon in the Mediterranean. 
LEUCORODIUS. A name fometim.es ufed 
to exprefs the platea, or fpoon-bill ; a very remark- 
able kind of ftorkor heron. 
LEVERET. The young of the hare, during 
the firft year of it's age. 
LEYMMER. A fpecies of the generous 
breed of dogs, refembling the greyhound. See 
Dog. 
E LIBELLULA. 
