L I N 
the common Linnet, and is therefore called by 
Briffon La Petite Linotte, or Litde Linnet. How- 
ever, it's lhape and colour do not materially differ 
from thofe of the common Linnet. The bill is 
fhort and yellow j and above and below each eye 
there is a pale brown fpot. The male has a fingu- 
lar red fpot on his rump, which fufficiendy diftin- 
guiflies him from the female. 
This bird receives the name of Twite from it's 
note, which is by no means mufical : however, it 
is a very familiar animal, and tamed with great fa- 
cility. It is taken, during the flight-feafon, near 
London, with common Linnets, and is ufually 
called the Twite. It is generally fuppofed to 
breed on the continent, and to vifit this ifland only 
in the winter feafon. It feeds, when in a ftate of 
captivity, on rape and canary feeds, but prefers the 
latter. 
Linnet, Yellow-Headed. This fpecies has 
a pale flefb-coloured bill, hazel-coloured eyes, and 
a yellow head and throat. From behind the eyes, 
down the fides of the neck, are drawn brown 
marks, which widen towards the back; the hinder 
part of the head, the upper fide of the neck, the 
back, wings, and tail, are of a dirty brown colour, 
fpotted on the back and neck with deep brown 
longitudinal marks; the bread, belly, thighs, and 
coverts under the tail, are of a light clay-colour; 
the breall and belly are marked with dark brown 
fpots; and the legs and feet are of a dull flefli- 
colour. This bird is a native of Mexico; and 
was firft defcribed by Edwards. 
Linnet, Angola. This bird meafures nearly 
five inches in length ; and in fhape, aftion, and 
note, agrees with European Linnets. The bill is 
of a dirty flefh-colour, bordered round it's bafe 
with a row of black feathers; above and below the 
eyes, next the black feathers, there are feveral 
white fpots ; the head, neck, back, and leffer co- 
verts of the wings, are of a brownifh alh-colour 
with duHcy fpots ; the quills of the wings, and the 
firft row of coverts above them, are of a dark 
brown hue, with narrow yellow edges ; the tail is 
alfo of a dark colour; and the feathers are tipt with 
grey or white. The bread, belly, and thighs, are 
of a dull orange-colour; the rump and coverts of 
the tail are a bright yellow ; and the legs and feet 
are flefli-coloured. 
Linnet, Dusky. The bill of this fpecies is 
afh-coloured; the whole plumage of the body is of 
a dirty brown or blackifh hue ; but the breaft and 
rump incline a little to cinereous: all the feathers 
have their tips and borders of a lighter colour, 
which forms an admixture of fhades; and the legs 
and feet are duflcy. 
Linnet, Black. This bird, which is a native 
of Guinea, has a light flefii-coloured bill; the 
whole body is covered with deep black glofiy fea- 
thers, refiefting a fine purplifh blue colour, except 
the greater quills of the wings, which aredeftitute 
of any glofs. A few fmall white feathers are in- 
termixed with the inner coverts of the wino;s ; the 
tail is compofed of tv\^elve feathers of equal lengths; 
and the legs, feet, and claws, are of a whitifh flelh- 
' colour. 
Linnet, Olive-Coloured. This bird has a 
thick, Ihort bill, of a dufky flefli- colour. The 
fore-part of the head, the throat, and part of the 
breaft, are black; the black gradually changing 
into a duflcy white on the belly, which continues 
whitifh as low as the covert-feathers beneath the 
tail. The hinder part of the head and neck, the 
Vol. II, 
back, rump, tail, and wings, are of a dark olive- 
green colour; the tail confifts of twelve feathers 
of equal lengths; the infides of the wings, and the 
under-fide of the tail, are of a light afh-colour; 
and the legs, feet, and claws, are of a dark flefh- 
colour. 
LION. In the Linnasan diftribution of nature, 
a fpecies of quadruped belonging to the felis or 
cat kind, having a long tail, and a pale red or 
tawny body. 
The Lion has a large head, fhort round ears^ 
and a face covered with fhort hair. On the up- 
per part of the head, the neck, fhoulders, and chin, 
there are long fhaggy hairs, refembling a mane. 
The hair on the body and limbs is fhort and 
fiTiooth, and long at the bottom of the belly. It 
has very flrong limbs ; and a long tail, tufted at 
the extremity. It's general colour is tawnyj but 
on the belly it inclines to white. The length of 
the largefl Lion, from the nofe to the tail, is about 
eight feet; and that of the tail four feet. The 
Lionefs is fomewhat lefs, and deftitute of a mane. 
The influence of climate on man is marked 
only by flight variations; he is known to fubfifl: in 
all parts of the earth, as well under the frozen 
poles, as beneath the torrid zone. On other ani- 
mals, on the contrary, the influence of climate is 
flronger, and marked by fenfible charafters ; be- 
caufe they differ in fpecies, and their nature is per- 
fe£t, and lefs diffufed than that of the hum^an fpe- 
cies. With refpe6l to irrational animals, indeed, 
the climate may be confidered as congenial, and a 
kind of fecond nature : they almoft all have their 
particular latitudes, beyond which they are unable 
to fubfift; either perifliing under a moderate cold, 
or dying for want of a frozen air even in a tempe- 
rate climate. The rein-deer is never known to 
quit the hyperborean regions; and, on the con- 
trary, the Lion degenerates whenever removed 
from beneath the line. The whole earth is the 
native country of man; but all inferior animals 
have each their own peculiar diftrifts. 
In warm countries, the land animals are larger 
and flronger than thofe in the frozen or temperate 
regions : they are alfo more courageous and enter- 
prizing; and all their difpofitions feem to partake 
of the ardour of their native foil. The Lion, pro- 
duced under the fcorching fun of Africa, is, of all 
others, the moft terrible, as well as the moft un- 
daunted. The wolf, or the dog, inflead of at- 
tempting to rival him, fcarcely deierve to attend 
his motions, or become his providers. Such of 
thefe animals, however, as are bred in more tem- 
perate climates, or towards the fummits of cold 
and lofty mountains, are far more gentle, or rather 
far lefs dangerous, than thofe generated in the tor- 
rid vallies beneath. The Lions of Mount Atlas, 
the top of which is perpetually covered with fnow, 
have neither the flrength nor the ferocity of thofe 
of Bildulgerid or Zaara, whofe plains confifl of 
burning fands. It is chiefly in thofe fervid defarts 
that fuch enormous and terrible beafts are found, 
which are the dread of travellers, and the fcourge 
of the neighbouring provinces. Happily, indeed, 
the fpecies is not very numerous ; and it feems to 
be daily diminifhing: for, if we may credit the 
tefl:imonies of thofe who have traverfed thefe foli- 
tudes, the number of Lions is not nearly fo great 
as formerly. The Romans, fays Shaw, drew from 
Lybia, for their public fpe6lacles, fifty times more 
Lions than are now to be found in the whole 
country. The fame remark is made with regard 
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