M A I 
M A L 
or on the top of fome high tree. The place, 
however, is always found difficult of accefs : for 
the tree pitched on generally grows in ibme thick 
hedge-row, fenced by brambles at the root; or 
fometimes one of the higher bufnes is feleded for 
this purpofe. When a place is found as inaccef- 
fible as poffible by nature, the next care of the 
Magpye is to fence the neft above, to defend it 
from all the various enemies of the air: the kite, 
the crow, and the iparrow-hawk, are to be pro- 
vided againft; for as their nefts are fometimes 
plundered by the Magpye, it is reafonable to con- 
clude that they will take the firfb opportunity to 
retaliate. To prevent this, the Magpye exerts 
all it's labour, and expends all it's ingenuity. 
The body of the neft is compofed of hawthorn 
branches; the thorns projeding outwards, but, 
by means of mutual infertions, ftrongly united 
together. The infide is lined with fibrous roots, 
long grafs, and wool ; and then carefully piaif- 
tered with mud and clay. The fabric being thus 
rendered firm and commodious, the Magpye's 
next care is to form the canopy which is to defend 
it above. This is compofed of the fharpeft thorns, 
wove together in fuch a manner as to deny all. 
entrance except at the door, which is jufi: large 
enough to permit egrefs and ingrefs to the pro- 
prietors. In this fortrefs the male and female 
hatch and bring up their brood v/ith fecurity, 
fheltered from almoft every enemy but the rov- 
ing fchool-boy. The Magpye lays fix or fe- 
ven eggs, of a pale green colour, fpotted with 
brown. 
In a domeftic ftate, this bird preferves it's na- 
tural charaftcrwithftrifl propriety and uniformity. 
The fame noify, mifchievous habits, attend it to 
the cage, that marked it in the woods; and being 
more cunning, fo it is alfo more docile than any 
other bird taken under human protection. Thofe 
who are defirous of teaching it to fpeak, have an 
abfurd cuftom of cutting it's tongue, which puts 
the poor animal to pain, without improving it's 
Ipeech in the fmalleft degree. It's language is 
fometimes very diftindl; but it's articulations are 
too flirill and fharp to be a perfedt imitation of 
the human voice, which the hoarfe-toned raven 
and parrot can counterfeit with more exaftitude. 
MAHOMET PIGEON. An Englifh ap- 
pellation for a fpecies of pigeon, called by Moore 
ColumbaNumidica Alba. It is of the fhape and 
fize of the Barbary pigeon, and has all the cha- 
rafters of that fpecies: but is alvv'ays perfectly 
white; which being contrafted with the red circle 
round the eyes, has a moft pleafing efFeft. 
MAJA. A bird defcribed by Nieremberg as 
very common in the ifle of Cuba, and frequenting 
the rice fields in large flocks. It is faid to be 
fmall, of a yellowifh colour, extremely delicate 
and v/eli tafted, and remarkable for having a fto- 
mach on the upper part of the neck. 
MAIAGUE. A Brazilian bird of the web- 
footed kind, with the hinder toe loofe. It is 
about the fize of the common goofe : the head is 
large and round; the neck is long, and always 
carried in an arch; the beak is ftrong, and hooked 
at the end ; and the colour of the whole body is a 
blackifh brown, except that the throat is yellow. 
It frequents the mouths of rivers, feeding on fifli ; 
builds on the ground; runs, flies, and dives, with 
great activity ; and confequently is caught with 
extreme difficulty. It's Hefli is delicate and nu- 
tritious. 
MAINIS. An appellation ufed by Ariftotle^ 
Athensus, and others of the old Gieek writers, 
for the fifli now called mena, nienerela, and me- 
nola. It is a fpecies of the fparus; and is diftin- 
guiflied from all the other fpecies of that genus by 
having four large teeth; and a variegated body, 
ornamented with a black fpot in the middle of the 
fides. 
MAKT. An appellation fometimes ufed to 
exprefs the animal called otherwife the maucauco. 
See Maucauco. 
MALACODERMATA. A term ufed to ex- 
prefs fuch animals as have only foft fl<ins for their 
coverings; in oppofition to the oftracodermata, 
which have hard flielly fubftances for their exter- 
nal covering; of which laft kind are crabs and 
lobfters. 
MALACOPTERYGII. A term derived 
from the Greek Malakos, Soft; and Pterugion, a 
Fin ; and ufed to exprefs a large order of fiflies 
without any prickly fins. Filhes of this order 
have bony fins; and to it belong the carp, and 
many more. 
MALACOSTOMOUS. An appellation 
given to a large genus of fiffies, known in En- 
glifh by the name of the leather-mouthed kind. 
Thefe fiflies are \yholly deftitute of teeth in their 
jaws, having thofe members placed in their throats, 
near the orifice of the ftomach. 
The term is derived from Malakos, Soft; and 
Stoma, a Mouth. F'lih of this genus have their 
fwim, or air-bladder, divided into two parts: the 
carp, tench, bream, and chub, are of this kind. 
MALACOSTRACA. A term ufed by Ari- 
ftotle to diflringuifli what the moderns call crufta- 
ceous animals, from thofe which he calls oftraco- 
dermata, or teftaceous, as it is now exprefled. 
MALARMAT. An appellation given by au- 
thors to the fifli called by fome lyra altera and 
cornuta: it is a fpecies of the trigla; and is diftin- 
guiflied by Artedi under the appellation of the 
trigla with many cirri, and an odlagonal body. 
MALE. The he-kind of animals; or that fex 
which has the generative members placed exter- 
nally. 
MALKARAB/ELA. A Ceylonefe fpecies of 
ferpent, remarkably variegated with white and 
dufl<;y brown in various figures. 
MALL, OR SEA-MAI .L. A bird of the la- 
rus or gull kind, called alfo the common gull, 
diftinguiflied by Linnasus under the name of la- 
rus canus. It bears a ftrong refemblance to the 
larus cinereus major, or herring-gull; but is con- 
fiderably fmaller, not weighing above a pound. 
The head and neck are grey, with fome brown, 
fpots; the lower part of the neck is white; the 
back is grey; the breaft and belly are as white as 
fnow; and the tail is alfo perfeflly white. 
Thefe birds breed on the ledges of cliffs im- 
pending the fea; and in winter are found in vaft; 
flocks on the Britifli fl:iores. See Gull. 
MALLARD. See Duck. 
MALLEMUCKE. An appellation fome- 
times ufed to exprefs the fulmar. 
MALLEOLUS. A name given by Gaza, 
and fome other naturalifts, to the fphyrsena of 
Ariftotle and other ancient writers. It is a beau- 
tiful filh, and feems to belong to the fcombri or 
mackarel kind. Salvian has. figured it under the 
name of fudis. 
MALMIGNATTO. A Corfican name for a 
fpecies of large infed peculiar to that ifland, fup- 
pofed 
