MAR 
MARACANA ARARA. A Brazilian bird 
of the macaw kind, and about the fize of the com- 
mon parrot. It has a long tail like the macaw, 
and a black bill of the fame fliape. The {km 
about the eyes is white, and fpotted with black 
feathers; the head, neck, and wings, are of a deep 
green hue; but the top of the head is of a more 
faint green, fomewhat inclining to blueifli. The 
wings and tail are green above, and blue below, 
with dark blue extremities; and at the rife of each 
wing there is a red fpot, with another above the 
bafe of the bill. 
MARE. The female of the horfe kind. See 
Horse. 
MARECA. A Brazilian fpecies of duck, 
much valued for it's flefh. It is fhaped like the 
common European duck: the head is grey; but 
on each fide there Is a beautiful red fpot, at the In- 
fertion of the beak, and a whitenefs on the lower 
part under the eyes. The breaft and belly are 
cinereous, variegated with black fpots; the legs 
and feet are black ; the tail is grey; and the wings 
are elegantly variegated v/ich grey and brown, but 
in their centres is a large mixture of that glofly 
green perceptible on the necks of common drakes. 
There is another fpecies of the Mareca, of a 
dufky olive bro'vn colour on the back, white on 
the throat, and grey on the breaft and belly; but 
it is more particularly diftinguiflied by the fine 
bright red colour of it's feet. 
MARENA. A fifti of the harengiform kind, 
approaching nearly to the nature of the common 
pilchard; but differing from it in being deftitute 
of the ferrated longitudinal line under the belly; 
and that it lives in lakes, not in the ocean. It 
feldom exceeds five inches in length: it's back is 
blackifti ; it's fides are white and filvery ; and it's 
fcales are very loofe, and eafily feparated from it's 
body. It's flefli is well-tafted, and extremely 
firm . 
MARIKINA. An appellation given to a fpe- 
cies of monkey, having a mane round it's neck, 
and a tuft of hair at the extremity of it's tail, like 
a lion. 
MARIS. A nam.e ufed by Pliny, and other 
ancient Roman writers, to exprefs a large fifn al- 
lied to the accipenfer or fturgeon. Erom the de- 
fcriptlons of thefe authors, there Is great reafon to 
believe that it was the fifti called Hufo, or Ichtliy- 
ocolla, by the moderns, of which ifinglafs is made. 
Artedi makes this a fpecies of the accipenfer or 
fturgeon, and diftinguifties it by the appellation 
of tiiC Accipenfer without tubercles. 
MARIS. A name given by fome Ichthyolo- 
glfts to a fiili comm.only cabled Sonarls; and by 
fome Leucomenides, from It's whitifh colour, and 
external refemblance to the fifli called Masnis and 
Msena. Like the laft-mentloned fifh. It Is a fpe- 
cies of fparus ; and Is diftinguiflied by having a 
black fpot on each fide, and the tall and belly- 
fins red. 
MAPvITACACA. An appellation fometlmes 
vifed to exprefs the animal more commonly known 
by that of the opofilim. 
MARMOSE. An animal defcribed by Buf- 
fon, greatly refembling the opoffum. In {ad:, it 
principally differs in fize, being confiderably lefs; 
and Inftead of a bag to receive it^s offspring, It 
has only two longitudinal folds near the thighs, 
within which the young, which are prematurely 
brought forth, continue to fuckle: thefe, when 
%ft produced, do not exceed, the fize of a beanj 
MAR 
but continue fticking to the teat till they have ar- 
rived at greater maturity. 
MARMOT EISH. See Falx. 
MARMOTTE; the Mus Marmotta of Ein- 
nteus. This animal Is almoft as large as a hare; 
but is as corpulent as a cat, and has fliorter leg-s. 
It's head fomewhat refembles that of the hare, ex- 
cept that it's ears are much fliorter, and almoft 
concealed by the fur. The body Is cloathed witli 
very long hair; beneath which there is a fine ftiorc 
fur, of different colours, generally brownifli afii 
mixed with tawny; and the legs and the lower 
parts of the body are reddifli. This animal has 
four toes before, and five behind ; the length of 
the body, from the nofe to the tail, is about fix- 
teen Inches; and the tail, which is tufted and well 
furnifiied with hair. Is about fix inches long. 
The Marmotte Is chiefly a native of the Alps, 
though it Inhabits Poland, the Ukraine, and Chi- 
nefe Tartary. When taken young, it is tamed 
more eafily than other wild animals, and almoft as 
perfectly as any of thofe which we call domeftic. 
It is taught to dance with facility, to wield a cud- 
gel, and to obey the voice of it's mafter. Like 
the cat, it has a natural antipathy to dogs; 
and, when It Is accuftomed to the family, and can 
rely on it's mafter's afliftance, it attacks even the 
largeft maftiffs. Erom it's fquat, mufcular ftiape. 
It unites great ftrength with great agility. It has 
four large cutting-teeth, like all animals of me 
hare kind ; but It ufes them to far greater advan- 
tage, fince, in die Marmotte, they are very for- 
midable weapons of defence. However, it is in 
general a very harmlefs, inoftenfive animal; and, 
except in it's enmity to dogs, feems to live la 
friendftilp with every creature when unprovoked. 
If proper care is not taken, it is very apt to gnaw 
houfhold furniture, and even to perforate wooden 
partitions; from which circumftance, perhaps, it 
has been compared to the rat. As it's legs are 
very fhort, and formed fomewhat like thofe of the 
bear. It often fits up, and even walks on it's hind- 
legs ; but with It's fore-paws It feeds Itfelf after 
the manner of a fquirrel. Like all animals of 
the hare kind, it runs moft fwiftly up hill : it alfo 
climbs trees with great eafe; and afcends the clifrs 
of rocks, or the contiguous walls of houfes. Ic 
Is ludlcroufly faid of the Savoyards, who are the 
only chimney-fv/eepers of Paris, that they have 
acquired this art from the Marmotte, which is 
bred in the fame country. 
Thefe animals indifcriminately feed on v/hat- 
ever is prefentcd to them; fielh, bread, fruits, 
herbs, roots, pulfe, and Infefts; but they are par- 
ticularly fond ot milk and butter. Though k^fs 
inclined to petty thefts than cats, they are never- 
thelefs watchful in finding admiiTion to dairies, 
where they lap the milk after the manner of cats, 
purring all the while like thefe animals, as ex- 
preffive of fatlsfaftion. Indeed, milk Is their only 
beverage in a domeilic ftate; they feldom drink 
water; and abiblurclyrefufe wine. When pleafed 
or careffed, tliey often yelp like puppies; but, 
when Irritated or frightened, they emit a piercing- 
kind of note, extremely grating to the ear. They 
are very cleanly; and, like cats, retire on necef- 
fary occafions; but their bodies have a difagree- 
able fmell, particularly during the heats of fum- 
mer: this communicates a dnfture to their fiefh, 
which being very fat and firm, would be defire- 
able food, did not this flavour always predomi- 
nate. 
Hitherto 
