MAT 
M A U 
them, adhering by her claws to the outfide; but, 
as foon as they quit it, ihe feeds them while on 
the wing, by a very quick and almofb impercep- 
tible motion. Like the fwallow, this bird difap- 
pears in winter, and moft probably feeks the fame 
retreats. 
Martin, Sand; the Flirundo Riparia of Lin- 
nJEus. This fpecies is the leaft of the fwailow 
tribe that frequents this ifland. The head, and 
the whole upper part of the body, are moufe- 
coloured; the throat is white, encircled with a 
moufe-coloured ring; the belly is white; and the 
feet are fmooth and black. 
The Sand Martin builds in the chinks of fand- 
pits, and in the banks of rivers; penetrating fome 
feet below the furface, and making it's way 
through the foil in a wonderful manner with it's 
feet, claws, and bill. The neft is compofed of 
hay and ftraw, and lined with feathers. The eggs 
are white, and commonly five or fix in number. 
MARTINAZZO. A fpecies of water-fowl 
of the larus or gull kind ; the Larus Nsevius of 
Linnasus; and commonly known in Englifli by 
the name of the waggel, or the great grey gull. 
This bird ufually weighs from tliree to four 
pounds. It is entirely of a mottled colour, com- 
pofed of brown, grey, and white ; but is much 
darker on the back than on the belly. The back 
and wing-feathers are all brown in the middle, and 
grey at the edges; but thofe of the rump are 
chiefly white; and the legs are of a dull dirty 
white hue. 
It is pretended by fome that this gull will fwal- 
low the fmaller lari, and perfecute and terrify 
them till they void their half-digefted excrements, 
which he afterwards picks up, efteeming them 
preferable to frefh food : and hence he has fome- 
times received the appellation of the dung-huntcr. 
MARTINO PESCATORE. An appella- 
tion given by Salvian, and fome other ichthy- 
ologifts, to the Rana Pifcatrix of authors, theLo- 
phius of Artedi. 
MARTIORA, or MARTICOR A. A name 
by which the ancient Greeks exprefled the Man- 
tichora of the Romans. See Mantiger. 
MASARINO. A Portuguefe appellation for 
the bird more commonly known by it's Brazilian 
name Curicaca. It Is of the curlew kind, and ap- 
proaches to the fize of the goofe. 
MASON BEE. See Bee, Mason. 
MASTIFF-DOG. A fpecies of the canine 
tribe, of vaft fize and ftrength, and a very loud 
barker. 
Great Britain was anciently fo famous for it's 
Maftiff^s, that the Roman emperors had an officer 
refident in this ifland, whofe folebufinefs confifled 
in breeding and tranfmitting from hence to the 
Amphitheatre fiich as would prove equal to the 
combats of the place. Strabo informs us, that the 
Maftiff^s of Britain were trained up to battle, and 
ufed by the Gauls in their wars. 
MATKNELTZEL. The name of a bird 
approaching to the fnipe kind, called by Gefner 
Gallinula Erythra; and by the common people of 
Germany, Mattkern. It is entirely of a reddifli 
colour, except the belly, which is white; but 
on the back the tinge is more dufky, and varie- 
gated with black fpots. This bird frequents 
watery places; and is common in Italy and Ger- 
many. 
MATTAGESS. An Englifli appellation for 
the largeft fpecies of the lanius, or butcher-bird. 
This word is borrowed from the Savoyards, and 
fignifies the Murdering Pye; a term that has been 
given it from it's favage difpofition, and from it's 
refemblance to the magpye in the fhape of it's 
tail. See BuTCHER-BiRD. 
MATUITUI. A Brazilian bird of the tur- 
dus or thrufli kind, about the fize of the common 
flarlino;. See Curicaca. 
MATURAQUE. An American filh of the 
harengiform kind, having only one fiiort fin on 
the back. It feldom exceeds the length of four 
inches: it's head is very broad, and covered with 
a fhelly crufb; and it's flefli is reckoned extrem^ely 
well tailed. It is found only in lakes. 
MAUCAUCO. A diftina genus of animals 
of the lemur tribe, in the Linnjean dift:ribution of 
nature, with fix cutting and two canine teeth in 
each jaw, a fiiarp-pointed vifage like that of the 
fox, and feet formed like a hand. There are fe- 
veral fpecies. 
Maucauco, Ring-Tail; the Lemur Catta of 
Linnasus. This is a beautiful little animal, about 
the fize of a cat; but the body and limbs are more 
flender, and of a longer make; and it's hind-legs 
are much longer than the fore ones. The tail, 
which is double the length of the body, is co- 
vered with fur, and alternately marked with broad 
rings of black and white. But, what is princi- 
pally remarkable, is the extraordinary fize of the 
eyes, which are furrounded with a broad black 
fpace. The end of the nofe is black; the face is 
white; the ears are ere£l; the head is covered with 
dark cinereous hair; that of the back and fides is 
of a reddifh colour; and all of it is foft, glofly, 
and delicate, fmooth to the touch, and ereft like 
the pile of velvet. When it fleeps, it brings it's 
nofe to it's belly, and it's tail over it's head. 
This animal, which is a native of Madagafcar 
and the neighbouring iflands, is extremely gentle; 
and though it refembles the monkey in many re- 
fpefts, it neither poffeflTes malicious nor mifchiev- 
ous habits. L.ike the monkey, however, it is per- 
petually in motion ; and, like all four-handed ani- 
mals, moves in an oblique direflion. It is ex- 
ceedingly cleanly; has a feeble cry; and, when 
young, is eafily tamed. In a wild ftate, it is a 
gregarious animal, aflfociating in flocks of thirty 
or forty. 
Maucauco, Tailless; the Lemur Ecauda- 
tus of Linnseus. This fpecies, which inhabits 
Ceylon and Bengal, lives in the woods, where it 
feeds on fruits; is particularly fond of eggs; and 
will greedily devour fmall birds. In it's indo- 
lence and inaftivity, it refembles the floth, creep- 
ing flowly along the ground, and uttering a plain- 
tive nolle. It has a fmall head, and a fharp- 
pointed nofe; it's eyes are furrounded with a black 
circle, and between them there is a white fpace. 
A dark ferruginous line, bifurcated on the fore- 
head, runs from the top of the head along the 
middle of the back to the rump. The ears are 
fmall; the toes are naked, and the nails flat. The 
length of the body, from the nofe to the rump, is 
fixteen inches. It is covered with fliort, foft, and 
filky afh-coloured and reddifli fur. 
Maucauco, Woolly; the Lemur Mongooz 
ofLinnxnis. This animal, which inhabits Ma- 
dagafcar and the adjacent ifles, is about the fize of 
a fmall cat; and has a foft, gloffy, thick fur, a 
little curled or waved, of a deep brownifli afii- 
coiour. The eyes are large, and encircled with 
an orange-coloured ring; and the tail, which is 
very 
