and Kicks their blood. When vexed, it has a 
ftrong, loachfome fmell; fo may be called the wa- 
ter pole-cat. It's length, fronn nofe to tail, is 
twenty inches; and the tail is four. The colour 
is a fine Ihining dark brown. 
MISGURN, OR MISGUM. Afifli common 
about the German fhores, efteemed very delicate 
and nutritive, It is of the anguilliform kind, but 
broader and flatter than the eel,, and nearly of tlie 
fame fize from head to tail. It has five longitudi- 
nal black lines; one on the back; two on the mid- 
dle of the fides ; and two others nearer the belly, 
■which are confiderably narrower than the rell. 
The intermediate fpaces, and the belly, are fome- 
what of a blueifh white colour, dotted with black 
fpots; and the fins are alfo fpotted in a fimilar 
manner. The mouth is fmall and round, like that 
of the lamprey; and furrounded with beards, fix 
on the upper jaw, and four on the under; befides 
two very {lender ones near the noitrils. The eyes 
are fmall; the gills are four on a fide; and, ex- 
clufive of the dorfal fin, there are four others, two 
near the gills, and two lower on the body. 
This fifli lays it's fpawn about March, and is in 
prime feafon in January and February. It is 
chiefly caught in muddy waters; and, when re- 
moved from it's native element, is faid to make a 
fort of hifiing noife. 
MISSEL BIRD. The common Englifn ap- 
pellation of the larger thrulh, called alfo the 
fhrite, and by authors theturdus vifcivorus major. 
It is confiderably larger than any ot the thrufn 
kind: it's legs and feet are yellow; it's head is of 
a brownifli lead-colour; and it's back, tail, and 
rump, are of the fame hue, with an admixture of 
yellow; but in the fummer months it becomes 
greyilh. The throat, belly, and breafi, are varie- 
gated with black fpots ; the middle of the belly is 
whitifh ; and the upper part of the brea'l, and part 
of the fides, are yellowifli. The bill is fhorter 
and thiclier than that of other thrufhes, and of a 
dufl<y colour, except the bafe of the lower man- 
dible, Vv'hich is yellov/. 
This bird is ufually fecn perched on the tops of 
trees. It is a delightful Ibngfter, and the largeft 
Englifli bird that has melody in it's note. It be- 
gins it's fong, fitting on the fummit of a high tree, 
very early in the fpring, often about the com- 
mencement of the year, and during the moft in- 
clement weather; v/hence it has obtained the name 
of the ftorm-cock in Hampfhire. It remains in 
this ifland the whole year; and afli>ciates only 
with it's mate, avoiding and driving away all the 
lefier fpccies of thrufiaes. It's flefla is much 
efteemed, 
MITE. A well known minute infcift, found 
in old cheefe, and many other fubftanccs, as well 
frefli as putrid. 
When viewed with the naked eye, Mites in 
cheefe appear like moving particles of dult; but, 
when microfcopically examined, they are difco- 
vered to be perfedl animals, having regular figures, 
a-nd performing all the funiStions of life with the 
fame harmony as the larger tribes of beings. 
The Mite is a cruftaceous animal, and ufually 
tranfparent. It's principal parts are the head, 
the neck, and the body: the head, which is fmall 
in proportion to the body, has a fliarp ihout, and 
a mouth opening like that of the mole. It has 
two fmall eyes, which poflTefs the moft diftinct vi- 
fion, as may be perceived from pricking the ani- 
mal with a pin, after which it will cautioufly avoid 
a fccond aflTault. 
Vol. 11. 
Thefe minute infecls are of different fpecieSs 
Some, have fi.x legs, and others eight • each leg has 
fix joints, furnillied with two fmall claws at the 
extremity, and furrounded with hairs. The hinder 
part of the body is large and plump, terminating 
in an oval form, from which iiTue a few long hairs ; 
and the other parts of the body and the head are 
alfo befetwith thin long hairs. 
The tv/o fexes are eahly diPcinguifhed in thefe 
little animals. ' The females are oviparous, like 
the loufe and the fpider; and from their egg-s the 
young are hatched in their proper form, without 
undergoing any future change: however, When 
firft produced, they are extremely minute, and, 
before they attain their full fize, renew their ficins 
feveral times. Thefe little creatures may be kept 
alive feveral months bctv/een tvv'o concave glafles, 
and applied to the microfcope at pleafure: thus 
they are often feen in the aft of copulation, con- 
joined tail to tail; and this is performed by an in- 
credibly fwift motion. 
The eggs, during warm weather, are hatched in 
twelve or fourteen days; but, in winter, they re- 
quire a longer time : thefe are fo very fmall, that, 
on a regular computation, ninety millions of them 
are not fo large as the egg of a common pigeon. 
Mites are extremely voracious infefts : they not 
only prey on cheefe, but all forts of dried flefh, 
fifn, fruits and feeds, and almoft every thing 
which polfefl'es iome degree of moifture, without 
ever being wet; and they are frequently obferved 
to devour each odicr. They feize their food by 
akernatelv thrufting one jav/ forward, and the 
other backward, in this manner grinding it; and, 
after being latisfied, they feem to ruminate. 
Several fubordinate diftindtions are obfervable 
in Mites, according to the different fubftances 
among which tliey are found. Thofe in mait- 
duft and oat-meal are much nimbler than cheefe 
Mites, and have m.ore, as well as longer liair,, 
Such Mites as take up their refidence among figs, 
refemble beetles; and have two feelers at their 
fnouts, and two very long horns over them : they 
have only fix legs; and are befet, at regular inter- 
vals, with fome very long hairs. 
Mites are extremely tenacious of life; and will 
fiabfift many months without food. Lewenhoeck 
informs us, that he kept one for the fpace of ele- 
ven weeks, fixed on the point of a pin, where he 
had placed it for the fake of microfcopical obfer- 
vations. 
MITU. A Brazilian bird of the pheafant 
kind, if we may credit Marcgrave; but luppofed 
by Ray to approach nearer to the nature of the 
peacock or turkey-cock. It is larger than the 
common Englifh cock ; the body is chiefly of a 
fine deep black colour; but the belly is of a par- 
tridge brov/n. The head is adorned with a feries 
of fine gloffy black feathers, which are occafion- 
ally raifed into a fort of creft; the beak, which has 
a very elegant appearance, is broad at the bafe, 
narrow at the point, and of a fine bright red co- 
lour. The tail is very long: and this bird, like 
the turkey, poifelfes the faculty of expanding it at 
pleafure. 
The Mitu is eafily tamed; and it's fle|h is very 
delicious. 
MOCK-BIRD. An American bird, called by 
Ray Turdus Amer janus Minor Canorus. It is 
about the fize of the thruih; of a white and grey- 
colour; with a long tail, and a reddilh bill; and 
fomewhat approaches to the cseruleus or blauvo- 
gel. It not only poifelfes it's own natural notes, 
2 A which 
