MOO 
MOO 
reckoned feveral microfcoplc animals: however, 
Linn^us makes only nine, and of thefe the diffe- 
rences are not very material. 
The body of the Monoculus is fhort, of a 
roimdilh figure, and covered with a firm crufla- 
ceous ficinj the fore-legs, which are ramofe, ferve 
for leaping or fwimming; and the eyes, which, on 
account of the fmallnefs of the head, appear as if 
united, arefituaced in the trunk, which is not only 
fmall and fharp, but alfo tranfparent. The ftruc- 
ture of the eye is by the help of the microfcope 
difcerned to be reticulated, or formed like a net; 
and the trunk, by which the infe£l feeds, is ex- 
tremely well adapted by it's fharpnefs for that 
purpofe. 
Thefe infeds, which are of a blood-red colour, 
are fometimes feen in fuch multitudes on the fur- 
face of Handing water, as to change it to a deep 
red; whence many fuperftitious people, ignorant 
of the true caufe, have fuppofed the liquid element 
to be converted into blood. 
No part of this animal is more worthy of a na- 
turalift's attention than it's branching arms, by 
which it's motions in the water are performed: 
by means of thefe it can move in a ftraight line; 
waving it's arms as a bird does it's wings in the 
air, fometimes upwards, at others downwards, 
fometimes to the right, and at others to the left, 
yet ftill continuing to proceed in a right line. By 
beating the water with it's arms, it can afcend 
with great velocity; and by ftriking in a contrary 
dire6i:ion, it can dive with equal eafe. As thefe 
motions are very rapid, the little animal feems to 
jump in the water; it's head always tending to the 
furface, and it's tail ftretching downwards. 
The Monoculus is produced from an egg, 
which, when excluded, is carried on the back of 
the female; and is foon obferved floating around 
her in the water. It's appearance at firft is that 
of a very fmall whitifli infeft, endowed with a 
very nimble motion; and, except in colour, it fuf- 
fers no future change, only continuing to grow 
larger and redder as it advances in age. 
Thefe infefts fometimes remain for feveral days 
lucceffively on the furface of the water, and at 
other times are feen at the bottom only. They 
change their fkins, like mod others of the infe£t 
kind; and the exuviae fo exadlly refemble the liv- 
ing animals, that, at firft fight, it is a difficult mat- 
ter to difcriminate between them. 
MONODON. In the Linnsean diftribution of 
nature, the name of the monoceros, or fea-uni- 
corn, a filh of the whale kind, making a diftinft 
genus; the characters of which are, that it has a 
pipe in the forehead, and no dorfal fin, but two 
very long fpiral teeth in the upper jaw. 
Artedi makes the Monodon a peculiar genus 
among the plagiuri, or cetaceous fifhes. The 
narwal is the only fpecies as yet difcovered of this 
genus. 
MONOPS. An appellation given by JElhn 
to the bonafus. Ariftotle tells us, that the natives 
of the country where this animal was moft fre- 
quent, called it the Monapus. Some of the Greek 
writers have alfo ftiled it the Monepos; and 
others, the Bolinthos. 
MONTIFRINGILLA. A claffical appella- 
tion for a bird known in Englifli by the name of 
the bramble, brambling, or mountain-finch; and 
called by the ancients Orofpiza. 
MOON-FISH. An appellation given by 
fome ichythologifts to the orbis. See Orbis 
MOOR-BUZZARD. See Buzzard, 
MOOR-COCK. An Engliih name for the 
red-game, the bgopns of authors, called alfo the 
gor-cock. It is a very delicate fowl, larger than 
a partridge, and common on the Derbyfhire and 
Yorklliire hills. See Gor-Cock. 
MOOR-HEN; the Fulica Chloropus of Lin- 
nsus; and the Gallinula Chloropus of authors in 
general. This is a wdl-known bird, fliaped fome- 
what like a coot, but finaller, and very much 
flatted in the body. The crown of the head, the 
hind part of the neck, the back, and the coverts 
of the wings, are of a fine deep olive green co- 
lour; the feet are greenifli; the breaft is a lead- 
coloured blue; and the belly is greyifli. The co- 
lours of the plumage in the female are much lefs 
brilliant than in the male; and the bird itfelf is in- 
ferior in fize. 
Moor Hens are often feen about our rivers: 
they breed twice or thrice in the fummer; ftrike 
with their bills like the common hen ; and in the 
fpring have a flirill call. Their fleili is extremely 
well-flavoured. 
MOOSE-DEER. This animal appears robe 
the fame with the elk; for, on comparing the 
horns of both together, the diftindtive charafters 
of the one exa£lly correfpond with thofe of the 
other. Hovs'ever, the account given by Joffelyn 
of the fize of the American Moofe has every ap- 
pearance of being greatly exaggerated; for he af- 
ferts, that fome are found twelve feet high : but 
Charlevoix, Dierville, and Lefcarbot, with more 
probability, make it of the fize of the horfe : and, 
if we may depend on modern writers, the com- 
mon height is from fifteen to feventeen hands. 
Thofe who fpeak of the gigantic Moofe-Deer, fay, 
that their horns are fix feet high, and that the ex- 
tent from tip to tip is two fathoms: but it feems 
evident that thefe journalifts have been too cre- 
dulous, and taken their defcriptions either from 
huntfmen or Indians who were fond of the mar- 
vellous. The only thing certain is, that the elk 
is common to both continents; and that the Ame- 
rican, having larger forefts to range in, and m,ore 
luxuriant food, grows to a larger fize than the Eu- 
ropean. 
In America, the Moofe-Deer are found in the 
peninfula of Nova Scotia, and Canada; in Eu- 
rope, they inhabit Lapland, Norway, Sweden, and 
Ruffia; and, in Afia, the north-eaft parts of Tar- 
tary and Siberia: but in each of rhofe continents 
they only poflefs fuch particular diftridls where the 
cold is intenfely fevere during a great part of the 
year. 
Thefe creatures have a very Angular gait; their 
pace is a high fliambling trot; never clielefs, they 
move with great velocity. Anciently, thefe ani- 
mals were employed in Sweden in drawing fledges ; 
but, as they were frequently acceffary to the efcape 
of criminals, their iife was prohibited under great 
penalties. In pafllng through thick woods they 
carry their heads horizontally, to prevent dieir 
horns being entangled in the branches of trees. 
In their common walk, they raife their fore-feet 
very high; which circumftance probably induced 
the ancient Romans to conjefture that their legs 
were deftitute of joints. They are very inoifen- 
five creatures, except v/hen wounded, or in the 
rutting-feafon, when they become extremely fu- 
rious, ftriking with their horns and hoofs. In 
Canada, they are hunted during the winter feafon ; 
when they fink fo deep in the fnow, as to become 
an ealy prey. 
The fiefh of Moofe-Deer is highly prized for 
beino; 
