- 
63 L O X 
3. The pyrrhula, or bullfinch, is so gene- 
rally known as almost to supersede descrip- 
tion. This species is common in most parts 
of the continent of Europe, and throughout 
Russia and Siberia, at which last places it is 
caught for the table. In winter it approaches 
gardens and orchards, and hak been generally 
stigmatised for making liavock among the 
buds of trees. From some late observations, 
however, it would appear, that the object of 
these birds is not the bud, but “ the worm in 
the bud and that this species, in conjunc- 
tion with various other species of small birds, 
are the frequent means of defending the em- 
bryo fruits, and thence promoting their 
growth to maturity; for the warmth that 
swells the buds, not only hatches eggs of un- 
numbered tribes of insects, whose parent Hies, 
by an unerring instinct, laid them there, but 
brings forward a numerous race already in a 
caterpillar state, that now issue from their 
concealments, and make their excursion 
along the budding branches, and would pro- 
bably destroy every hope of fruitage, but for 
those useful instruments for its preservation, 
whose young are principally fed by eating 
caterpillars. The bullfinch, in its wild state, 
has only a plain note; but when tamed, it be- 
comes remarkably docile, and may be taught 
any tune after a pipe, or to whistle any notes 
in the best manner; it seldom forgets what it 
lias learned; and will become so tame as to 
come at call, perch on its master’s shoulders, 
and (at command) go through a difficult mu- 
sical lesson. They may' be also taught to 
speak, and some thus instructed are annually 
brought to London from Germany. 
4. "The cardinal is, or cardinal grossbeak, is 
near eight inches in length. The bill is 
stout, and of a pale-red colour; the hides' are 
hazel; the head is greatly crested, the fea- 
thers rising up to a .point when erect; round 
the bill, and on the throat, the colour is black : 
the rest of the bird of a fire-red. The female 
differs from the male, being mostly of a red- 
dish brown. This species is met with in se- 
veral parts of North America, and has attain- 
ed the name of Virginia nightingale, from the 
fineness of its song, the note of which re- 
sembles that of the nightingale. 
5. The orix, or grenadier grossbeak, is 
about the size of a house-sparrow. The fore- 
head, sides of the head, and chin, are black ; 
the breast and belly the same; the wings are 
brown," with pale edges; and the rest of the 
body of a beautiful red colour. These birds 
are inhabitants of Saint Helena ; they are also 
in plenty at the Cape of Good Hope, where 
they frequent watery places that abound with 
reeds, and among which they are supposed 
to make their nest. If, as is supposed, this 
is the same with Kolben’s finch, he says that 
the nest is of a peculiar contrivance, made 
with small twigs, interwoven very closely and 
tightly w T ith cotton, and divided into two 
apartments with but one entrance, the upper 
for the male, the lower for the female, and is 
so tight as not to be penetrated by any wea- 
tlier. He adds, that the bird is scarlet only 
in summer, being in the winter wholly ash-co- 
loured. These birds, seen among the green 
reeds, are said to have a wonderful effect : 
for, from the brightness of their colours, they 
appear like so many scarlet lilies. See Plate 
Nat. Hist. fig. 253. 
6. The pensilis, or pensile grossbeak, (the 
toddy -bird of Fryer) is about the size of the 
L O X 
house-marrow : the bill is black ; the irides 
are yellow ; the head, throat, and fore-part of 
the neck, the same; from the nostrils springs 
a dull 'green stripe, which passes through the 
eye and be'y oim it, where it is broader; the 
hind part of the he-ad and neck, the back, 
rump, and wing-coverts, are of the same co- 
lour ; thequdis are black, edged with green; 
the belly is deep grey, and the vent of a ru- 
fous red; the tail and legs are black. r I his 
species is found at Madagascar; and fabri- 
cates a nest of a curious construction, com- 
posed of straw and reeds interwoven in shape 
of a bag, the opening beneath. It is fastened 
above to a twig of some tree ; mostly to those 
growing on the borders of streams', On one 
side of this, within, is- the true nest. The 
bird does not form a new nest every year, 
but fastens a new one to the end, of the last; 
and often as far as live in number, one hang- 
ing'from another. These build in society, 
like rooks, often five or six hundred being 
seen on one tree. They have three young 
at each hatch. See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 
254. 
7. The bengaiensis, or Bengal gros beak, 
is a trifle bigger than a house-sparrow. The 
female lays three or four eggs. 
8. The socia, or sociable grossbeak, is 
about the size of a bullfinch; the general co- 
lour of the body above is a rufous brown, the 
under parts yellowish. It inhabits the inte- 
rior country at the Cape of Good Hope, 
where it was discovered by colonel Paterson. 
These birds, according to our author, live to- 
gether in large societies, and their mode of 
aid incation is extremely uncommon. They 
build in a species of mimosa which grows to 
an uncommon size. In one described by col. 
Paterson, there could be no less a number 
than from 800 to 1000 residing under the 
same roof. He calls it a roof, because it 
perfectly resembles that of a thatched house ; 
and the ridge forms an angle so acute and 
so smooth, projecting over the entrance of 
the nest below, that it is impossible for any 
reptile to approach them. The industry of 
these birds “ seems almost equal (says cur 
author) to that of the bee: throughout the 
day they appear to be busily employed in 
carrying a fine species of grass, which is the 
principal material they employ for the pur- 
pose of erecting this extraordinary work, as 
well as for additions and repairs. Though 
mv short stay in the country was not suffi- 
cient to satisfy me by ocular proofs, that 
they added to their nest as they annually in- 
creased in numbers, still from the many trees 
which I have seen borne down with the 
weight, and others which I have observed 
with their boughs completely covered over, 
it would appear that this is really the case. 
When the tree which is the support of this 
aerial city is obliged to give way to the in- 
crease of weight, it is obvious that they are 
no longer protected, and are under tire ne- 
cessity of rebuilding in other trees. One of 
these deserted nests I had the curiosity to 
break down, so as to inform myself of the in- 
ternal structure of it, and found it equally 
ingenious with that of the external. There 
are many entrances, each of which forms a 
regular street, with nests on both sides, at 
about two inches distant from each other. 
9- The tridactyla, or three-toed grossbeak, 
(the guifso balito of Buffon) has only three 
toes, two before and one behind. The bill is 
9 
•y* "fPP'-w*, 
LUC 
toothed on the edges ; the head, throat, and 
fore-part of the neck, are of a beautiful red ; 
the upper part of the neck, back, and tail, are 
black; the wing-coverts brown, edged with, 
white; quills brown, with greenish edges; 
and legs a dull red; the wings reach half-wry 
on the tail. This species inhabits Abyssinia, 
where it frequents woods, and is a solitary 
. pecies. 
According to Linn a us there are 48 species 
of the loxia. 
LOZENGE, Lozance, rhombus, in geo- 
metry, a quadrilateral figure, consisting of 
four equal and parallel rides, two of w hose 
opposite angles are acute, and the other two 
obtuse; the distance between the two obtuse 
ones being always equal to the length of one 
side: when the sides are unequal, this figure 
is called a rhomboidcs. 
Lozenge, in heraldry, a rhombus, or 
figure of equal sides, but unequal angles. 
Lozenge, in pharmacy, the same with 
what is otherwise called troche. 
LL CAN US, stag chajJ'tr, a genus of in- 
sects of the order coleoptera : die generic 
character is, antenna; elavated, with com- 
pressed tip, divided into lamella: on the inner 
side; jaws stretched forwards, exserted, and 
toothed. The principal species is the lucaiuis 
cerv us, commonly known by the name.of the 
stag-beetle, or stag-charter. It is the largest 
of all the European coleopterous insects., 
sometimes measuring nearly two inches and 
a half jn length, from the tips of the jaws to 
the end of the body. Its general colour is a 
deep chesnut, with the thorax and head, 
which is of a squarish form, of a blacker cast ; 
and the jaws are often of a brighter or redder 
ehesnut-colour than the wing-shells; the legs 
and under-parts- are coal-black, and the 
wings,, which, except during flight, are con- 
cealed under the shells, are large, and of a 
fine pale yellowish-brown. This remarkable 
insect is chiefly found in the neighbourhood 
of oak-trees, delighting in the sweet exsuda- 
t’ou or honey-dew so frequently observed on 
the leaves. Its larva, which perfectly resem- 
bles that of the genuine beetles, is also found 
in the hollows of oak-trees, residing in the 
fine vegetable mould usually seen in such ca- 
vities, and feeding on the softer parts of the 
decayed wood. It is of very considerable 
size, of a pale-yellowish or whitish-brown co- 
lour ; and when stretched out at full length, 
measures nearly four inches. When arrived 
at its full size, which, according to some, is 
hardly sooner than the fifth or sixth year, it 
forms, by frequently turning itself, and moist- 
ening it with its glutinous saliva, a smooth 
oval hollow in the earth, in which it lies, and 
afterwards remaining perfectly still for the 
space of near a month, divests itself of its 
skin, and commences pupa or chrysalis. It 
is now of a shorter form than before, of a ra- 
ther deeper colour, and exhibits in a striking 
manner the rudiments of the large extended 
jaws and broad head so conspicuous in the 
perfect insect: the legs are also proportion- 
ally larger and longer than in the larva state. 
The ball of earth in which ibis chrysalis is 
contained is considerably larger than a lien’s 
egg, and of a rough exterior surface, but per- 
fectly smooth and polished within. The 
chrysalis lies about three months before it 
gives birth to the complete insect, which usu- 
ally emerges in the months of July and Au- 
gust. The time, however, of this insect's 
