OVE 
tion. They swallow stones^ pieces of me- 
tal, and otlier hard substances, Buffon 
states that one was opened by the acade- 
micians of Fiance, which contained in its 
stomach ninety doubloons, and various 
stones, all highly smoothed by the attrition 
of the stomach. See Aves, Plate XI. fig. 1. 
O. tetrax, or the little bustard, is met 
with in many parts of Europe, particularly 
in France, where it is taken by nets. It is 
rarely seen in England ; is shy and cunning ; 
if molested will fly about two hundred 
paces, and then run so fast that a man can- 
not overtake it. Its flesh is like that of the 
great bustard, rich and delicate, and it 
would appear worth while to attempt the 
domestication of both these birds. 
OTTER. See Lbtra. 
OVAL, an oblong curvilinear figure, 
otherwise called ellipsis. 
However, th^ proper oval, or egg-shape, 
differs considerably from that of the ellipsis, 
being an irregular figure, narrower at one 
end than at the other ; whereas the ellipsis, 
or mathematical oval, is equally broad at 
each end : though, it must be owned, these 
two are gommonly confounded together ; 
even geometricians calling the oval a false 
ellipsis. 
The method of describing an oval chiefly 
used by artificers is by a string, the length 
of which is equal to the greater diameter of 
the intended oval, and which is fastened by 
its extreme ends to two pins, placed in its 
longest diameter, then by holding it always 
stretched out with a pin or pencil carried 
round the inside, the oval is described, which 
will be longer or shorter, as the two fixed 
points are further apart. 
OVIEDA, in botany, so named in honour 
of Gonsalvo Fernandez d’Oviedo, a genus 
of the Didynamia Angiospermia class and 
order. Natural order of Personat®. Ca- 
prifolia, Jussieu. Essential character ; ca- 
lyx five-cleft ; corolla tube subcylindric, 
superior, very long ; berry globular, one- 
celled, quadripartile, four-seeded. There 
are two species, viz. O. spinosa, and O. 
mitis. 
OVERSEERS of the poor. By 43 
Elizabeth, c. 2, § 1, the churchwardens of 
every parish, or two substantial house- 
holders, to be nominated yearly in Easter 
week, or within one month after Easter, 
under the hand and seal of two jiisticr-s of 
the peace of the county, shall be overseers 
of the same pari.sh. In general all persons 
are liable to serve, with .some exceptions as 
to peers of the realm, clergymen, par- 
OVE 
liament men,attornies, practising barristers, 
the president and members of the college of 
physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries free 
of the hall ; dissenting ministers, prosecu- 
tors of felons, having a Tyburn ticket, and 
soldiers actually serving in the militia. In 
extensive parishes a greater number of 
overseers are appointed under 13 and 14 
Charles II. c. 12, § 21 ; and by 17 Geo. II. 
c. 38, if an overseer dies, removes, or be- 
comes insolvent, the justices may appoint 
another, and their appointment is subject to 
appeal to the sessionsi By 43 Elizabeth, 
c. 2, $ 2, overseers shall, within fourteen 
days after the appointment ofnew ones, de- 
liver to them an account to be allowed by 
two justices, and pay over balances due 
from them, which, if not paid, may be le- 
vied by distress, and the party committed 
to prison by the justices until the balance is 
paid, and tlie account delivered in ; and by 
17 George II. c. 38, the account is to be 
verified by oath. If lie removes, the over- 
seer is to account in like manner. If he 
dies, his executors have forty days to ac- 
count, and must pay the balance before any 
other debts. Their duty consists in raising 
the poor’s-rate, taking care of the poor, 
giving relief to casual poor, and removing 
persons who come to settle in a tenement 
under 10/. a year, &c. without a certifi- 
cate. They are also to bind out the children 
of poor persons, and in that case the infant 
parish apprentice and his master cannot 
vacate the indentures without the overseers. 
They also are to procure orders of mainte- 
nance of bastards to be made, and bonds to 
be taken from the reputed father to indem- 
nify the parish. It has been usual for over- 
seers in those cases, instead of takings bond 
of indemnity, to accept of a .sum of money 
and discharge the father. But this has 
been lately held to be illegal, because it 
gives the overseers an interest to procure 
the death of the child. In cases of removal 
also overseers should be careful not to 
execute the order in a harsh or improper 
manner, for if a person die in consequence 
of a removal at a time of sickness, the 
overseer may be guilty of murder, and 
liable to an indictment. Overseers also 
should not improperly conspire to force 
persons who are with child of bastards to 
marry and relieve the parish, for this also is 
indictable. By 17 George II. c. 38, if any 
person shall be aggrieved by any thing done 
or omitted by the churchwardens and over- 
seers, or by any of his Majesty’s justices of 
the peace, he may, giving reasonable notice 
G 2 
