FIL 
cies as distinct genera, and denominated 
them accordingly. The figure of the seed- 
vessel is a very common specific difference 
in the Sexual Method. 
Figure, in dancing, denotes the several 
steps which the dancer makes in order and 
cadence, considered as they mark certain 
figures on the floor. 
Figure, in fortification, the plan of any 
fortified place, or the interior polygon, 
which, when the sides and angles are equal, 
is called a regular, and when unequal, an 
irregular figure. 
Figure, in geometry, the superficies in- 
cluded between one or more lines, is deno- 
minated either rectilinear, curvilinear, or 
mixed, according as the extremities are 
bounded by right lines, curve lines, or both. 
Figure, in grammar, a deviation from 
the natural rules of etymology, syntax, and 
prosody, either for brevity, elegance, or 
harmony. 
Figure, in logic, denotes a certain order 
and disposition of the middle term in any 
syllogism. 
Figure, in painting and designing, de- 
notes the lines and colours which form the 
representation of any animal, but more 
particularly of a human personage. Thus 
a painting is said to be full of figures, when 
there are abundance of representations of 
men ; and a landscape is said to be without 
figures, when there is nothing but trees, 
plants, mountains, &c. 
Figure, in rhetoric, is a manner of speak- 
ing different from the ordinary and plain 
way, and more emphatical; expressing a 
passion, or containing a beauty. See Rhe- 
toric. 
FILACER, or filizer, an officef of the 
Court of Common Pleas, so called because 
he files those writs w'hereon he makes out 
process. 
FILAGO, in botany, a genus of the Syn- 
genesia Polygamia Necessaria class and or- 
der. Natural order of Composite Nuca- 
mentace*. Corymbiferse, Jussieu. Essen- 
tial character : calyx imbricate : female, 
florets among the scales of the calyx ; down 
none ; receptacle naked. There are seven 
species. 
FILAMENT, in physiology andanatomy, 
denotes much the same as fibre. See 
Fibre. 
Filament, in botany, the lower, slen- 
der, or thread-shaped part of the stamina, 
that serves as a foot-stalk for elevating the 
nthers, and connecting them with the ve- 
getable. The term is equivalent to the 
FIL 
stamen of Tournefort, and other botanists 
With Linnaeus stamen is a general term, the 
two parts of which are, the filament or 
thread, and the anthem or summit. From 
the number of the filaments the first thir- 
teen classes in the “ Sexual Method ” arise. 
With respect to figure, filaments are either 
slender, like a hair, as in plantain ; flat, as 
in star of Bethlehem ; wedge-shaped, as in 
meadow-rue ; twisted like a screw, as in 
hirtella ; awl-shaped, as in tulip ; notched, 
as in many of the lip-flowers ; or bent back- 
wards, as in superb lily. The filaments in 
spider-wort and flower-of-a-day are beauti- 
fully covered with a fine hairy down, As 
to proportion, the filaments are either very 
long, as in plantain ; very short, as in arrow- 
headed grass ; of equal lengths, as in most 
flowers; or irregular and unequal, as in the 
lip and cross-shaped flowers, which, from 
this circumstance, constitute the classes 
Didynamia and Tetradynamia in Linnaeus’s 
Method. The situation of the filaments is 
generally opposite to the divisions of the 
calyx, and alternate with" the petals. 
Filaments, vegetable, form a substance 
of great use in the arts and manufactures, 
furnishing thread, cloth, cordage, &c. For 
these purposes the filamentous parts of hemp 
and flax are employed among us. Different 
vegetables have been employed in different 
countries for the same uses. In some parts 
of Sweden a strong cloth is said to have 
been prepared from the stalks of hops. 
These have been tried here, but without 
success. Vegetable filaments, and the 
thread or cloth prepared from them, differ 
remarkably from wool, hair, silk, and other 
animal productions, particularly in their dis- 
position to imbibe colouring matters; sun- 
dry liquors, which give a beautiful and 
durable dye to those of the animal, giving 
no stain at all to those of the vegetable 
kingdom. See. Dyeing. 
FILARIA, in natural history, a genus of 
the Vermes Intestina class and order. Body 
round, filiform, equal, and quite smooth; 
mouth dilated, with a roundish concave lip. 
There are about 18 species, divided into 
four sections : viz. A. infesting the mamma- 
lia ; B. infesting birds ; C. infesting insects 
in their perfect state ; D. infesting the larvae 
of insects. F. medinensis is found both in 
the East and West Indies, and is frequent 
in the morning dew, from which it enters 
the naked feet of the slaves, and creates the 
most troublesome itching, frequently ac- 
companied with inflammation and fever. 
There is great difficulty in extricating it 
