Joosish scales; down capillary; receptacle naked, dotted. There are four species, of which L. taraxacum, dandelion, is common all over Europe, in meadows, on walls, dry banks, &c.; it flowers from April to September; the flowers expand about five or six in the morning, closing early in the afternoon; as the flower advances, the calyx is gradually pressed out at top, and when the flowering is past, it contracts again into a conical form, and finally when the seeds are mature, the calyx is again pushed back, and the aggregate of down assumes a sphe rical form, till the whole is loosened and dissipated by the wind.

LEONORUS, in botany, lion's tail, a genus of the Didynamia Gymnospermia class and order. Natural order of Verticillatæ. Labiata, Jussieu. Essential character: anthers having shining dots sprinkled over them. There are five species.

LEPAS, in natural history, acorn-shell, a genus of the Vermes Testacea class and order. Animal a triton; shell affixed at the base, and consisting of many unequal, erect valves. There are upwards of thirty species. L. balanus, shell conic, grooved; operculum or lid, sharp-pointed: it inhabits the European and Mediterranean seas, adhering in the greatest abundance to rocks, shells, &c.; generally whitish; with about six outer valves, three of which are elevated and striate, and three excavated and smoother; the pieces composing the lid, are finely crenate with transverse wrinkles, two lesser and two larger, and pointed. L. anatifera, duck-barnacle, shell compressed, five-valved, smooth, seated on a peduncle of this there are several varieties, which inhabit most seas; they are generally found fixed in clusters to the bottoms of vessels and old pieces of floating timber; whitish, with a blue cast, the margins of the valves yellow, sometimes marked with a ray or two dotted with black; peduncle long, coriaceous, black, and very much wrinkled towards the shell, and growing paler and pellucid towards the base, extensile; sometimes, though not often, red. The tentacula are feathered, which gave the old English naturalists the idea of a bird. They ascribed the origin of the barnacle-goose to these shells.

LEPIDIUM, in botany, pepper wort, a genus of the Tetradynamia Sificulosa class and order. Natural order of Siliquosæ, or Cruciformes. Cruciferæ, Jussieu. Essential character: silicle emarginate, cordate, many-seeded; valves keeled, contrary.

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There are twenty-three species, of which L. perfoliatum, various-leaved pepper-wort, is an annual plant, about a foot in height; the stem is round, upright, and smooth, tinged with purple, dividing into many slender branches; flowers in corymbs, or long, loose spikes, from the ends of the branches; silicles orbiculate, scarcely emarginate, and the terminating style so short as to be hardly visible. It is a native of Austria and the Levant.

LEPIDOPTERA, or scaly-winged, the third order of insects, according to the Lnæan system. The general character of this order is four wings, covered with fine imbricate scales; tongue involute, spiral; body hairy. It consists of the insects commonly termed butterflies and moths. There are three genera, viz.

The powder on the wings of these insects has been generally described by microsco pical writers as consisting of small feathers; but they are more in the form of minute scales, of various shapes and sizes, on the different species, and even on the different parts of the same animal. Their usual appearance is more or less fan-shaped, and they are disposed in the manner of tiles on a roof, lapping over each other. See PAPILIO, &c.

LEPISMA, in natural history, a genus of insects of the order Aptera; lip membranaceous, rounded, emarginate ; four feelers, of which two are setaceous, and two capitate; antennæ setaceous; body imbricate, with scales; tail ending in setaceous bristles; six legs, formed for running. There are seven species enumerated, of these the principal is L. saccharina; scaly, silvery, lead-colour, with a triple tail. It inhabits America, among sugar, but is naturalized in Europe, and found among old books and furniture; it runs exceedingly swift, and is difficult to catch. In their various stages of existence these insects prey upon sugar, decayed wood, and rotten substances; the larva and pupa are six-footed, active, and swift.

LEPROSO amovendo, an ancient writ to remove a leper, who came to church or to public meetings to annoy his neighbours; but it could only lie when the party ap peared outwardly unwholesome by his sores and smell, and if he kept at home it could not be enforced. It seems to have been a wise provision for the health of the public.

LEPTOCEPHALUS, the morris, in natural history, a genus of fishes of the order Apodes. Generic character: head small and narrow, body exceedingly thin, compressed; no pectoral fins. This fish was first discovered near the isle of Anglesea, by a gentleman of the name of Morris. It is four inches long, with an exceedingly small head, and a body so thin as to be nearly transparent; on a slight view it might almost be considered as a tape-worm.

LEPTOSPERMUM, in botany, a genus of the Icosandria Monogynia class and order. Natural order of Myrti. Essential character: calyx five-cleft, half superior; petals five, with claws, longer than the stamens; stigma capitate; capsule four or five-celled; seeds angular. There are eleven species, of which L. scoparium is a small tree or shrub, growing to a moderate height, generally bare on the lower part, with a number of small branches growing close together towards the top; the younger ones are silky it grows commonly in dry places near the shores in New Zealand; the underwood in Adventure-bay, Van Diemen's land, chiefly consists of this shrub; the leaves were used by Captain Cook's ships' crews, as tea, whence they named it the tea-plant; the leaves have a very agreeable flavour, and a pleasant smell when fresh; if the infusion was made strong, it proved an emetic to some, in the same manner as green tea; it was also used with spruce leaves, in equal quantities, to correct their astringency in brewing beer for them, which rendered it exceedingly palatable.

LEPTURA, in natural history, a genus of insects of the order Coleoptera. Antennæ setaceous; four feelers filiform; shells tapering towards the tip; thorax slender, rounded. There are nearly one hundred and fifty species, in two divisions, viz. A. lip entire; B. lip bifid. Many of the species of this genus are very beautiful; among these may be mentioned L. arcuata, of a black colour, with wing-sheaths marked by transverse yellow; lunated bands pointing backwards. It is found in the woods during the summer months, and generally measures about three-quarters of an inch in length. L. aquatica, is so named from its being particularly found in the neighbourhood of waters, frequently on the plants which grow near the water's edge. It is only half an inch in length, and of a golden green colour, sometimes varying into copper-colour, purple, or blue, and is distinguished by hav

ing a tooth or process on the thighs of the legs.

LEPUS, the hare, in natural history, a genus of Mammalia, of the order Glires. Generic character: two fore-teeth above and below; the upper pair double, two small ones standing within the exterior. These animals exhibit several considerable differences from those of the order Glires in general, to which, however, upon the whole, they are with more propriety attached than to any other. By an appearance of rumination, they appear somewhat connected with the Pecora. There are fifteen species, of which the following chiefly deserve notice.

L. timidus, or the common hare. This animal is a native of almost every country of the old continent, and is generally of the length of two feet. Its upper lip is divided, and its eyes are extremely projected, and, it is said, kept open by it during sleep. It subsists on a great variety of vegetables, particularly those which possess milky qualities; the bark of young trees, and their tender shoots, are likewise often taken by them for food. It produces generally three young ones at a time, and breeds at least three times in a year. The hare seldom quits its seat, or form, as it is called, during the day, unless compelled by the approach of enemies; but takes its range for food and excursion by night, always returning, it is said, to her habitation by the same track by which it was left. In this form it will sometimes suffer itself to be approached so nearly, as to be nearly trodden upon before it starts for escape; the first advances of the enemy having probably not attracted its attention, and those which immediately followed, being attended by a species of fascination, or prostration of energy, the frequent effect of terror, till, at length, the imminence of its danger rouses every nerve and muscle, to exertions which enable it to leave its enemies at a considerable distance. Its fleetness is such as to give it the advantage over many of its numerous adversaries. Its quickness of hearing, and comprehension of sight, by which last it receives the impressions of objects on almost every side, are also important means of its protection. The similarity of its colour, likewise, to that of the ground, is another circumstance considerably in its favour. In the more northern regions, during the rigours of winter, its coat becomes of a perfect whiteness. By the particular structure of the hind-feet of this animal, it is quali

fied to run with rapidity up a considerable ascent, and seems to be conscious of this advantage, by frequently taking such a direction as gives it the full benefit of this peculiarity.

The average duration of the hare is about seven years; but so numerous are its enemies, that, notwithstanding the advantages above-mentioned, it very frequently fails to attain its natural term. It is pursued by dogs and foxes with mortal and unrelenting antipathy. Weasels, wild-cats, and wolves seize and devour it whenever it is within their reach; and eagles, hawks, and other birds of prey are also destructive enemies; but the most formidable of all is man, who finds one of the most interesting of his diversions in its persecution, and one of the highest luxuries of his table in its flesh. Indeed, so prolific is the hare, that without experiencing very considerable hostility, it would multiply to a most injurious degree; and in some districts of France, where the game was particularly and assiduously secured by the proprietors, no fewer than five hundred hares have been killed within a small compass in a single day.

The hare, if taken young, may be tamed and domesticated. It has occasionally been suckled and nursed by a cat. The celebrated Sonnini, the traveller and naturalist had a hare in a complete state of domestication; and Cowper, the poet, was in possession of three, whose comforts he attended to with the most humane assiduity, and whose manners he has described with much interest and discrimination. The fur of the hare is of eminent, and almost indispensable utility, in the hat manufactory, and innumerable skins are annually brought to this country for that purpose from the north of Europe.

This animal was regarded by Moses as unclean, and unfit for food; it is considered in the same light also by the Mahometans. The Romans used to value it highly for the table. By the ancient Britons it was considered as partaking somewhat of a sacred character, which forbade their application of it to so ordinary a purpose. Hares have been seen in this country perfectly white, as in more northern regions, and accounts of horned hares have been given to the public upon unquestionable authority, though such animals are of extremely rare occurrence. For the Common Hare, see Mammalia, Plate XV. fig. 3.

L. variabilis, or the varying hare, is an inhabitant of the loftiest territories of the

north, both of Europe and America. Its colour in summer is a tawny grey, and in winter it is changed to a perfect white. It never associates with the common hare, and rarely descends from its elevated haunts into the vallies; though occasionally, in a rigorous winter, numbers of these animals are seen to quit the frozen elevations of Siberia, and migrate for subsistence to the woody and sheltered plains.

L. cuniculus, or the rabbit, is found in most temperate climates, but not far to the north. Its fecundity is extreme, and in some countries has occasioned it to be considered as one of the greatest annoyances. It will breed, in favourable circumstances, seven times in a year, and produces about eight young ones at a time. It is most strikingly similar to the hare in general appearance; but while the hare prefers the uncovered field, the rabbit burrows in the ground. It has sharp and long claws for this purpose, and chooses dry and chalky soils, in which it can with the greatest ease construct its mansion. It lives to the age of about eight years. The female prepares a bed for its young before their birth, from its own coat, of the finest and warmest materials, nurses them with incessant assiduity, and is obliged often to secrete them from the malignant attempts of the male, which have been known, in many instances, to be fatal to them. In England, particularly in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, rabbits are abun. dant, and their fur is of nearly equal value with their flesh.

The hare and rabbit never intermix, and appear to contemplate each other without the slightest sympathy. The principal difference between these two animals consists in the proportional length of the hind legs to that of the back. For the Rabbit, see Mammalia, Plate XV. fig. 4.

L. alpinus, or the Alpine hare, is about the size of a Guinea pig, is a native of the Altaic mountains, and burrows in the clefts of the rocks, or resides in the hollows of trees. These animals avoid the glare of day, and appear only by night, or in obscure and dull weather. They collect in summer a preparation of herbage, the most delicate and fragrant, and having dried it with the utmost care, set it aside in compact heaps for their subsistence during winThese heaps are occasionally of the height and depth of several feet, and are sometimes of extreme service to the horses of the sable hunters in those dreadful regions, preserving them from absolutely

ter.

Letters make the first part or elements of grammar; an assemblage of these compose syllables and words, and these compose sentences. The alphabet of every language consists of a number of letters, which ought each to have a different sound, figure, and use. As the difference of articulate sounds was intended to express the different ideas of the mind, so one letter was originally intended to signify only one sound, and not, as at present, to express sometimes one sound and sometimes another; which practice has brought a great deal of confusion into the languages, and rendered the learning of the modern tongues much more difficult than it would otherwise have been. This consideration, together with the deficiency of all the known alphabets, from their wanting some letters to express certain sounds, has occasioned several attempts towards an universal alphabet, to contain an enumeration of all such single sounds or letters as are used in any language. See ALPHABET, and WRITING, origin of.

Grammarians distinguish letters into vowels, consonants, mutes, liquids, diphthongs, and characteristics. They are also divided into labial, dental, guttural, and palatal, and into capital and small letters. They are also denominated from the shape and turn of the letters; and in writing are distingnished into different hands, as roundtext, German-text, round hand, Italian, &c. and in printing into roman, italic, and black letter. The term letter, or type, among printers, not only includes the capitals, small capitals, and small letters, but all the points, figures, and other marks, cast and used in printing; and also the large ornamental letters, cut in wood or metal, which take place of the illumined letters used in manuscripts. The letters used in printing are cast at the ends of small pieces of metal, about three quarters of an inch in length; and the letters being not indented, but raised, easily give the impression, when, after being blacked with a glutinous ink, paper is closely pressed upon it.

A fount of letters includes small letters, capitals, small capitals, points, figures, spaces, &c. but besides these they have different kinds of two-lined letters, only used for titles, and the beginning of books, chapters, &c. See FOUNT.

LETTER of attorney, a writing authorising another to do any lawful act instead of the party himself, such as to sue and recover debts, to receive rents, seamen's wages, to execute leases, to give livery of

seisin, &c. In all these cases the authority must be strictly pursued, and it is liable to be revoked by granting a new letter of attor. ney, or by death of either party. In cases of seamen, there are certain statute regulations for protecting them from imposition.

LETTERS of marque, are extraordinary commissions, granted to captains or merchants for reprisals, in order to make a reparation for those damages they have sustained, or the goods they have been deprived of by strangers at sea. These ap. pear to be always joined to those of reprise for the reparation of a private injury; but under a declared war the former only are granted.

LEVATOR, in anatomy, a name given to several muscles. See ANATOMY.

LEUCOIUM, in botany, snow-drop, a genus of the Hexandria Monogynia class and order. Natural order of Spathaceæ. Narcissi, Jussieu. Essential character: corolla beil-shaped, six-parted, thickened at the tips; stigma simple. There are four species: these are all bulbous rooted plants; the flowers, which at first sight resemble those of the common snow-drop, are easily distinguished by the absence of the threeleaved nectary, and they do not appear so soon by a month. These plants being of a different genus from the true snow-drop, ought certainly to have another English name: some botanists call it spring snow flake; others many-flowered bulbous violet. In the gardens it is known by the name of great summer snow-drop, and late or tall snow-drop. They are natives of the south of Europe.

LEUCOPHRA, in natural history, a genus of the Vermes Infusoria class and or der: worm invisible to the naked eye, every where ciliate. There are eight species. L. cornuta: inversely conic, green, opaque. This is found in marshy grounds. Body broad, truncate on the fore part, with a small spine on each side; the hind part pellucid and pointed, sometimes it appears oval or kidney-shaped, and when the water which contains it evaporates, it breaks into molecular vesicles. L. nodulata; ovateoblong, depressed, with a double row of tubercles. This species is found in the intestines of lumbricus terristris, and nais littoralis: it is very pellucid, shining like silver, and is propagated by a transverse division; oval when young, and growing more oblong with age; truncate at the tip.

LEUCOPSIS, in natural history, a genus of insects of the order Hymenoptera: month