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in the reft; and are knotted and entangled with each other; being alfo covered with the vifcid matter which iffues from their roots, and which affifts in gluing them together.

"In proportion as the quantity of this gluten, and the implication of the hair increases, it is still more and more difficult to clean and comb it; hence a degree of phthiriafis is produced, and the head contracts an extremely foetid fmell, to which, however, the Polish peafants are fo much accuftomed, that they endure it without com, plaint, or any manifeft inconvenience.

"It is alfo an opinion univerfally prevalent with them, that the difeafe is a falutary effort of nature to expel a morbid matter from the body; and that to interrupt the courfe of it would be productive of imminent danger; hence, they make no attempt to cure, or even palliate the complaint. And, if we may repofe confidence in authors of cftablished reputation, morbid affections of a fimilar nature to thofe which precede its occurrence, paralyfis, and even death itfelf, have fucceeded imprudent attempts to check the progrefs of the difeafe. In this refpect, plica bears -fome analogy to the exanthemata, and various chronic cutaneous eruptions.

"I am as yet unable to decide whether this complaint is hereditary or not. From fome obfervations indeed it appears, that a predifpofition to it may be tranfmitted from parents to their offfpring; but my information on this head is too limited to afcertain the point. In one cafe which fell under my own obfervation, two brothers had plica, both on the left fide of the head, and in about

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one-third of their hairs: I learned from them, that their father and grandfather had also been affected with the difeafe in a form exactly fimilar.

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"Befides the human fpecies, other animals are fubject to this complaint. It appears in fome of the finest horses in Poland. them it is fituated in the mane, and fometimes in the long hairs around the hoof and fetlock joint. It at tacks alfo the different fpecies of the canine genus; dogs, wolves, and foxes. Previous to its occurrence in the first, the symptoms of rabies ufually appear: the tail is dropped between the hind legs, there is a flow of frothy saliva from the mouth, the fight and appetite are impaired, or entirely loft; they are snappifh, and difpofed to bite, but their bite does not produce hydrophobia. The wolf is affected in the fame manner he leaves his wonted concealments in the woods, and runs wildly among the flocks, biting, and deftroying them, but without producing hydrophobia.

"The impoffibility of afcertaining the true caufes of this fingular disease has given rife to feveral vague conjectures on the fubject; as that of Le Fontaine, who attributes it to a corruption of the fat.

"It is fomewhat remarkable, that plica takes place only among the lower clafs of people; whence fome have conceived, that it is to be confidered merely as a confequence of uncleanliness.

"But, in objection to this opinion, it may be urged, that it is unknown in the adjoining countries fubject to the Pruffian government, where the peafants are habituated to the fame customs and mode af life, or nearly the fame as in Poland

that its appearance affords evi dent

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dent relief to the fyftem, and its retroceffion is productive of dangerous confequences. The idea, that it is a real and idiopathic difeafe, is confirmed alfo by its occurrence in a variety of animals, and by the circumstance of its being confined to particular parts of the head; for which no reason can be affigned on the former fuppofition. "A peculiarity of climate cannot be adduced as a caufe of this difeafe. Poland differs little in this respect from the adjoining countries. The fummer heat is confiderable, the thermometer rifing frequently to 98°, 100°, 104°, and the cold in winter fo great, that it falls fometimes 10, 15 degrees be low o. But though the changes in the atmosphere are fo remarkable, at different periods of the year, they take place with the utmost regularity, the temperature paffing, by infenfible degrees, from one extreme to the other.

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"The Poles themfelves are vigorous hardy race; inured from infancy to labour, and to exposure

to the viciffitudes of the atmo fphere; almoft regardless of cold, they frequently fleep in the open air. Their diet confifts chiefly of animal food, and they are much addicted to the ufe of fpirits. They have an equal fondness for other ftrong ftimulating liquids. I have. feen them drink, with the greatest pleasure, the falt brine in which herrings have been preserved, and even nitrous acid, diluted with water.

"Since no other caufe can be affigned for this disease, it is probable that it arifes, according to the general opinion, from contagion; a contagion which, like that of pfora, can be communicated by contact only; but this I have not been able to afcertain by any obfervations of my own.

"It is faid, however, by authors of reputation, that plica is frequent in Tartary; and that it was brought into Poland in the thirteenth century by the Tartars, who at that period made frequent irruptions into the eastern parts of Europe."

ACCOUNT of the Lynx of ABRUZZO.

[From the TRAVELS through VARIOUS PROVINCES of the KINGDOM of VAPLES, in 1789, by CHARLES ULYSSES, of SALIS MARSCHLINS, tranflated from the German, by ANTHONY AUFRERE, Eiq.]

46

:

LTHOUGH Buffon and

mountains, and which precifely

A Schreber have given us refembles the species given in Buf

very good accounts of the lynx, the naturalift will probably not be dif pleafed at receiving fome information about the fpecies of Lynx peculiar to the provinces of Abruzzo. It is frequently met with in the woods of Abruzzo Ultra, where it is called Il Gatto Pardo, and is fmaller than a fort that is not unfrequent amongst the Grifon

fon's Natural History, part xix, plate 31, French, octavo and in Schreber's Sucking Animals, part iii, pl. 109, page 408. But the lynx of Abruzzo is of a darker colour, is from eighteen to twenty inches high, and from twenty-four to twenty-feven inches in length, to the root of the tail, which is four inches long. The male is larger

than

than the female. The colour is whitish, with fpots like ftars, of a reddish yellow, inclining to a yellow gold colour. The hair is fhort and foft, the head large, and like a tyger's, with longish upright ears, terminated by a tuft of coarfe, hand, and upright briftles. The eyes are large, and the teeth, claws, and whiskers, are long and fharp. Had I been fortunate enough to procure a dead one, I could give a much more complete defcription; but I could not fucceed in my endeavours. The actions of this animal exacly refemble thofe of a cat, like which it fits, runs, fprings, eats, purrs, and fleeps; although all thefe actions are in proportion to its fuperior fize. It is eafily tamed; and the baron Tomafetti affured me that it ran about the boufe like a cat, was much attached to them, and was in no wife inconvenient, except from its extraordinary curiofity. Not a corner in the house, nor a moveable therein, remained unvifited; and a female loft its life by jumping down the hole in the privy. I was furprised to find that the domeftic cat had an infuperable averfion to this animal; and I was affured, that the moment a lynx was brought into the hoffe, all the cats disappeared, and were feen no more during that animal's abode there. The lynx bears the privation of its freedom only fo long as it is allowed to wander about the houfe; all those which the baron fent to the royal menagerie having foon died of excefs of fat, which was the cafe with that I faw there, and which alfo appeared extremely melancholy. The lynx of Abruzzo is unquestionably the moft fwift, fubtle, and audacious beaft of prey in Italy. It only wanders about in the night, and never is feen in the day, unless when in heat, or in

fearch of provifion for its young' It feeds upon all kinds of rnice' moles, martins, ferrets, hares, bad. gers, otters, and even fheep and goats; neither are tame and wild fowl fafe from its attacks. It watches for its prey, either upon the ground, or between the bran ches of a tree, and ufually feizes it at the very firft fpring, even though it be on full fpeed; and from its ambufcade amongst the branches, it fuceefsfully darts upon birds that are upon the wing. When it has killed fuch a large animal as a wild boar, or a roe-buck, it first fucks the blood out of the arteries, which' feems to be its favourite food; after which it devours the foft parts of the head, neck, fhoulders, and legs, together with the entrails, and leaves the remainder. When it fails in procuring a live animal, it contents itself with vegetables, or gratifies itfelf with all kinds of fruit. Its favourite place of abode is amongst thick and extenfive forefts, and in folitary diftricts, where it makes its retreat in hollow trees, or in holes and clefts in the rocks. It pairs only once a year, at the beginning of spring; and contrary to the custom of cats, which celebrate their nuptials with hideous cries, it remains perfectly filent. The female goes two months, and then brings forth two young ones, which are generally of different fexes. She fuckles them during two months; and the young ones require two years to grow, and be fit for pairing. It has been obferved here, that the lynx generally attains the age of twenty years. Sociability appertains not to its qualities, and more than one couple are rarely found in a diftrict. Like all creatures upon earth, this alfo has its enemies, and is pursued by men, dogs, wolves, and large

fnakes.

nakes. Flight is its firft object; but when it is deprived of the means of escape, and is attacked and wounded, it defends itself against every description of enemy, with fuch fury and dexterity, that it is feldom overcome but by numbers of beafts, or the fuperiority of human fagacity. The lynx not only feeds occafionally upon the bodies of dead men, but even attacks children, and devours them. This animal is feldom to be taken alive, except whilft very young, when it is frequently found playing upon the grafs near the trees, or fraying about the country in queft of its mother. It is fometimes taken in traps, but is generally shot. The attachment fubfifting between a couple is remarkable: for when one lies dead upon the ground, and the hunters have retired to a certain diftance, the other approaches its comrade, looks at it, goes round it,

lies down by it,goes away, and returns feveral times, until it appears to have loft all hope of its being only afleep. The lynx furnishes man with a very warm and useful fkin; and fome profit arifes from its fat and gall.

"From what has been faid, I think that the lynx of Abruzzo may be claffed under the fpecies which Schreber calls the lynx-cat. It is indeed fmaller, and has very diftinct fpots; but that which I faw at Naples did not furpafs our's in brilliant colours, and differs from it in nothing but in its production of only two young ones. Alian's account of the lynx correfponds fo exactly with the one above defcribed, that I am inclined to fuppofe him not unacquainted with that fpecies. As Pliny fpeaks of no lynxes in Italy, it may be prefumed that in his time none exifted there."

Of the CULTIVATION of the OLIVE TREE, and the PROCESS of making O14 in the NEIGHBOURHOOD of GALLIPOLI.

"TH

[From the fame Work.]

HE olive-tree is here propagated, either by grafting, by flips, or by runners from the mafter roots, which in fome places are called Barbatelle.

"They graft upon the wild olivetree, which abounds upon the paftures, where old and half decayed trunks give reafon to fuppofe that olive plantations formerly exifted. This operation is performed between the end of March and the beginning of May; in three years fruit is produced; and this is the quickeft method of producing it.

"The fecond mode is here called Culmonare. Between November

and March, the branch of a bear. ing tree, from four to feven palms long, and from two to three inches thick, is flipped off, and put into a hole which had been dug fome time before. The earth is then heaped up around the branch, within a foot of the top, in order that it may, remain perfectly frefh; and in ten. years it becomes a profitable tree.

"The third method, here called Mazarellare, confifts in planting very fmall fhoots, at a proper diftance, in ground previoutly prepared. They are carefully watered during fummer, and tranfplanted the third year; but it is only at the

end

end of 13 or 14 years, that any real profit can be derived from fuch

trees.

"I am much furprised that there fhould be no nursery for olive-trees in a diftrict where that tree is honoured with more attention than in any other part of the kingdom. The prince of Francavilla had in deed established a nursery, but after his death it was fuffered to go to decay, notwithstanding he, as well as the whole country, derived the greatest benefit therefrom.

"In the propagation of the olive-tree, lefs attention is paid to the quality of the olive than ought to be fhewn to that article; for here, as amongst other kinds of fruit-trees, we fhall find several varieties, efpecially if we are governed by their different appellations. But befides that, almoft every town has its own peculiar term for one and the fame fort; botanizers declare that the varieties are very trifling, although the nature of the climate, and the mode of cultivation, affuredly occafion fome fort of diftinction. It is certain, however, that the woods and uncultivated places produce a tree called by the peafantry Termete and Olivaftro, which entirely correfponds with the Olea Europaea, and brings forth a great quantity of fruit, which is only half the fize of that produced by an engrafted olivetree. From these wild trees, when improved by cultivation, probably fpring the numberlefs varieties, which are to be found in this kingdom, and of which Dr. Prefta men tions feveral in the quarto edition of his Memoria intorno ai Seffanta due faggi d'Oglio prefentati alla Maeftà del Re di Napoli, publifhed at Naples, in 1778. Amongst them he principally diftinguishes only two kinds, called at Gallipoli, Og

liarola, and Cellina; from whole fruit he extracted a diffimilar oil, although he at the fame time allows the difference to be inconfiderable. The former correfponds with that which the ancients termed Salentina; and its fruit is by far the best in quality, as well as the most common in the province; but the tree that bears it is fubject to the blight, or Brufca. This olive is commonly nine lines long, fix lines thick, fomewhat curved, of a brownish hue, and black when it is perfectly ripe: it weighs between 30 and 40 grains, including the tone, which is almost smooth, and weighs about fix or eight grains.

"The other fort, called Cellina, is, after the above, the most common; but it has many different appellations, as Uliva di Nardo, Cafcirolo, Mifciana, and others; and Columelia is faid to mention it by the name of Oleaftellum. This olive is commonly eight lines long, fix broad, and has a very light ftone. At first it appears as if covered with a filvery fort of crape, but becomes quite black when it is ripe; it yields lefs than the foregoing, and the oil fooner turns rancid. The tree which bears this olive, is now very generally cultivated, it being lefs fubject to difeafes, and particularly to the Brufca.

"The procefs of cultivating the olive-tree confifts, first, in stirring the ground around the tree. This is done at the beginning of the year, when the earth is dug five or fix feet around the trunk of the tree, to a certain depth, and fome fine manure is put to the roots; but very judicious cultivators will not allow of the manure, and fay that it is prejudicial to the quality of the oil. Only the trees upon the hills and fallow grounds are treated as above; the earth around thofe

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