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to the left. Thus paeons changing their course to the lett wouldlabour it with their right wing, keeping the other almost at rest.Birds of a long neck alter their course by the inclination of theirhead and neck, which altering the course of gravity, the bird willproceed in a new direction. The act of Hying is thus performed :The bird tir-t bends his legs, and springs with a violent leap fromthe ground ; then opens and expands the joints of his w ings, so a-to make a eight line perpendicular to tile sides of his body : thus tin-wings, with all the feathers therein, constitute one continued la-mina. Being now raised a little above the horizon, and vibratingthe wings with great force and velocity perpendicularly against thesubject air, that fluid resists those successions, both from its naturalinactivity and elasticity, by means of which the whole bodv of thebird is protruded. The resistance the air makes to the withdraw-ing of the wings, and consequently the progress of the bird, will beso much the greater, as the stroke of the fail of the wing is longer:but as the force of the wing is continually diminished by this re-sistance, when the two forces continue to be in eqttilibrio, the birdwill remain suspended in the same place; for the bird only ascendsso long as the arch of air the wing describes makes a resistanceequal to the excess of the specific gravity of the bird above the air.It the air, therefore, he so rare as to give way with the same velo-city a,s it is struck withal, there will be no resistance, and conse-quently the bird can never mount. Birds never fly upwards in aperpendicular line, but always in a parabola. In a direct ascent,the natural and artificial tendency would oppose and destroy eachother, so that the progress would lie very slow. In a direct descentthey would aid one another, so that the fall would be too precipitate.

Plying, Artificial, that attempted by men, by the assistanceof mechanics. The art of Hying has been attempted by severalpersons in all ages. The Lcucamans, out of superstition, arc re-ported to have had a custom of precipitating a man from a highcliff into the sea, first fixing feathers, variously expanded, roundhis body, in order to break the tall. Friar Bacon, not onlv affirmsthe art of living possible, but assures us, that lie himself knew howto make an engine wherein a man sitting might convey himselfthrough the air like a bird ; and further adds, that there was thenone who had tried it with success. The secret consisted in a coupleof large thin hollow copper globes, exhausted of air; which beingmuch lighter than air, would sustain a chair whereon a personmight sit. Fa. Francisco Lana, in his Prodromo, proposes thesame thing as his own thought. But Dr. Ilook proves that this isimpracticable. The philosophers of King Charles IPs reign weremightily busied about this art. Bishop Wilkins was so confidentof success in it, that lie says, he does not question but in future agesit will be as usual to hear a man call for his wings, when lie is goinga journey, as it is now to call fot his bools.

Flying-Army, a small body under a lieutenant or major-general, sent to barrass the country, intercept convoys, prevent theenemy’s incursions, cover its own garrison-, and keep the enemyin continual alarm.

Flying Fish, a name given to several species of fish, which, bymeans of their long fins, keep themselves out of water a consider-able time. See Exocoetus.

Flying Pinion, a part of a clock, having a fly or fan to gatherair, and so bridle the rapidity of the clock’s motion, when theweight descends in the striking piece.

FLY-TRAP, VENUS’s, m botany, a singular sensitive plant,lately discovered. See Dionjea.

Fly-wort, in botany. See Silene.

FO, or FOE, an id.il of the Chinese , originally worshipped inthe Indies, and transported from thence into China , together withthe tables with which the Indian books were tilled. He is said tohave performed 1110 -t wonderful thing-, which the Chinese havedescribed iii several volumes, and represented by cuts.

FOCHIA, NOVA, or FOl'CHEA, a sea-port tow n of Asi-atic Turkey, in Xutolia, on the Gulf uf Smyrna. It is 32 milesS. S. A'. ol Pergamo .

FOCUS, [Lat.] in optics, the point from which rays diverge,»r to which they converge. See Optics.

Focus, in conic sections. See Conic Sections.

FODDER, Ifolhre, J'c.iher, Sax.] dry food stored up forcattle against waiter.

Fodder, in tiie civil law, is used fora prerogative that the princehas, to be provided of corn and othermeats for his verses, by thesubjects, in Ids warlike expeditions.

Fodder, in mining, a measure containing ‘{'A hundred and aahalf weight, though in London only 20 liundied weight.

l-tFAUGR EEK. See Triconeli.a.

F(EN US NAUTICUM. W here money was lent to a mer-chant, to be employed in a beneficial trade upon condition to berepaid, with extraordinary interest, in case such voyage was safelyperformed, the agreement was sometimes called tcenus luuiticum,sometimes usura maritima. But, as this gave an opening tor usu-rious and gaming contracts, 19 Geo. II. c. 37, enacts, that allmoney lent on bottomry, or at respondentia, on vcs.els bound toor from the Ea t Indies,shall lie expressly lent only upon the shipor merchandise: the lender to have the benefit ot salvage, &c.Biac k-tone’s Com. II. 459. Mol. de Jur. Mar. 301.

FtETUS, the young of all viviparous animals whilst in thewomb, and of oviparous animals before being hatched. ’File nameis transferred by botanists to the embryos of vegetables. Till thevoting is perfectly formed, it is more properly called Embryo.In the human’talus there exist several peculiarities not to be foundin the adult: 1. The arteries of the naval string, which arc con-tinuations of the hypogastric*, are ail, r the birth shrivelled up, andform tiie lower umbilical ligament. 2. The veins of the navel-string are formed by the union of all the venous branches in tiieplacenta; and, passing into the abdomen, become tiie falciformligament of the liver. 3. The lungs, before being inflated withair, are coni pact and heavy; but alter one inspiration they becomelight, and as it were spongy : and it may he noted here, that thenotion of the lungs sinking in water before the c hild breathes, andof their swimming after the reception of air, are no certain proofsthat the child had or had not breathed, much less that it was mur-dered: for the uniuilated lungs become specifically lighter thanwater, as soon as any degree of putrefaction takes place in them ;and this soon happens after tiie death ot the child ; besides, wheretiie utmost care has been taken to preserve tiie child, it has breath-ed once or twice, and then died. tj. The thymus gland is verylarge in the feetus, but dwindles away in proportion as years ad-vance. 7. The foramen ovale in tiie heart of a foetus is generallyclosed in an adult.

FOG , or MIST, a meteor consisting of gross vapours floatingnear tiie surface of tiie earth. Fogs have a considerable influenceon tiie winter. In the summer of 1783, an uncommon fog pre-vailed all over Europe, and great part of North America . It wasdi y r , of a permanent nature, and tiie rays of the sun had but littleeffect in dissipating it, which they easily do in moist fogs arisingfrom water. Flic effect of tiie rays in heating the earth was ex-ceedingly diminished: hence its surface was frozen early, tiie firstsnows remained on it undissolved, and received continual additions;the air was more chilled, and intensely cold, and the winter of 1783and 1784 was exceedingly severe. Fhe spring fogs are most de-trimental to sucli young fruit, and other treo, as are planted inlow situations; because they moisten the young shoots, and tintsrender them more liable to the injuries of tiie frosty nights suc-ceeding them, but which they escape when placed in more ele-vated situations.

FOGAGE, or FOGAGIUM, in the forest law, rank grass noteaten up in summer.

FOGARAS, a town of Transylvania , on the Alauta, (he see ofa Greek bishop. It is 20 miles N. E. ui ll nnanstadt.

FOGO, a small island near the coast of Newtoundlaml. Lon.54. 10. W. Lat. 50.2, N.

FO-I1I, FO, or FE, the chief god of tiie Chinese , whom theyadore as the sovereign of heaven. They represent him shining allin light, with his hands hid under his robes, to shew that his powerdoes all tilings invisibly. He has at his right baud’the tamousConfucius , and at his left Lanza, or Lanca, chid of the second sectof their religion.

Fo-hi is also the name of the first emperor of China , accordingto tiie m >t < rcdible and authentic histones. Some suppose linni he same wi' h Noah; other* place him 200 years alter the deluge.

1 I iie Chinese sav lie reigned 115 years.

FOI1 R, or FORA, a fertile island of Denmark , on the coast of*d"swick; 12 mile- in circuit. Lou. 8. 31. E. Lat 54. 44. N.

FOIL, among gins—grind r., a sheet of tin, with quicksilveror tiie like, laid on the back side of a looking-glass, to make it re*licet. See Foliating.

Foil, among jewellers, a thin leaf of mein) placed under a pre-cious stone, in order to make tl look transparent, and give it an

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