Valerian,s.A plant, of which cats are immoderately fond.
Vapour,s.Anything exhalable, anything that mingles with the air; wind; fume, steam; diseases caused by diseased nerves; melancholy, spleen.
Varnish,s.A matter laid upon wood, metal, or other bodies, to make them shine.
As moisture is at all times destructive to wood, it is essential for the angler to guard all in his power against its influence on his rod; for, admitting that a shower of rain will not spoil it, yet if not protected by varnish, it may soon be deprived of its elasticity, which is the chief requisite of any, and more particularly of a fly-rod. Variety of methods are used in preparing varnish; the one here mentioned is said to be excellent.
Varnish Recipe.—Half a pint of linseed oil, and a little India rubber scraped fine; put them over a slow fire, and stir them well together, until the rubber is dissolved, then boil and skim it, apply it warm, and do not use the rod until quite dry. The appearance upon the rod will be like a fine thin bark; it will preserve the rod from being worm-eaten, and from other injuries, and is very durable.
Another.—Half an ounce of shell, and the same quantity of seedlac powdered fine in a mortar; put into separate phials, with half a pint of good spirits of wine in each, and placed in a sand heat to dissolve; during the process, shake the phials often; when each is dissolved, mix them together in a larger bottle, with half an ounce of gum benzoin; increase the heat, and the dregs will subside; then warm the wood, and with a camel’s hair brush apply that part of the varnish which is become fine; the third coat will remain on the surface, and securely protect the rod from injury.—Old Receipts.
Varnish,v.To cover with something shining.
Vascular,a.Consisting of vessels, full of vessels.
Vault,v.To leap, to jump.
Udder,s.The breast or dugs of a cow, or other large animals.
Veal,s.The flesh of a calf killed for the table.
Vegetable,s.Anything that has growth without sensation, as plants.
Vegetable,a.Belonging to a plant; having the nature of plants.
Vehicle,s.That in which any thing is carried; that part of a medicine which serves to make the principal ingredient potable; that by means of which anything is conveyed.
Vein,s. The veins are only a continuation of the extreme capillary arteries reflected back again towards the heart, and uniting their channels as they approach it.
Veiny,a.Full of veins; streaked, variegated.
Velocity,s.Speed, swiftness, quick motion.
Velvet,s.Silk, with a short fur or pile upon it.
Velvet Duck,Double Scoter, orGreat Black Duck, (Anas Fusca,Linn.;Le Grand Macreuse,Buff.)s.
THE VELVET DUCK.
THE VELVET DUCK.
THE VELVET DUCK.
The velvet duck is larger than a mallard, weighing about three pounds two ounces, and measuring above twenty inches in length.
They spread themselves in small numbers along the shores of Western Europe, as far as France, where they sometimes appear in company with the large flocks of scoters, and are often caught in the fishermen’s nets with those birds; but they are seldom met with on the British shores.
The bill broad, with a black knob at the base; the rest of the bill is yellow; the nail red; the edges all round black; the plumage is black, inclining to brown on the belly; under each eye is a white mark passing backwards in a streak; across the middle of the wing is a band of white; legs red; claws black. The female is more inclining to brown, and the protuberance on the bill is wanting; forehead and cheeks under the eye, dull brownish; behind that a large oval spot of white; whole upper parts and neck dark brownish drab; tips of the plumage lighter; second ones white; wing quills deep brown; belly brownish-white; tail hoary-brown; the throat white, marked with dusky specks; legs and feet yellow.
This species much resembles the scoter, only that bird has no white feathers about it, and the colour of the bill is somewhat different. In the windpipe of this bird is a singular bony swelling, the size of a small walnut, situated about two-thirds of the length from the larynx; immediately under the larynx is another oblong bony cavity, of nearly an inch in length; at the divarication the parts become bony, but not greatly enlarged. This is peculiar to the male sex.—Montagu.
Venatic,a.Used in hunting.obs.
Venation,s.The act or practice of hunting, obs.
Veneer,v.To make a kind of marquetry, or inlaid work.
Venery,s.The sport of hunting; the commerce of the sexes.
Venesection,s.Bloodletting, the act of opening a vein, phlebotomy.
Venison,s.Game, beast of chace, the flesh of deer.
Venomous,a.Poisonous.
Vent,s.A small aperture; a hole; a spiracle; the aperture of a bird or fish; act of opening; emission; discharge.
Venter,s.Any cavity of the body; the abdomen.
Vent Feathers(Crissum,Linn.),s.In ornithology, are those that lie from the vent, or anus, to the tail underneath.
Ventilator,s.An apparatus to supply close places with fresh air.
Ventricle,s.The stomach; any small cavity in an animal body, particularly those of the heart.
Verderer,s.An officer of the forest.
In every forest there are usually four verderers, so named fromviridisorvert. The verderer is a judicial officer of the forest, chosen by force of the king’s writ in full county, and sworn to maintain the laws of the forest, and to view, receive, and enrol the attachments and presentments of all trespasses within the forest of vert and venison.
Verdigris,s.The rust of brass.
Verjuice,s.Acid liquor expressed from crab apples.
Vermicular,a.Acting like a worm, continued from one part to another.
Vermifuge,s.Any medicine that destroys or expels worms.
Vermilion,s.The cochineal, a grub of a particular plant; factitious or native cinnabar, sulphur mixed with mercury; any beautiful red colour.
Vermin,s.Any noxious animal.
To destroy vermin.—When dogs are afflicted with lice, the most effectual remedy is to rub the whole animal over with train-oil; allow it to remain on half an hour, and then wash it off with salt of tartar, or potashes and water. Soft soap made into a thick paste, and rubbed over the body, and allowed to remain on an hour before washing the dog, will effectually destroy them.
N.B.—The method of giving any bolus, pill, or other medicine to a dog, is to pull out his tongue, then put it down his throat as far as possible, and when the dog draws in his tongue, the medicine will descend into his stomach.
Sopping the skin with tobacco water has been recommended; but it has only a momentary effect, and it not unfrequently poisons the dog. Innumerable other means I have tried to drive away fleas, but the only tolerably certain one I have discovered, is to make dogs sleep on fresh yellow deal shavings. These shavings may be made so fine as to be as soft as a feather bed; and, if changed every week or fortnight, they make the most cleanly and wholesome one that a dog can rest on; and the turpentine in them is very obnoxious to the fleas. But, where it is absolutely impracticable to employ deal shavings, it will be found useful to rub or dredge the dog’s hide, once or twice a week, with very finely powdered resin: if simply rubbed in, add some bran.—Brown—Blaine.
Vernal,a.Belonging to the spring.
Vernal Birds of Passage.—The earlier or later appearance of our spring birds may be found to arise from accidental vicissitudes of the season in those countries from whence they come; and, viewed in this light, the time of their arrival becomes an interesting phenomena to note down. Generally speaking, they arrive at the following times, on an average of many years:—
Other birds, water wagtails for instance, who only make partial migrations, are more uncertain in their times of appearance.—Foster.
Vert,s.Everything that grows and bears a green leaf within the forest.
Vertebral,a.Relating to the joints of the spine.
Vertebræ,s.Joints of the back.
Vertigo,s.A giddiness, a sense of turning in the head. According to White fast trotters are particularly subject to this disease.
When a horse has been worked hard and fed high, and especially horses that excel in trotting, we often find, in the course of a few years, that they appear giddy at times, or when trotting suddenly stand still; ramble or reel a little, and shake their heads; but after a short time recover. Sometimes they reel and drop down, and lie motionless for some time; when they get up again, and recover in a short time. Sometimes after falling down, they are convulsed, and the eyes are distorted; from this state also they recover after a short time.—White.
Vesicate,v.To blister.
Vesicatory,s.A blistering medicine.
Veterinary,a.Belonging to cattle, particularly horses.
Vibrissæ(Linn.),s.In ornithology, are hairs that stand forward like feelers: in some birds they are slender, as in flycatchers, &c. and point both upwards and downwards, from both the upper and under sides of the mouth.Vibrissæ pectinatæ(Linn.), in ornithology; these hairs are very stiff, and spread out on each side like a comb from the upper sides of the mouth of the nightjar.—Montagu.
Vice,s.The course of action opposite to virtue; a fault, an offence; a kind of small iron press with screws.Vice, in horses, ill temper, savageness.
Vinegar,s.Wine grown sour.
Vingt-un,s.A game.
Vingt-un, or twenty-one, very much resembles quinze; but may be played by two or more persons, and as the deal is advantageous, and often continues long with the same person, it is usual to determine it at the commencement by the first ace turned up.
The cards must all be dealt out in succession, unless a natural vingt-un occurs, and in the mean time the pone, or youngest-hand, should collect those that have been played, and shuffle them ready for the dealer against the period when he shall have distributed the whole pack. The dealer is first to give two cards, by one at a time to each player, including himself, then to ask every person in rotation, beginning with the eldest hand on the left, whether he stands or chooses another card, which, if required, must be given from off the top of the pack, and afterwards another, or more, if desired, till the points of the additional card or cards, added to those dealt, exceed or make twenty-one exactly, or such a number less than twenty-one, as may be judged proper to stand upon; but when the points exceed twenty-one, then the cards of that individual player are to be thrown up directly, and the stake to be paid to the dealer, who is also in turn entitled to draw additional cards, and on taking a vingt-un is to receive double stakes from all who stand the game, such other players excepted who may likewise have twenty-one, between whom it is thereby a drawn game: when any person has vingt-un, and the dealer not, he who has it wins double stakes of the dealer; in other cases, except a natural vingt-un happens, the dealer pays single stakes to all whose numbers under twenty-one are higher than his own, and receives from those who have lower numbers; but nothing is paid or received by such players as have similar numbers to the dealer: and when the dealer draws more than twenty-one, he is to pay to all who have not thrown up.
Twenty-one, made by an ace and a ten, or court card, whenever dealt in the first instance, is styled a natural vingt-un, should be declared immediately, and entitles the possessor to the deal, besides double stakes, from all the players, unless there shall be more than one natural vingt-un, in which case the younger hand or hands so having the same, are excused from paying to the eldest, who takes the deal of course.
N.B. An ace may be reckoned either as eleven or one; every court-card is counted as ten, and the rest of the pack according to their pips.—Hoyle.
Vintage,s.The produce of the vine for the year; the time in which grapes are gathered.
Viper,s.A serpent of that species which brings its young alive; any thing mischievous.
When I wrote to you last year on reptiles, I wish I had not forgot to mention the faculty that snakes have of stinkingse defendendo. I knew a gentleman who kept a tame snake, which was in its person as sweet as any animal while in good humour and unalarmed; but as soon as a stranger, or a dog or cat, came in, it fell to hissing, and filled the room with such nauseous effluvia as rendered it hardly supportable. Thus the squnck, or stonck, of Ray’s Synop. Quadr. is an innocuous and sweet animal; but, when pressed hard by dogs and men, it can eject such a most pestilent and fetid smell and excrement, that nothing can be more horrible.
On August the 4th, 1775, we surprised a large viper, which seemed very heavy and bloated, as it lay in the grass basking in the sun. When we came to cut it up, we found that the abdomen was crowded with young, fifteen in number; the shortest of which measured full seven inches, and were about the size of full grown earthworms. This little fry issued into the world with the true viper spirit about them, showing great alertness as soon as disengaged from the belly of the dam: they twisted and wriggled about, and set themselves up, and gaped very wide when touched with a stick, showing manifest tokens of menace and defiance, though as yet they had no manner of fangs that we could find, even with the help of our glasses.
To a thinking mind nothing is more wonderful than that early instinct which impresses young animals with the notion of the situation of their natural weapons, and of using them properly in their own defence, even before those weapons subsist or are formed. Thus a young cock will spar at his adversary before his spurs are grown: and a calf or lamb will push with its head before its horns are sprouted. In the same manner did these young adders attempt to bite before their fangs were in being. The dam, however, was furnished with very formidable ones, which we lifted up (for they fold down when not used) and cut them off with the point of our scissors.
There was little room to suppose that this brood had ever been in the open air before; and that they were taken in for refuge, at the mouth of the dam, when she perceived that danger was approaching; because then probably we should have found them somewhere in the neck, and not in the abdomen.—White’s Selborne.
Viperous,a.Having the qualities of a viper.
Viscera,s.The bowels or entrails.
Viscera of the horse.—The alimentary canal is continued from the expellent orifice of the stomach to the anus, or end of the passage; forming a long canal, whose varying dimensions have occasioned it to be divided into the small and large intestines. The length of the tract ranges between twenty-seven and thirty yards; of which proportions the small intestines occupy from twenty to twenty-two yards, and the large from seven to eight. It is not easy to give a determinate place to the intestines, either individually or generally; the large, however, may be said to occupy all the inferior portion of the abdomen throughout, and the small to range between and upon them; both occasionally shifting their position by the peristaltic motion. They are, however, prevented from an unnatural displacement, by membranous productions of the peritoneum, under the name of mesentery, mesocolon, and mesorectum. The first intestinal coat is derived from the peritoneum, which separates to receive the tube between its lamen; at once protecting it, and affording a medium for the transmission of its vessels and a lubricating surface. The second, or muscular coat, presents a longitudinal and a circular plan of fibres; by the contraction of which, the vermicular motion, called peristaltic, is performed, the longitudinal slightly shortening them, and the circular diminishing their diameter; the inner surface of this fabric being garnished with a quantity of dense cellular tissue, was formerly erroneously considered as another and a nervous coat. The inner tunic of the intestinal canal is villous, or mucous, and is very vascular and sensible, its villi presenting an increased surface for the mucous secretion, as well as more numerous chyliferous orifices, with which it is thickly studded; but it presents no valvulæ conniventes, as in the human, their place being supplied by the increased length of the tract.—Blaine.
Viscous,a.Glutinous, sticky, tenacious.
Vision,s.Sight, the faculty of seeing; the act of seeing.
Vision of Birds.—Ross, in his voyage to Baffin’s Bay, proved that a man under favourable circumstances could see over the surface of the ocean to the extent of one hundred and fifty English miles. It is not probable that any animal exceeds this power of vision, though birds, perhaps, excel men and most quadrupeds in sharpness of sight. Schmidt threw at a considerable distance from a thrush (Turdus musicus) a few small beetles, of a pale grey-colour, which the unassisted human eye could not discover, yet the thrush observed them immediately and devoured them. The bottle tit (Parus caudatus,) flits with great quickness among the branches of trees, and finds on the very smooth bark its particular food, where nothing is perceptible to the naked eye, though insects can be detected there by the microscope. A very tame red-breast (Sylva rubecula,Latham,) discovered crumbs from the height of the branch where it usually sat, at the distance of eighteen feet from the ground the instant they were thrown down, and this by bending its head to one side, and using of course only one eye. At the same distance a quail discovered, with one eye, some poppy-seeds, which are very small and inconspicuous.—Montagu.
Vitriol,s.Vitriol is produced by addition of a metallic matter with the fossil acid salt.
Vitriolic,a.Resembling vitriol, containing vitriol.
Vitriolated Zinc,s.White vitriol.
Vives,s.A disease in horses.
This disorder consists of a swelling of the parotid gland, situated immediately beneath the ear, and is commonly named the vives or ives. Fomentations of hot water should be first applied, that is, a large piece of thick woollen cloth should be wrung out of hot water, and kept in contact with the swelling. After continuing this operation for some time, the woollen cloth may be confined close to the part, by suitable bandages, until it is convenient to repeat the fomentation. Sometimes these swellings go on to suppuration, and burst; when this happens, the opening should be enlarged sufficiently to introduce the fore-finger, and when the extent of the cavity has been thus ascertained, any further opening, should it appear necessary, may be made. A tent of digestive ointment is then to be applied, and repeated daily until the disease is cured. Sometimes these swellings continue hard, and I have known them prevent a horse from feeding. In a case of this kind, which I met with last spring, I completely relieved the horse in a short time, by rubbing in the following ointment:—
The hair must be closely cut off from the swelling, and the ointment well rubbed in with the hand for about ten minutes. When horses have sore necks, and lose the jugular vein, which sometimes happens after bleeding, a hard swelling of the parotid gland takes place, which generally continues a considerable time. In such cases, the above ointment, after the disease in the neck has been cured, may be tried.—White.
Ulcer,s.A sore of continuance, not a new wound.
Ulceration is a process directly the reverse of granulation; for as that builds up, so ulceration directly breaks down parts, which become absorbed through the medium of the lymphatics; the surfaces thus acted on producing at the same time a purulent or other discharge. An abraded surface thus circumstanced is called an ulcer, for the cure of which we must endeavour to remedy the morbid action, by exciting a new and more healthy one; by which the part being then brought to the condition of a simple wound, will heal. When ulcers have continued for a long time, it is often necessary to employ constitutional remedies to establish a cure. In full habits we increase the other secretions, as those of the bowels, the kidneys, the skin, &c., by purgatives, diuretics, and such remedies as act on the skin. We also lessen the excess of morbid secretion of pus, by establishing a new and artificial drain in the neighbourhood, which is done by setons or by rowels. In some cases, instead of existing plethora the ulcer has occasioned, or is accompanied by great irritability of system, which must be combatted by opium, and other sedatives; or if debility become very apparent, tonics must be given, together with liberal diet. In general cases, stable soiling, a course of carrots, or other total change of food, assists the healing and restorative process greatly. Ulcers are often found of a greater extent internally than externally; and when such cavities extend in different directions, they form the sinuses of the surgeon and the pipes of the farrier: when the edges of the external opening are hardened, it is said to be fistulous. In general cases, the longer an ulcer has lasted, the more obstinately will the vessels have gained a diseased habit, and the more difficulty there will be to bring them back to a healthy state. The external means employed for this purpose are usually three; stimulating injections, seton, or incision; which operations it will not be necessary to enter upon here, as we shall proceed to describe the more common and important ulcers, with their treatment, separately. It remains, however, to state, that ulcers in general are apt to be treated by farriers erroneously, by plugging up the sinuses, by which the matter formed penetrates farther, bringing into its own action all the neighbouring parts. They likewise dress them so seldom, that the pus frequently takes on a process of decomposition, and becomes acrid; and, lastly, they neglect to gain a depending orifice for these collections.—Blaine.
Ulcerate,v.To disease with sores.
Ulceration,s.The act of breaking into ulcers; ulcer, sore.
Umbla, orOmbre Chevalier,s.A fish.
The umbla or ombre chevalier, is very like a char in form, but is without spots, and has a white and silvery belly. On the table, its flesh cuts white or cream-colour, and it is exceedingly like char in flavour. On February 11th, 1827, one was brought me from the lake of Bourget, in Savoy; it was said to be small for this fish, it was fifteen inches long, and seven and a half in circumference. In the dorsal fin there were twelve spines, in the pectoral nine, in the ventral eight, in the anal eleven, and in the caudal twenty-four.
Bloch says, that it is peculiar to the lakes of Geneva and Neufchatel; but what I have just said must convince you of the inaccuracy of this statement, as I dare say the fish exists in other deep waters of a like character amongst the Alps. It is a fish closely allied to the char, and congenerous both in form and habits.—Sir H. Davy.
Umbles,s.A deer’s entrails.
Under Tail Coverts,s.Those feathers immediately covering the base of the tail beneath.
Under Wing Coverts,s.Those feathers covering the wing underneath.
Unearthed,a.Driven from the ground. To unearth a fox, is to force him from his den.
Unfledged,a.That has not yet the full furniture of feathers, young.
Unfleshed,a.Not fleshed, not seasoned to blood.
Upper Tail Coverts,s.Those feathers immediately covering the base of the tail feathers.
Volant,a.Flying, passing through the air; active.
Vole,s.A deal at cards that draws the whole tricks.
Volery,s.A flight of birds.
Volley,s.A flight of shot; an emission of many at once.
Volt,s.A round or a circular tread; a gait of two treads made by a horse going sideways round a centre.
Vomica,s.An encysted humour in the lungs.
Vomit,v.To cast up the contents of the stomach.
Vomit,s.The matter thrown up from the stomach; an emetic medicine.
Vomitory,a.Procuring vomits, emetic.
Voracious,a.Greedy to eat, ravenous.
Voracity,s.Greediness, ravenousness.
Urethra,s.The passage of the urine.
Urinary,a.Relating to the urine.
Urine,s.Animal water.
Inflammation of the kidneys is generally caused by riding or driving a horse immoderately, by straining the loins, in making him draw heavy loads or carry heavy burthens; or they may become inflamed in consequence of peritonæal inflammation of the bowels. In either case breed freely, or to faintness; cover the loins with a fresh sheep skin, the flesh side under, having first rubbed on them some warm embrocation, such as hartshorn and oil, with a little oil of turpentine, or the following embrocation. Open the bowels with a dose of castor oil and clysters of warm water, with a small quantity of salt and oil, or hog’s lard. I should first have noticed, however, the symptoms of the disorder, which are, a constant desire to make water, without being able to void any, or scarcely any: and the little that is discharged is dark coloured or bloody. There is great stiffness of the hind parts, generally more observable in one leg than the other. The horse often stands straddling or wide, as if in want to make water, and every now and then straining, or making painful and ineffectual efforts to stale. This appearance often leads the groom to think that it is a stoppage of water, and that a diuretic is necessary; but the fact is, that the dark-coloured or bloody urine is so stimulating or acrimonious that the bladder contracts violently in order to force out the smallest quantity that gets into it.
The disorder I have now been describing may happen in various degrees, but still the treatment is the same. It sometimes happens, however, that the urine becomes foul and stimulating from high feeding, or foul and unwholesome feeding. In this case the bladder will contract upon a small quantity of urine, and the urine may be rather high coloured, like beer, or turbid, like whey, and the horse may appear to strain a little in voiding it; but this is very different from those distressing symptoms which attend inflammation of the kidneys, nor is it accompanied with loss of appetite, or any degree of fever, which is always present in inflammation of the kidneys. When the urine becomes thus stimulating, some cold mashes, with a little nitre, may be given, or what is still better, perhaps, some grass, vetches, or lucern. If the horse is at all costive, a clyster should be thrown up. An infusion of linseed is a good drink for a horse when the urine is in this state.
The improper manner in which horses are generally fed, the early age at which they are worked, and the immoderate degree in which they are often worked, are circumstances which either separately or conjointly tend to weaken the stomach, and disturb the digestive functions; in consequence of this the blood becomes foul, or loaded with excrementitious matter, the greatest part of which, in the horse, is carried off by the kidneys. This renders the urine more acrimonious than it would otherwise be, and causes the bladder to contract upon a smaller quantity. We may often observe, also, how the urinary passages are stimulated by such urine, making mares appear as if they were horsing, and causing an erection in geldings. As the horse is often staling in this case, and voiding but a small quantity, and appearing as if he was endeavouring to void more, it is often mistaken for a stoppage in the water, as it is termed, and diuretics are generally given, which, if not too strong, may be of service. But the best plan is to keep the horse on bran mashes chiefly for a few days, and give twice a day, for two or three days, the following powder:—
Or, No. 2, Nitre, powdered resin, chalk, and levigated antimony, of each two drachms.—Mix for one dose.
If these powders appear to disagree with the stomach they should be discontinued: in such cases the cordial diuretic is more likely to do good, such as has been prescribed for asthmatic affection or broken wind.
Retention of urine, strangury, or stoppage of water, may be caused by inflammation and swelling of the neck of the bladder; and this may be brought on by a peculiar acrimony in the urine, such as that produced by cantharides when taken as medicine. The different species of pepper, or grains of paradise, may produce some effect of this kind. The neck of the bladder may be pressed down upon the pubis by an accumulation of dung in the rectum, so as to stop the passage completely. A clyster is always proper on these occasions, for if an accumulation of dung be the cause, it will be speedily removed. But there will be some difficulty in giving the clyster, unless some of the hard dung is first taken out with the hand. The neck of the bladder may be so affected with spasm as to confine the urine. This may be the cause of the stoppage of water that happens in flatulent colic, but I rather think it depends entirely upon an accumulation of dung in the bowels, therefore I always prescribe a clyster in colic, of whatever kind it may be.—Blaine.