f i r>
\y three ftrong ligaments for the connection of the bones of the tarfus with thofe of the leg ; one of thefe runs downward, one backward, and one forward. Winjlowh Anat. p. 130,
Luxation of the Fibula. Sometimes the fibula is feparated by external violence from the thigh bone, and is then diftort- cd either upwards or downwards: this generally happens, when the foot has been luxated outwards. Whenever this happens the bone is to be firft reftored to its natural place, and then properly bound up, and left to the affiftance of nature and reft, till it be grown firm again to the tibia and leg. The patient in this and the like cafes, muft be always nridtly cau- tioned not to ufe or bear any ftrefs upon the difordered leg too foon ; the confequence of which may be worfe than the firft misfortune. Heifer's Surg. p. 172.
FIBUL^EUS, in anatomy, a name given by Spigelius and fome other authors to a mufcle of the leg, called by Albinus and other writers the peron&us pojHcus, and peronaus longus, in dif- tinttion from the peronaus amicus or brcvis.
FICARIA, in botany, a name ufed by fome authors for the fmall celandine, pilewort or fig wort. DHL Cat. Gifs. p. 39.
FICEDULA cannabina, in zoology, a name by which fome au- thors have called the cannevarola, a leffer reed fparrow. Kay's Ornitholog. p. 99. See the article Cannevarola.
FICOIDES, a name ufed by different authors in botany for dif- ferent plants; many underftanding by it, the opuntia or In- dian fig, as it is vulgarly called ; and fome, as Herman and o- thers, making, it the name of the mufa or plantain tree. Herm. Cat. Hort. L. B. p. 256.
FICUS, the fig-tree, in botany, the name of a genus of trees, the characters of which are thefe. The flower is produced with- in the body of the fruit, and is compofed of a number of fta- mina, proceeding from a fort of cafe, which indoles the em- bryo or feed. The feed is roundifh, and the whole fruit is of a turbinated figure, though fometimes alfo round or oval, and is flefhy, foft, and placed clofe upon the branches, with either none or a very fhort ftalk. The fpecies of fig enumerated by Mr. Tournefort are thefe.
1. The cultivated fig, with fruit early ripe, of a greentfh co- lour on the outfide, and red within. 2. The cultivated fig with a roundifh early ripe fruit, whitifh and ftriated on the outfide, and rofe coloured within. 3. The cultivated fig with an oblong white and very fweet fruit, called by many the ut- tztz fig. 4. The cultivated fig with a round, white and very fweet fruit. 5. The cultivated^ with an early ripe and foon perilhing white fruit. 6. The cultivated fig with a fmall white, late ripe fruit, of a fweet tafte, and a torn kind, look- ing of a pale red within ; this is called by fome the Marfeilles fig. 7. The cultivated fig with an extremely fmall white round fruit. 8. The cultivated fig with a green fruit, Hand- ing on a long pedicle. 9. The cultivated fig with fruit yellow- ifh on the outfide, and red within. 10. The cultivated fig with fruit yellow both on the outfide and within. 11. The cultivated fig with a fmall fruit, brown on the outfide, and red within. 12. The cultivated fig with a great oblong vio- let coloured fruit, with a broken skin. 13. The cultivated fig with a long ihaped violet couloured fruit, red within. 14. The cultivated fig with a blackifh red fruit, covered with a bluilh duft. 15. The cultivated fig with a round blackifh red fruit, purple within, and covered with a firm tough skin. 16. -The late ripening fig, with a long and large fruit, black with- out, and white within. 17. The cultivated fig with a large and long fruit, black on the outfide, and purple within. 18. The dwarf fig. 19. The wild fig. 2c. The wild fig, with a fmall round whitifh fruit. 21. The wild fig, with a fmall oblong bluifh black fruit. 22. The wild mulberry leaved Portugal fig. 23. The Goa fig, or Eaft Indian fig, with leaves like the quince-tree. 24. The chefnut leaved Ameri- can fig, with a round fpotted fruit. 25. The great American fig with roundilh citron like leaves and umbiiicated fruit. 26. The American fig with fharp pointed citron-like leaves, and green fruit. 27. The American fig with obtufe citron-like leaves, and blood-red fruit. 28. The bay leaved American fig with very large fruit. 29. The leffer American^, with leaves ofafilvery white underneath, 7W».Inft. p. 662. See Fig.
Fjcus, in conchyliology, a name given by authors to a peculiar fpecies of fea-flicll. It is of the genus of the dolium, and has a remarkably deprefled clavicle.
F1DD, an iron pin ufed at fea to fplice or fatten ropes together; it is made tapering and iharp at one end. There are alfo fields of wood, which are much larger than the iron ones.
The pin alfo in the heel of the topmaft, which bears it upon the chefs-trees, is called a fidd.
Yiw-bauvner, is ufed for a hammer, the handle of which is a fidd, or made tapering into that form.
FlDICULiE, in antiquity, is often ufed to fignify the fame with equuleus, a kind of puniftiment ufed among the antients. See Equuleus, CycL
Fidiculje, in a more proper fenfe, denotes the cords wherewith the criminals limbs were diftended on the equuleus. Pttifc, Lex. Ant. in voc.
FIDE JUSSORES afftdui. See Assiduus. Su p p l. Vol. I.
fig
FIELD (Cycl.) — in order to find the contents of a field, it is moft convenient to meafure the lines by chains ; that of 22 yards for computing the Englifh acres, and that of 24 Scotch ells for the acres in Scotland. The chain is divided into 100 links, and the fquare of the chain is IOOOO fquare links; ten lquares of the chain, or 100000 fquare links, give an acre; ■Therefore, if the area be expreffed by fquare links, divide by locooo, or cut off five decimal places, and the quotient fhail give the area in acres and decimals of an acre. Write the en- tire acres apart, but multiply the decimals of an acre by 4, and the product will give the remainder of the area in roods and decimals of a rood. Let the entire roods be noted apart, after the acres, then multiply the decimals of a rood by 40, and the produa will give the remainder of the area in falls or poles, Let the entire falls or poles be then writ after the roods and multiply the decimals of a fall by 36, if the area is required in the meafures of Scotland, or by 30 I if in thofe of England, and the product will give the remainder of the area in fquare ells in the former cafe, but in fquare yards in the latter. If in the former cafe you would reduce the decimals of the fquare ell to fquare feet, multiply them by 9.50694; but in the latter cafe the decimals of the Englift fquare yard are re- duced to fquare feet, by multiplying them by 9. Treat. Pradt. Geom. p. 82;
FlELD-fl/<-, or Filctaie, in our antient cuftoms, a kind of drinking in the field, by bailiffs of hundreds ; for which they gathered money of the inhabitants of the hundred to which they belonged. But this cuftom has been long fince prohibited. Brad?, ap. Coke, 4 Inft. 307.
FiELD-foof, in furveying, a book ufed for fetting down angles, diftances and other things remarkable in taking furveys. The pages of the fold-book may be conveniently divided into five columns. In the middle column the angles at the feveral Rations taken by the theodolite are to be entred, with the dif- tances from the (rations. The diftances taken by the off-fet- ftaff, on either fide of the ftation line, are to be entred into the columns on either fide of the middle column, according to their pofition with refpeel to that line. The names or cha- racters of the objects, with proper remarks, may be enter'd in the columns on either fide of thefe lzft mentioned. Treat. Pratt. Geom. p. 74.
FIELDFARE, in zoology, the Englifh name of a bird of the thrufh kind, called by authors turdus pilaris. It is larger than the common thruih, and is of a bluifh grey colour on the neck ; the head is fpotted with black, and the moulders and back are of a yellowifh brown, variegated with black; the the throat is variegated with black and yellow, the lower part of the belly is white and but a little fpotted; and on each fide of the neck, and near each eye it has a large black fpot; thofe on the neck are on its lower part near the infertions of the wings ; its wing feathers are variegated with black, white, and a yellowifh brown, and the tail is of a bluifli black, with fome variegations of black and white.
It is a bird of paffage, and vifits us in England toward the end of autumn in vaft flocks, and leave us in fpring; it is not certainly known where they breed. They feed on berries, particularly thofe of the holly, and are a well tafted bird. Ray's Ornith. p. 138; This bird is eafily taken with water-bird-lime in the following manner ; take out a gun and kill two or three fieldfares with it ; by that time the gun has been difcharged two or three times, the reft of thefe birds will be fo fhy, that there will be no coming near them ; then tie one or two of thofe that were fhot, to the upper branches of fome buflry tree, in fuch manner, that they may feem alive and fitting there. Then prepare two or three hundred twigs, covering them well with the water-bird-lime, made warm for that purpofe; take a good birchen bough, and in that place all the twigs; tie this faft to the tree, juft underneath where the other fieldfares are tied, and let this be in a place where they come in a morning to feed, for they always ufe one haunt for feeding fo long as there is any food left there. By this means the fieldfares will fettle in whole flocks, near thofe which they fee tied to the bufh a and two or three dozen may be in this manner taken at a time. See the articles Bird and Lime.
Field fort, in fortification. See Fortin, CycL
FiELD-offjcers. See Officer, Cycl.
FlFE-rails, in a (hip, are thofe that are placed on banifters on each fide of the top of the poop, and fo along with hances or falls ; they reach down to the quarter-deck, and to the ftair of the gangway.
FIFTH(Cyc/.)~ DiminiJhed'FiFTH,]nmu{ic.SeeDiMiNisHzjififih>
FIGS, The Greeks in fome of the iflands of the Archipelago, have a peculiar method of ripening the fruit of the domeftic fig- trees, called caprificatlcn. See Caprification. The common dried figs afford two very curious phenomena ; the one is, that within thofe which are fomewhat decayed, and indeed often in thofe which appear moft found, there are a peculiar fort of mites, which live on the pulp of the fruit, and we eat millions of thefe unknowingly in this fruit. Thefe are different from the common mites, in that they are rounder bodied and more tranfparent, and are a very beautiful little creature when examined.
11 G The
