of Edinburgh, the royal company still claims the rank of the king's chief body guards: their uniform is tartan, lined with white, and trimmed with green and white fringe; a white sash with green tassels, and a blue bonnet, with St. Andrew's feather and cross. They have also two standards, on one of which is inscribed, Nemo me impune lacessit; on the other, Dulce pro patriâ periculum. be well boiled or brased, and hardened at the points with steel. Arrows were usually reckoned by sheaves; a sheaf consisting of twenty-four arrows. They were carried in a quiver, called an arrow-case, which served for the magazine.Some slight opinion of the strength of an arrow in its flight may be formed from the account given by Edward VI. in his journal: he observes that "one hundred archers shot arrows each before him, and afterwards all together; that they shot at an inch board: some pierced it through and stuck in the other board, and others pierced it through with the heads of their arrows. Roger Ascham, in his Toxophilus, or the Schole of Shootinge, commends sound ash for military arrows, and preferred it to asp, which, in his day, was generally used for the arrows belonging to the army, but for pastime he thought that none were better than those made of oak, hardbeam, or birch; " but after all,” adds he," in this point I hold it best to trust to the recommendation of an honest fletcher." With regard to the length of the arrow, we learn from our historians that those used by the English at the battle of Agincourt were a full cloth-yard in length. Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, says, "The Cornish archers, for long shooting, used arrows a cloth-connected with the county of Salop yard long." ARCHERS in Scotland, the Royal Company of, are said to owe their origin to the commissioners appointed by James I. to superintend and regulate the exercise of archery throughout the kingdom. These commissioners, who were generally men of character and respectability, picked out, among those under their superintendence, the most expert archers; and, in cases of emergency, made a present of their services to the government, in order that they might form the king's body guard. While in this situation, they gave repeated instances of their courage and dexterity. Within seven miles A meeting of the Society of the Royal British Bowmen took place at Condover Park, Shrewsbury, the mansion of E. W. Smythe Owen, Esq. in September, 1833. In addition to the members of the society (all of rank), about two hundred of the nobility and gentry of Salop and the principality were present, besides a countless assemblage of persons from Shrewsbury and the vicinity, admitted into the demesne to witness the skill of the archers.More than two hundred of the society and guests, including Lord Hill, Sir W. W. Wynn, Sir Rowland Hill, and members of the principal families in Shropshire and North Wales, partook of the refreshments provided in the tent, and Lord Hill, on proposing " All Friends round the Wrekin," took occasion to mention how partial his majesty was to all remembrances and the Principality, in which district the Society of Royal British Bowmen was formed and continued to flourish. ARM of a horse. See FORE THIGH. ARM (in the Manège). A horse is said to arm himself, when he presses down his head and bends his neck, so as to rest the branches of his bridle upon his counter, in order to disobey the bit mouth. A wooden ball, covered with cloth, put on his chaul, and pressing him between the jaw bones, will prevent him from bringing his head down close to his breast. ARM, with the lips. When a horse covers his bars with his lips, and makes the pressure of the bitt too deaf and firm, as is done by thick-lipped horses. ARMAN. A confection, used formerly to restore the appetites of horses. See DRENCH. ARRESTS. Mangy humours upon the sinews of the hinder legs of a horse, between the ham and the pastern. ARSENIC. The preparation of arsenic, used in veterinary practice, is the white oxide, commonly called white arsenic. It is a medicine," says the editor of The Veterinarian, "that has been of late but little used, although one that is possessed of great power, both as an internal and an external remedy, and many years ago in high repute at the veterinary college, both as a tonic and a vermifuge." ARTERIOTOMY. The operation of letting blood from the artery. ARTERY. A hollow cylindrical canal conveying the blood from the heart to all parts of the body. The veins return the blood to the heart again. ARZEL. A horse with a white mark upon his off hind foot. ASCARIDES. Worms which infest the intestines of animals: of these eighty species are enumerated. ASS (Equus Asinus). This patient drudge, and too frequently illtreated beast, is neither an alien, a mongrel, nor a bastard; but, like all other animals, has his family, his species, and his rank. His blood is pure, and if his family be less illustrious, it is, at least, as genuine and as ancient as that of the horse. The ass submits with firmness to strokes and chastisement: he is temperate both as to the quantity and quality of his food; he contents himself with that herbage which the horse and other animals disdain to eat: he is more delicate with regard to his drink, never using water unless it be perfectly pure. As his master does not take the trouble of combing him, he often rolls himself among thistles, ferns, &c. Without regarding what he is carrying, he lies down to roll as often as he can, seeming to reproach his masters with neglect and want of attention. When very young, the ass is gay, sprightly, nimble, and gentle; but he soon loses these qualities, probably by the bad usage he meets with, and becomes intractable and stubborn. When under the influence of love, he is perfectly furious. The affection of the female for her young is strong. Pliny assures us, that when an experiment was made to discover the strength of affection in a she-ass, she ran through the flames in order to come at her colt. Although the ass be generally ill used, he discovers a great attachment to his master; he smells him at a distance, and easily distinguishes him from other men. The ass has a very If fine eye, an excellent scent, and a good ear. When overloaded, he hangs his head and sinks his ears; when too much teased or tormented, he opens his mouth and retracts his lips in a disagreeable manner. his eyes be covered, he will not move. He walks, trots, and gallops in the same manner as the horse, but all his motions are slower.Whatever pace he is going at, if pushed, he instantly stops. The cry of the horse is called neighing; that of the ass, braying: he seldom, however, cries, except when pressed by hunger or love. The ass is less subject to vermin than any other ASSART. An offence against the forest laws, consisting in destroying the thickets or coverts. ASTRINGENTS. Medicines which possess a power of making the living fibres of muscles contract, when preternaturally relaxed, and unfit to perform their natural functions. animal covered with hair, probably | fifteen minutes with him on the road owing to the hardness and dryness for a wager, and that he would back of his skin; and it is perhaps for him to do it in less; at the same the same reason that he is less sen- time giving me his address, when I sible to the whip and spur than the found he was a blacksmith residing horse. Asses in general carry the at Mitcham in Surrey. • Do you heaviest burdens, in proportion to keep your ass on Mitcham Comtheir bulk; and as their keeping mon?" said I, anticipating his ancosts little or nothing, it is surpris- swer. 'Oh, no,' replied the son of ing that they are not put to more Vulcan, he has never been out of uses than they generally are among my stable for three years, and he us. That his performances would eats as good oats and beans as your be of far greater account, and his horse does.' It is accounted for,' size and ability to labour might be said I to my friend: so we pulled greatly increased, if well fed, we up our horses, and gave Neddy the have not only the result of an ex- road." periment by the Earl of Egremont, who made a successful trial of this animal to cart coals upon the road: Mr. John Lawrence informs us that he well remembers an ass, the property of a coachmaster at Colchester," which for the two previous years successively had carried the post-boy with the mail between that town and the metropolis, a distance of fifty-one miles." The following anecdote from the Sporting Magazine will prove that the ass, when in condition, is so far exalted in the scale as nearly to approach the horse. "On my return,' says the writer, "from Epsom races, on the Derby day (1824), my attention was attracted to what is vulgarly yclept a In September, 1772, Atalanta "donkey chaise," in which were a started for a sweepstakes of twenty man and a woman of no small di- guineas each, at Richmond, two mensions, going at a very rapid miles, against Perdita, by Herod. pace, and drawn by a small ass. Atalanta bolted, leaped the cords, Curiosity led me to follow them, and ran considerably out of the when, as far as I could judge by the road; notwithstanding, she gained pace of my own horse, I found they half a distance by her speed afterwere going at the rate of nine miles wards, and it was the general opian hour, on a very indifferent road.nion, would have won, had she kept On being observed by a friend, he her ground. rode up to me and told me he had 1773, August 23d, Atalanta, rode seen this humble vehicle, on its way by John Kirton, ran second to Pruto the course in the morning, give dence, by Swiss (John Arnull), at what is called the go-by to several York, for a sweepstakes of fifty gs. carriages and four, and that he was each, four miles; 3 to 1 on Ataequally struck with the extraordi-lanta, who ran out of the course. nary appearance and action of the August 27th, this resolute and fiery animal. On my asking the owner a mare, rode by Thomas Garnett, a few questions about him, he informed man of vast strength and powerful me that he had done three miles in nerve, won a maiden plate of 50l., C ATALANTA, ch. foaled 1769, bred by Mr. Coates, was got by Matchem out of Lass of the Mill, by Oroonoko; grandam by Old Tra veller; great grandam Miss Makeless, by Young Greyhound:-Old Partner, Woodcock, Croft's Bay Barb, Makeless, Brimmer, Dicky Pierson, Burton Barb mare. bian, 5 yrs. 7 st. 7 lb. 4 3 dr. Mr. Barlow's b. h. Burford, Six to 4 against Atalanta; 6 to 4 two mile heats, at three heats, beating Speculator, by Snap, who won the first, in consequence of Atalanta turning restive. At starting, 2 to 1 against Atalanta; after the first heat, 5 to 4 on Speculator, 10 to 1 against Atalanta; after the second, 2 to 1 on the winner. Sept. 8th, she won a sweepstakes of twenty gs. each (Garnett), for four year olds, three miles, six subs. at Rich-lanta; after the second, 6 to 4 on mond, beating Clementina, by Jalap. Speculator. After this race, Mr. At starting, 7 to 4 on Atalanta; in Vernon purchased Atalanta for six running, 10 to 1 against her: in the hundred guineas, and at the Newlast half mile she ran out of the market Houghton Meeting, carrying course a considerable way, and yet 8 st. 6lb. she beat Lord Ossory's won easily. Next day she won 501. Comus, by Otho, 4 yrs. 8 st. B. C. for four year olds (Garnett), at three 200 gs.; 6 to 4 on Comus. two mile heats, beating Mr. Bethell's Mustard, by Matchem; 6 to 4 on Mustard; after the first heat, 6 to 1 on Mustard; after the second, 5 to 4 on Atalanta. In the first heat, Atalanta ran restive and nearly dismounted her rider. In running the third heat, 2 to 1 alternately on each; fine racing till within the distance, when the mare ran in without any trouble. Sept. 27th, she won 50l. at Doncaster (Garnett), for four year olds, &c. at two two-mile heats, beating Pan-worth's b. h. Tartar, 8 to 1 on Ataglos, Clementina, and Little Star; 6 to 4; and after the heat, 2 to 1 on Atalanta. Sept. 29th, she won 50l. give and take, four mile heats (rode by T. Garnett), beating Furiband; 2 to 1 on Atalanta. In 1775, Atalanta had thirteen engagements, and won seven times; viz. the king's plate, for mares, at Newmarket, in the spring, and 50l. at the second spring meeting; the gold cup and the town purse of sixty guineas, at Ipswich; walked over for fifty guineas, for six yrs. old and aged horses, at the Newmarket July meeting; in August she won the king's plate at Lewes, 12 st. fourmile heats, beating Mr. Shuttle lanta; after the heat, 15 to 1. Sept. 4th, at 9 st. she won a sweepstakes over the B. C. beating Mr. Fox's Harbinger, 5 yrs. 7 st. and Sir C. Bunbury's Alexis, 5 yrs. 9st. Mr. Fox staked 200 gs. and Sir Charles and Mr. Vernon, 100 gs. each; even betting on Harbinger. In the spring of 1776, she started three times at Newmarket, but proved unsuccessful; she then became the property of Mr. Garforth, and in August following, at York, rode by Leonard Sewison, she beat the Hon. J. S. Barry's Forester, rode by John Mangle, for 50l., for 6 yrs. olds and aged, four-mile heats. At starting, 6 to 4 on Atalanta; after the heat, 4 to 1 she won. Two well contested heats. This very superior mare died the latter end of the year 1796, aged twenty-seven. At her interment Mr. Garforth's steward attended; a liberal supply of bread and ale was distributed among the multitude assembled. She was dam of Faith, by Pacolet; Young Pacolet, by Pacolet; Harold, by True Blue; Fox, by Foxhunter; Rosalind, by Phenomenon; Flora, by King Fergus; Yarico, by King Fergus; and Bradamante (her last produce), by Young Morwick. ATTACHMENTS OF THE FOREST. One of the four courts held in the king's forests. The lowest court is called the Court of Attachment, or Woodmote Court; the second, the Court of Regard, or Survey of Dogs; the third, Sweinmote; the highest, the Justice in Eyre's Seat. This attachment is by three means: by goods and chattels; by body, pledges and mainprize; or by body only. This court is held every forty days throughout the year: hence it is also termed Forty Days' Court. ATTAINT. A wound caused by a horse over-reaching; that is, striking the toe of his hind foot against his fore leg. See OVER-REACH. ATTIRE Of a deer. Of a stag, if perfect, is called the burr: the pearls (the little knobs on it), the beam; the gutters, the antler; the fur-antler royal, fur-royal; and all at top, the croches. OF A BUCK; the burr, the beam; the brow-antler, the fur-antler; the advancer, palm, and spellers. If croches grow in the form of a man's hand, it is then called a palmed head. Heads bearing not above three or four, the croches being placed aloft, all of one height, are called crowned heads; heads having doubling croches, are called forked heads; because the croches are planted on the top of the beam, like forks. If you are asked what a stag bears, you are only to reckon the croches he bears, and never to express an odd number: as, if he hath four croches on his near horn, and five on his far, you must say he bears ten, a false right on his near horn (for all that the beam bears are called rights): but if four on the near horn, you may say he bears twelve, a double false right on the near horn: for you must not only make the number even, but also the horns even with that distinction. AUBIN. A broken pace of a horse, between an amble and a gallop; accounted a defect. AVANCER. See ADVANCER. AVERTI (in the Manège). A French word denoting a horse's motion that is enjoined or regulated and required in the lessons. In this sense they say pas averté. AVIARY. A place set apart for the breeding, keeping, and feeding of birds. Lænius Strabo, an opulent and luxurious Roman, was the first who introduced aviaries upon an extensive scale, and erected one at his villa near Brundusium. Varro, however, outshone all in his Ornithological buildings at his country house near Casinum. He informs us that in his days there were two descriptions of aviaries: one for containing birds intended for the table; and the other, for birds remarkable for their song or plumage. The former were built entirely for use; but the latter were often beautiful pavilions, with a saloon in the centre, for company to sit in and enjoy the melody of the feathered songsters. Aviaries have never, in modern times, equalled the splendour of those of the Romans. The Duke of Bedford's aviary at Woburn Abbey, however, is of great extent and value; and Malmaison, one of the palaces of the late Emperor Napoleon, contains an aviary at once large, elegant, and well stocked with birds from all quarters of the globe. AYRY. See AIRY. |