BALL.

Aloes 3 to 4 dr.

Soap 3 to 4 dr.

Syrup enough to form a ball.

LAY, _s._ Grassy ground, meadow, ground unploughed.

LEA, _s._ Ground enclosed.

LEAD, _s._ A soft heavy metal.

Many useful preparations are made from this metal; among which are the

following:—

_Acetate_, or _super-acetate_ of lead, commonly called _sugar of lead_,

is used in making cooling lotions and eye-washes.

_Red Lead_, or _Minium_, is a red powder, made by mixing lead in a high

degree of heat. It is used in the composition of plasters and charges.

_White Lead_ is often employed in the composition of healing and

softening ointment, for horses that are subject to cracked heels.

LEAD, _v._ To fit with lead in any manner; to lead lines. _Vide_

LINES.

LEADER, _s._ One that leads or conducts; commander; one who goes

first; foremost horse in a tandem or team.

LEAGUE, _s._ A measure of length, containing three miles.

LEAN, _a._ Meagre, wanting flesh; out of condition.

LEAN, _s._ The part of flesh which consists of the muscle without

the fat.

LEAP, _v._ To pass over or into by leaping.

LEAP, _s._ Bound, jump, act of leaping; space passed by leaping; an

assault of an animal of prey; embrace of animals.

LEASH, _s._ A brace and a half; a leather thong, by which a falconer

holds his hawk, or a courser leads his greyhound; a band

wherewith to tie anything in general.

Leash is a sporting term in use to imply the number three; as exceeding

one, and not reaching two brace; for instance, a brace of hares, a leash

of pheasants, and two brace of partridges. A brace of pointers, a leash

of greyhounds, and two brace of spaniels. Custom, however, in this, as

in most other things, admits of deviation and exception; in proof of

which we say a brace of spaniels, a couple and a half of hounds, and two

brace of pointers; a brace of snipes, a couple and a half of woodcocks,

and two couple of rabbits. It is therefore consistent and sportsman-like

to say a leash of birds (partridges), a leash of pheasants, a leash of

hares, or any other article where two are termed a brace; but improper

to call three a leash, where two of the kind are called a couple.

LEATHER, _s._ Dressed hides of animals.

LEECH, _s._ A physician, a professor of the art of healing; a kind

of small water serpent, which fastens on animals, and sucks the

blood.

LEEWARD, _a._ Under the wind, on the side opposite to that from

which the wind blows.

LEG, _s._ The limb by which animals walk, particularly that part

between the knee and the foot in men.

The part of the limb between the knee and the fetlock consists of three

bones—a large one before, called the cannon or shank, and two smaller or

splint bones behind. The shank-bone is rounded in front, and flattened,

or even concave behind. It is the straightest of the long bones, as well

as the most superficially situated, for in some parts it is covered only

by the skin. The upper head is flat, with slight depressions

corresponding with the lower row of the bones of the knee. The lower

head is differently and curiously formed. It resembles a double pulley.

There are three elevations, the principal one in the centre, and one on

each side; and between them are two slight grooves; and these so

precisely correspond with deep depressions and slight prominences in the

upper head of the larger pastern, and are so enclosed and guarded by the

elevated edges of that bone, that when the shank-bone and the pastern

are fitted to each other, they form a perfect hinge: they admit of the

bending and extension of the limb, but of no lateral or side motion;

which is a circumstance of very great importance in a joint so situated,

and having the whole weight of the horse thrown upon it.

The smaller bones are placed behind the larger on either side; a slight

projection only of the head of each can be seen in front. The heads of

these bones are enlarged, and receive part of the weight conveyed by the

lower row of the bones of the knee. They are united to the larger bone

by the same kind of substance which is found in the colt between the

bone of the elbow and the main bone of the arm; and which is designed,

like that, by its great elasticity, to lessen the concussion or jar when

the weight of the animal is thrown on them.

LENITIVE, _a._ Anything applied to ease pain; a palliative.

LEPIDOPTERA, _s._ An order of insects which have their wings

imbricated with scales, as moths, butterflies, &c. &c.

LEPORINE, _a._ Belonging to a hare, having the nature of a hare.

LEPROSY, _s._ A loathsome distemper, which covers the body with a

kind of white scales.

LETHARGY, _s._ A morbid drowsiness, a sleep from which one cannot be

kept awake.

LEVEL, _v._ To aim at, to bring the gun and arrow to the same

direction with the mark.

LEVERET, _s._ A young hare.

LICK, _v._ To pass over with the tongue; to lap, to take in by the

tongue.

LIGAMENT, _s._ A strong compact substance which unites the bones in

articulation; anything which connects the parts of the body;

bond, chain.

LIGATURE, _s._ Anything bound on; bandage; the act of binding; the

state of being bound.

LIGHTS, _s._ The lungs, the organs of breathing.

LIMB, _s._ A member, a jointed or articulated part of animals.

LIME, _s._ A viscous substance drawn over twigs, which catches and

entangles the wings of birds that light upon it; matter of which

mortar is made; the linden tree; a species of lemon.

LIMEWATER, _s._ Is made by pouring water upon quicklime.

Lime-water is recommended in diabetes. It is made by mixing lime with a

large proportion of boiling water, stirring the mixture for some time,

and afterwards pouring off the transparent liquor, which is to be

carefully excluded from the air.

LIMPIT, _s._ A kind of shell-fish.

LINCHPIN, _s._ An iron pin that keeps the wheel on the axletree.

LINE, _s._ Longitudinal extension; a slender string used in angling.

The most easy method of making hair into lines is, by a small engine,

which is sold at most of the fishing-tackle shops. It consists of a

large horizontal wheel, and three very small ones, inclosed in a brass

box, about a quarter of an inch thick, and two inches in diameter; the

axis of each of the small wheels is continued through the under side of

the box, and is formed into a hook; by means of a strong screw, it may

be fixed on any post or partition, and is set in motion by a small winch

in the centre of the box; the process is soon acquired, and it is thus

used:—Take as many hairs as you purpose the line shall contain, and

divide them into three parts; each of these is to be tied to a piece of

fine twine doubled, and fixed to the hooks which depend from the

machine; then take the piece of lead which has a hook at its top, and

after tying the three parcels of hair together at the loose end, hang

the weight thereon: after this, cut three grooves in the inside of a

cork at equal distances, and in each groove place a division of the

hairs, that, by gently turning the engine, the links may turn with a

greater evenness to the lead. As the links grow tighter, move the cork

slowly upwards, and when the whole is sufficiently twisted, take out the

cork and tie the link into a knot, and so proceed till the quantity of

links wanted for a line are completed; observing to lessen the number of

hairs in each link in such proportion as that the line may be taper. The

links should then be laid for an hour into cold water; some persons,

whether a hair starts or not, retwist them before they are made into a

line, and more particularly when there is an odd hair in the number

twisted. Some put the hair for ten minutes into warm water before

working it into links.

In making lines, every hair in every link should be equally big, round

and even, that the strength may be so proportionate that they will not

break singly, but altogether: by carefully choosing the hairs, they will

stretch and bear a much stronger force than when a faulty hair is

included. Never strain the hair before twisting; the best will easily be

selected by the eye, and two or three inches of the bottom part of the

hair should be cut off, as it is generally defective. The links should

be twisted very slowly, and not lie harsh, but so as to twine one with

another, and no more, for a hard twisted line is always weak: by mixing

chestnut, black, or any other coloured hair, the line may be varied at

pleasure.

* * * * *

Lines of silk or hemp may be coloured by a strong decoction of oak bark,

which it is believed resists the water, and adds to their durability:

any shade of an excellent russet brown may be obtained according to the

time they remain in the decoction, which should be used cold.

* * * * *

In leading of lines great care is needful to balance the floats so

nicely that a very small touch will sink them. Some use for this purpose

lead shaped like a barleycorn, but shot is better; and for fine fishing

have a number of small in preference to a few large shot on the line;

the lowest of either ought to be nine or ten inches from the hook.

LINE, _v._ To cover on the inside; to put anything in the inside; to

cover a bitch.

LING, _s._ Heath; a kind of sea-fish.

LINIMENT, _s._ An application of a consistence rather thicker than

oil, or transparent preparations, such as soap liniment.