Frog, s. A small animal with four feet, of the amphibious kind; the hollow part of the horse’s hoof. Vide Feet.
Frost, s. The last effect of cold, the power or act of congelation.
Frostbitten, a. Nipped or withered by the frost.
This effect of frost upon birds, took place in February, 1809, when a boy in the service of Mr. W. Newman, miller, at Legbourne, near Malling, went into a field, called the Forty Acres, and saw a number of rooks on the ground, very close together. He made a noise to drive them away, but they did not appear alarmed; he threw snow-balls to make them rise, still they remained. Surprised at this apparent indifference, he went in among them, and actually picked up twenty-seven rooks, and also in several parts of the same field, ninety larks, a pheasant, and a buzzard hawk. The cause of the inactivity of the birds, was a thing of rare occurrence in this climate; a heavy rain fell on Thursday afternoon, which, freezing as it came down, so completely glazed over the bodies of the birds, that they were fettered in a coat of ice, and completely deprived of the power of motion. Several of the larks were dead, having perished from the intenseness of the cold. The buzzard hawk being strong, struggled hard for his liberty, broke his icy fetters, and effected his escape.
Frostnail, s. A nail with a prominent head driven into the horse’s shoes, that it may pierce the ice.
Fry, s. The swarm of little fishes just produced from the spawn; any swarm of animals.
Fulica, (Brisson,) s. The coot, a genus thus characterised:—
Bill of middle size, strong, conical, straight, compressed, higher than broad at the base; ridge advancing upon the forehead, and expanding into a naked plate; points of both mandibles compressed and of equal length, the upper slightly curved, and widened at the base. Nostrils at the side, in the middle of the bill, slit lengthwise, half closed by a membrane which covers the widening, pierced from part to part. Legs long, slender, naked above the knee; three toes before and one behind; all the toes very long, and re-united at their base, and furnished on the sides with a scallopped membrane. Wings of middle size, the first quill shorter than the second and third, which are the longest in the wing.—Montagu.
Fulvous, a. A colour which may be described as brownish.
Fumigate, v. To smoke, to perfume by smoke or vapour; to medicate or heal by vapours.