MEWING, the falling off or change of hair, feathers, skin, horns, or other parts of animals, which happens in some annually, in others only at certain stages of their lives; but the generality of beasts mew in the spring. An old hart casts his horns sooner than a young one, which is commonly in the months of February and March: after which they begin to button in March or April: and as the sun grows strong, and the season of the year puts forth the fruits of the earth, so their heads grow, and are summed full by the middle of June. It is to be observed, that if a hart be gelt before he has a head, he will never have any; and if he be gelt after he has a head, he will never cast his horns; again, if he be gelt when he has a velvet head, it will always be so, without fraying or burnishing.
History. A PROVINCE of the Spanish empire in America, once a celebrated kingdom, the most powerful and civilized in the new world; lying between the 14th and 21st degrees of north latitude, and between 91 and 103 degrees west longitude; being near 2000 miles in length, and in some places 600 miles in breadth.
The Toltecan are the most ancient Mexican nation of which we know any thing. They were expelled, as we are told, from their own country (supposed by Clavigero to have been Tollan, to the northward of Mexico) in the year 472; and for some time led a wandering life. In whatever place they determined to reside for any considerable time, they erected houses and cultivated the ground. Thus their migrations were extremely slow, and it was not till 104 years after they set out that they reached a place about 50 miles to the eastward of the city of Mexico, where they settled for 20 years, giving to their new place of residence the name
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of Tollantzinco. From thence they proceeded about 40 miles farther to the west, where they built a city called, from the name of their country, Tollan, or Tula.
After the final settlement of the Toltecan, the government was changed into a monarchy. Their first king began his reign in 667, and their monarchy lasted 384 years, during which time they reckon just eight princes. We are not, however, to imagine that each of their kings lived long enough to make up this space. It was a custom among them that the name of the king should be continued for 52 years, and no longer, from the time he ascended the throne. If he died within that period, the government was carried on in his name by a regency; if he survived, he was obliged to resign his authority. During the four centuries that the Toltecan monarchy continued, they had increased very considerably in number, and had built many cities; but when in the height of prosperity, almost the