small boat, made of the trunk of a tree, bored hollow; and sometimes also of pieces of bark sewed together.

It is used by the natives of America to go a-fishing in the sea, or upon some other expedition, either by sea, or upon the rivers and lakes.

Canon, commonly called prebendary, a person who possesses a prebend, or revenue allotted for the performance of divine service in a cathedral or collegiate church. Originally, canons were only priests, or inferior ecclesiastics, who lived in community, residing near the cathedral church to assist the bishop, depending entirely on his will, supported by the revenues of his bishopric, and living in the same house as his domestics or countellors, &c. By degrees these communities of priests, shaking off their dependence, formed separate bodies; in time they freed themselves from their rules, and at length ceased to live in a community. It is maintained, that the colleges of canons, which have been introduced into each cathedral, were not in the ancient church, but are of modern appointment.

In the Romish church, when a person is promoted to the office of a canon, he must be presented in a very ceremonious manner to the chapter, who assemble in the cathedral, in order to receive him; he kisses the altar thrice, after which he goes and takes his place in the choir; he afterwards makes his confession of faith aloud, and swears to observe the ordinances of the church and his holiness the pope: being thus solemnly installed, he is impowered to assist at the chapter, to chant the office of the choir, &c.

Canons are of various kinds, as,

Cardinal-Canons, those attached, or, as the Latins call it, incardinati, to a church, as a priest is to a parish.

Domicalory-Canons, young canons, who, not being in orders, had no right in any particular chapters.

Expectative-Canons were such as, without having any revenue or prebend, had the titles and dignities of canons, a voice in the chapter, and a place in the choir, till such time as a prebend should fall.

Foreign-Canons, such as did not officiate in the canons to which they belonged. To these were opposed missionary canons.

Regular Canons, those who still live in community, and who, like religious, have, to the practice of their rules, added the solemn profession of vows.

Tertiary Canon, a person who had only the third part of the revenues of the canonicate.