a remarkable tyrant, born at Crete, where his ambitious designs occasioned his banishment: he took refuge in Agrigentum, a free city of Sicily, and there obtained the supreme power by stratagem. Two circumstances have contributed to preserve his name in history. His cruelty, in one act of which he gave an example of strict justice. It is thus related: Perillus, a brazen founder at Athens, knowing the cruel disposition of Phalaris, contrived a new species of punishment for him to inflict on his subjects. He cast a brazen bull, bigger than the life, with an opening in the side, to admit the victims; who being shut up in the body, a fire was kindled under it to roast them to death; and the throat was so contrived, that their dying groans resembled the roaring of a bull. The artificer brought it to the tyrant, expecting a great reward. Phalaris admired the invention and workmanship, but ordered the inventor to be put into it to make the first trial. At last the tyrant was put to death by his own subjects. Some epistles are attributed to him, concerning the genuineness of which there was a dispute in the last century between Mr Boyle and Dr Bentley.

or Canary-grass; a genus of the digynia order, belonging to the triandria class of plants. There are ten species, of which the most remarkable are the canariensis, or manured Canary-grass; and the arundinacea, or reed Canary-grass. There are both natives of Britain. The first grows by the road-sides; and is frequently cultivated for the sake of the seeds, which are found to be the best food for the Canary and other small birds. The second grows on the banks of rivers. It is used for thatching ricks or cottages, and endures much longer than straw. In Scandinavia they mow it twice a-year, and their cattle eat it. There is a variety of this cultivated in our gardens with beautifully striped leaves. The stripes are generally green and white; but sometimes they have a purplish cast. This is commonly called painted lady-grass, or Phalarus ladies-tresses.