in zoology. See Cervus.—The method of hunting deer in the island of Ceylon is very particular. The huntsmen go out in the night, and only two usually go together: the one of these carries upon his head an earthen vessel, in which there is some fire burning and flaming; the ingredients are generally small sticks cut into pieces, and common rosin. Of this the other man carries a supply about him to replenish the pot when it grows low. The person who has the fire upon his head, carries in one hand a staff, on which there are fixed eight bells; and the larger these are, the better. This man goes first into the woods, and the other follows close behind with a spear in his hand. As soon as the deer hears the noise of the bells, he turns towards the place whence the sound comes; and seeing the fire, he eagerly runs up to it, and stands gazing at a small distance: the second man has then nothing to do but to kill him with the spear; for he sees neither of them.—Not only deer, but even elks and hares, are thus taken; for they gaze at the fire, and never see the men. The profits of this sort of hunting are very large, and the danger nothing; for though there are numbers of tygers, elephants, and wild boars, in these woods, the huntsmen are in no danger from them while the fire burns, for they all run away from it.

DE FACTO, something actually in fact, or existing; in contradistinction to de jure, where a thing is only so in justice, but not in fact: as a king de facto, is a person who is actually in possession of a crown, but has no legal right to the same; and a king de jure, is the person who has a just right to the crown, though he is out of possession thereof.