an Abyssinian bird, part of a large tribe, "in which (says Mr Bruce) the greatest variety lies in his beak and horn." The horn he wears sometimes upon the beak and sometimes upon the forehead above the root of the beak." This bird is by naturalists called the Indian crow or raven; and our author, though he seems to think this classification improper, admits that he has one characteristic of the raven; he walks, and does not hop or jump in the manner that many others of that kind do; but then he at times runs with very great velocity, and, in running, very much resembles the turkey or bustard when his head is turned from you.

The colour of the eye of this bird is of a dark brown, or rather reddish, cast, but darker still as it approaches the pupil; he has very large eyelashes, both upper and lower, but especially his upper. From the point of the beak to the extremity of the tail is three feet ten inches; the breadth, from one point of the wing to the other extended, is six feet; and the length twenty-two inches; the length of the neck ten inches, and its thickness three inches and a half; the length of the beak, measuring the opening near the head straight to the point, ten inches; and from the point of the beak to the root of the horn, seven inches and three eighths. The whole length of the horn is three inches and a half. The length of the horn, from the foot to the extremity where it joins the beak, is four inches. The thickness of the beak in front of the opening is one inch and seven eighths. The thickness of the horn in front is one inch and five eighths. The horn in height, taken from the upper part of the point to the beak, two inches. The length of the thighs seven inches, and that of the legs six inches and five eighths. The thickness in profile seven lines, and in front four lines and a half. It has three toes before and one behind, but they are not very strong, nor seemingly made to tear up carcases. The length of the foot to the hinder toe is one inch six lines, the innermost is one inch seven lines, the middle two inches two lines, and the last outer two inches one line. This bird is all of a black, or rather black mixed with foot-colour; the large feathers of the wing are ten in number, milk-white both without and within. The tip of his wings reaches very nearly to his tail; his beak and head measured together are eleven inches and a half, and his head three inches and a quarter. At his neck he has those protuberances like the Turkey-cock, which are light-blue, but turned upon his being chased, or in the time the hen is laying.

The erkoom, though not easily raised, flies (says our author) both strong and far. It has a rank smell, and is said in Abyssinia to feed upon dead carcases. This, however, he thinks a mistake, as he never saw it following following the army, nor approaching a dead carcass; and as often as he had occasion to open this bird, he found in its stomach nothing but the green scarabaeus or beetle. It builds in large thick trees, always, if it can, near churches; has a covered nest like that of a magpie, but four times as large as the eagle's. It places its nest firm upon the trunk, without endeavouring to make it high from the ground: the entry is always on the east side.

ETON is a place which, on account of its college, should not be omitted in a repository of arts, sciences, and literature; and as no notice is taken of it in the Encyclopaedia, we shall deviate for once from the plan which we had laid down for this Supplement, and which is, not to admit into it descriptions of places in our own island that may be visited by the greater part of our readers with little trouble.

Though in a different county, namely, Buckinghamshire, Eton may be said to be one and the same town with Windsor, for which see Encycl. It is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Thames, in a delightful valley, which is of a remarkably healthy soil. Its college was founded by Henry VI. for the support of a provost and seven fellows, one of whom is vice provost, and for the education of seventy King's scholars, as those are called, who are on the foundation. These, when properly qualified, are elected, on the first Tuesday in August, to king's college Cambridge, but they are not removed till there are vacancies in the college, and then they are called according to seniority; and after they have been three years at Cambridge, they claim a fellowship. Besides those on the foundation, there are seldom less than three hundred scholars, and often many more, who board at the masters houses, or within the bounds of the college. The school is divided into upper and lower, and each of these into three classes. To each school there is a master and four assistants or ushers. The revenue of the college is about £5000 a-year. Here is a noble library, and in the great court is a fine statue of the founder, erected at the expense of a late provost Dr Godolphin dean of St Paul's. The chapel is in a good style of Gothic architecture. The schools and other parts, which are in the other style of building, are equally well, and seem like the design of Inigo Jones.

At Eton there is a singular, and we think a laudable, festival, called the Montem, celebrated triennially (formerly biennially) by the scholars of the school upon Whit-Tuesday. The following account of this festival, taken from the Monthly Magazine, will probably be acceptable to many of our readers.

It commences by a number of the senior boys taking post upon the bridges or other leading places of all the avenues around Windsor and Eton soon after the dawn of day. These youths so posted are chiefly the best figures, and the most active of the students; they are all attired in fancy dresses of silks, satins, &c. and some richly embroidered, principally in the habits or fashion of running footmen, with poles in their hands; they are called falt-bearers, and demand falt, i.e. a contribution from every passenger, and will take no denial.

When the contribution is given, which is ad libitum, a printed paper is delivered with their motto and the date of the year, which passes the bearer free through all other falt-bearers for that day, and is as follows, viz.

"Pro more et monte,

1799. (A)

Vivat Rex et Regina."

These youths continue thus collecting their falt at all the entrances for near seven miles round Windsor and Eton, from the dawn of day until about the close of the procession, which is generally three o'clock in the afternoon.

The procession commences about twelve o'clock at noon, and consists of the Queen's and other bands of music; several standards borne by different students; all the Etonian boys, two and two, dressed in officers uniforms; those of the king's foundation wearing blue, the others scarlet uniforms, swords, &c.

The Grand Standard-bearer. The Captain, or Head Boy of Eton School. The Lieutenant, or Second Boy.

His Majesty, attended by the Prince of Wales, and other male branches of the royal family on horseback, with their suite.

The Queen and Princesses in coaches, attended by their suite.

Band of music, followed by a great concourse of the Nobility and Gentry in their carriages and on horseback.

The procession commences in the great square at Eton, and proceeds through Eton to Slough, and round to Salt Hill, where the boys all pass the king and queen in review, and ascend the Montem: here an oration is delivered, and the grand standard is displayed with much grace and activity by the standard bearer, who is generally selected from among the senior boys.

There are two extraordinary falt-bearers appointed to attend the king and queen, who are always attired in fanciful habits, in manner of the other falt-bearers already described, but superbly embroidered. These falt-bearers carry each an embroidered bag, which not only receives the royal falt, but also whatever is collected by the outflanked falt-bearers. The donation of the king and queen, or, as it is called upon this occasion, the royal falt, is always fifty guineas each; the Prince of Wales thirty guineas; all the other princes and princesses twenty guineas each. As soon as this ceremony is performed, the royal family return to Windsor. The boys are all sumptuously entertained at the tavern at Salt Hill; and the beautiful gardens at that place are laid out for such ladies and gentlemen as choose to take any refreshments, the different bands of music performing all the time in the gardens.

About six o'clock in the evening all the boys return in the same order of procession as in the morning (with the exception only of the royal family), and marching round the great square in Eton school, are dismissed. The captain then pays his respects to the royal family at the queen's lodge, Windsor, previous to his departure for King's College, Cambridge; to defray which expense, the produce of the montem is presented to him; and upon Whit-Tuesday, in the year 1796, it amounted to more than 1000 guineas. The day con-

(A) Or whatever the year may be. EUD

[635] EVE

cludes by a brilliant display of beauty, rank, and fashion, a promenade on Windsor Terras, bands of music performing, &c., and the scene highly enlivened and enriched by the affable condescension of the royal family, who indiscriminately mix with the company, and parade the Terrace till nearly dark.

SPONTANEOUS EVAPORATION. See Weather, n.17, &c., Encycl.