in the military art, a banner or colours under which soldiers are ranged, according to the different companies or parties to which they belong.

The Turkish ensigns are horses' tails; those of the Europeans are pieces of taffety, with divers figures, colours, arms, and devices thereon. Xenophon tells us that the ensign borne by the Persians was a golden eagle on a white ground; the Corinthians bore the winged horse or Pegasus on theirs; the Athenians an owl; the Messenians the Greek letter M; the Lacedemonians the A. The Romans had a great diversity of ensigns, the wolf, minotaur, horse, bear, and at length the eagle, where they stopped. This was first assumed in the second year of the consulate of Marius. A military ensign on a medal of a Roman colony denotes it a colony peopled with old soldiers.

Ensign is also the officer who carries the colours, being the lowest commissioned officer in a company of foot, subordinate to the captain and lieutenant.

Naval Ensign, a large standard or banner hoisted on a long pole erected over the poop, and called the ensign staff. The ensign is used to distinguish the ships of different nations from each other, as also to characterize the different squadrons of the navy. The British ensign in ships of war is known by a double cross, viz. that of St George and St Andrew, formed upon a field which is either red, white, or blue.

ENTY, Sir George, an eminent English physician, born at Sandwich, in Kent, in 1604. He was educated at Sidney College, Cambridge; and, having afterwards travelled into foreign countries, received the degree of doctor of physic at Padua. After his return he obtained great practice, was made president of the college of physicians in London, and at length received the honour of knighthood from King Charles II. He was extremely intimate with Dr Harvey, whom he learnedly defended, in a piece entitled Apologia pro Circulatione Sanguinis, contra Anomilum Patristicum. He also published Animadversiones, and some observations in the Philosophical Transactions. Glanville, speaking in his Plus Ultra of the modern improvements in anatomy, numbers Sir George Ent, Dr Glisson, and Dr Wallis, with the most celebrated discoverers in that science. The two former were amongst the first members of the Royal Society. Sir George Ent died in October 1689.