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114 M U Z M U Z reach of easy irrigation. But in the extreme south the floods from the two rivers spread at times over the whole intervening tract. On abating they leave luxuriant pastur age ; and, if the subsidence takes place sufficiently early, magnificent crops of wheat, pease, and other grain are raised in the cultivated portion. The towns stand on high sites or are protected by embankments ; but the villages scattered over the lowlands are exposed to annual inundations, during which the people abandon their grass-built huts and take refuge on wooden platforms attached to each house. Throughout the cold weather large herds of camels, be longing chiefly to the Povindah merchants of Afghanistan, graze upon the sandy waste. The census of 1881 returned the population at 338,605 (males, 184,510, females 154,095), viz., 292,476 Mohammedans, 43,297 Hindus, 2783 Sikhs, 33 Christians, and 44 "others." The district contains only one town with a population exceeding 5000 namely, Kot Adu or Parhar (5552). Muzaffargarh, the headquarters station, has only 3136 inhabitants. The area under cultivation in 1881 was returned at 397,529 acres, of which 279,103 were irrigated by government works, and 118,376 by private individuals. The areas under the different crops in 1881-82 were rice 38,589 acres, wheat 193,749, great millet 15,915, spiked millet 15,431, barley 11,450, pease 32,388, gram 7959, masur 6382, and tobacco 655. Most of the land is cultivated by the proprietors themselves ; and the rents, where they exist, are almost universally paid in kind. Trade is mainly in the hands of Povindah merchants. The district is un usually hot and dry, the average rainfall for the seven years ending 1872-73 being only 5 9 inches. Muzaffargarh possesses hardly any distinct annals of its own, having always formed part of MULTAN (q.v. ). MUZAFFARNAGAR or MOZUFFERNUGGER, a district in the lieutenant -governorship of the North -Western Provinces, India, lying between 29 11 and 29 45 N. lat. and 77 3 and 78 10 E. long., is bounded on the N. by Saharanpur, on the E. by the Ganges, on the S. by Meerut, and on the W. by the Jumna, with an area of 1656 square miles. It lies near the northern extremity of the Doab or great alluvial plain between the Ganges and the Jumna, and shares to a large extent in the general monotony of that level region. A great portion of the area is sandy and unfertile, but under irrigation the soil is rapidly improving, and in many places the villages have succeeded in introducing a high state of cultivation. The census of 1881 returned the population at 758,444 (males 409,436, females 349,008). The excessive proportion of males is doubtless due to the practice of female infanticide, which Govern ment has done all in its power to suppress. In 1874 no less than ninety -four villages were still on the "proclaimed" list under the Infanticide Act. Hindus numbered 535,218, Mohammedans 213,842, Christians 54, and Buddhists 9330. The population of the four municipal towns in 1881 was as follows Muzaffarnagar (the chief town and administrative headquarters), 15,080 ; Kairana 18,374 ; Kandhla, 11,109 ; Shamli, 7359. Out of a total area of 1,059,910 acres in 1881-82, 707,394 were returned as under culti vation. In the rabl harvest the chief crops are wheat, barley, millet, and pulse. The kharlf or autumn crops include the above grains, together with sugar-cane, cotton, and indigo. Irrigation was afforded in 1881-82 by one or other of the great canals to 219,121 acres. The condition of the peasantry is comfortable, and the village communities are prosperous and intelligent. Most of the land is cultivated by husbandmen with rights of occupancy ; the number of tenants-at-will is rapidly declining. Rents are more frequently paid in kind than in cash. Before the opening of the canals Muzaffarnagar was liable to famines caused by drought ; but the danger from this has been minimized by the spread of irriga tion. Its trade is confined to the raw materials it produces. The climate of the district is comparatively cool owing to its proximity to the hills ; and the average rainfall is about 29 inches. Hindu tradition represents Muzaffarnagar as having formed a portion of the Pandava kingdom of the Mahdbhdrata ; authentic history, however, dates from the time of the Moslem conquests in 3th century, from which time it remained a dependency of the various Mohammedan dynasties which ruled at Delhi until the practical downfall of the Mughal empire in the middle of the last century. In 1788 the district fell into the hands of the Mahrattas. After the fall of Aligarh, the whole Doab as far north as the Siwalik lulls passed into the hands of the British without a blow, and Mu- zanarnagar became part of Saharanpur. It was created a separate jurisdiction in 1824. MUZAFFARNAGAR, chief town and administrative head quarters of the above district, is situated on the military road from Meerut to Landaur in 29 28 N. lat. and 77 44 E. long. The population in 1881 was 15,080, of whom 8814 were males and 6266 females. It is a closely-built town, crowded with small lanes, and was founded in 1633. It is now a station on the Sind, Punjab, and Delhi Rail way, and has a considerable trade in agricultural produce. MUZAFFARPUR or MOZTJFFERPORE, a district in the lieutenant-governorship of Bengal, India, lying between 25 30 and 26 51 N. lat. and 84 55 and 85 58 E. long., is bounded on the N. by Nepal, E. by Darbhangah, on the S. by Patna, and W. by Saran and Champaran districts, with an area of 3004 square miles. It was formed in January 1875 out of the great district of Tirhut, which up to that time was the largest and most populous district of lower Bengal. Of its six subdivisions, the three eastern were in January 1875 formed into the new district of Darbhangah, and the three western Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, and Tajpur into the district of Muzaffarpur. The census of 1881 returned the inhabitants at 2,582,060 (males 1,265,731, females 1,31 6,329), viz., Hindus 2, 265, 380, Mohammedans 316,308, Europeans 140, mixed races 43, native Christians 179. The cultivated area amounts to 1,435,859 acres, of which 762,830 are under rice. Muzaffarpur suffered severely from the famines of 1866 and 1874. MUZAFFARPUR, chief town and administrative head quarters of the above district, is situated on the right or south bank of the Little Gandak river in 26 7 N. lat. and 85 26 E. long., with a population (1881) of 42,460. The town is clean, with many broad and well-kept streets ; it has a good collectorate and court-houses, jail, dispensary, and several good schools. A large trade is carried on both by road and river. The town, however, is liable to inun dation, and suffered severely from this cause in 1871. MUZIANO, GIROLAMO (1528 -1590?), an eminent Italian painter, was born at Acquafredda near Brescia in 1528. Under Romanino, an imitator of Titian, he studied his art, designing and colouring according to the principles of the Venetian school. But it was not until he had left his native place still in early youth, and had repaired to Rome about 1550, that he came into notice. There his pictures soon gained for him the surname of II Giovane de Paesi ("the young man of the landscapes ") ; chestnut- trees are predominant in these works. He next tried the more elevated style of historical painting. He imitated Michelangelo in giving great prominence to the anatomy of his figures, and became fond of painting persons ema ciated by abstinence or even disease. His great picture of the Resurrection of Lazarus at once established his fame. Michelangelo praised it, and pronounced its author one of the first artists of that age. It was placed in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, but was afterwards transferred to the Quirinal palace. Muziano, with dogged perseverance (at one time he shaved his head, so as not to be tempted to go out of doors), continued to proceed in the path on which he had entered. He grew excellent in depicting foreign and military costumes, and in introduc ing landscapes into his historical pieces after the manner of Titian. Mosaic working also occupied his attention while he was employed as superintendent at the Vatican ; and it became under his hands a perfect imitation of painting. His ability and industry soon gained for him a handsome fortune. Part of this he expended in assisting to found the Academy of St Luke in Rome. He died in 1590, or, according to another authority, in 1592, and was buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Many of Muziano s works are in the churches and palaces of Rome ; he also worked in Orvieto and Loreto. In Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rome, is one of his chief works, St Jerome preaching to Monks in the Desert ; his Circumcision is in the church of the