the female lays from 4 to 7 white eggs, and generally broods twice in the year.
Wagtails feed on worms and insects, which they pursue to the edge of waters: in the spring and autumn, they constantly follow the plough for that purpose; and their breed ought, therefore, by every possible means to be encouraged.
WAINSCOT, denotes the timber-work employed for lining the walls of apartments: it is usually made in the form of pannels, and painted, in order to serve as a substitute for hangings.
According to the modern practice of building, rooms are wainscoted only to the height of two or three feet; the intermediate space, to the ceiling, being usually covered with paper. The walls, however, ought to be thoroughly dry, before the wainscot is fixed; as the moisture exuding from the bricks is apt to loosen the pannels, and thus disfigure the workmanship. With a view to prevent such accidents, charcoal and wool are usually placed between the timber and the wall; but the most certain method of preserving the wainscot, consists in priming the inner sides of the joints with white lead, or with a mixture of Spanish brown and linseed oil.
Waistcoat. See Cork-tree, vol. ii. p. 64, and Flannel.
WAKE-ROBIN, Cuckow-pint, or Lords and Ladies, Arum maculatum, L. a native and hardy perennial, growing in shady places, ditch-banks and rough grounds; flowering in May and June.
Both the bulbous root, and the leaves of this vegetable, in a fresh state, are extremely acrid. Nevertheless, the former has sometimes been used internally as a powerful stimulant, and externally as a substitute for blisters. When dried and pulverized, these roots lose all their acrimony, and afford an almost tasteless farinaceous powder. According to Dr. Withering, good bread may be prepared from them, as well as an excellent starch.—The French manufacture from the same root, when properly dried and reduced to powder, a harmless cosmetic; which is sold under the name of cypress-powder. Such preparation may also, and, we conceive, with greater advantage be used in domestic economy, instead of soap.
WAKING, or Wakefulness, denotes that state of the body, which is opposed to sleeping.—Both are alike important to the preservation of health; but waking, in particular, ought not to be prolonged beyond a proper time; as it exhausts the vital spirits; disorders the nerves; and unhinges the whole system: hence, acute head-achs, vertigoes, &c. are the inevitable consequences; because the whole mass of the fluids becomes vitiated, and the animal frame is at length subject to an uncommon degree of irritability and excitement, on the slightest occasions.
In the present artificial state of society, many persons of active minds, and great susceptibility, complain of watchfulness; which shortens their days, renders their life unhappy, and is sometimes succeeded by insanity.—As the source of this malady may, in general, be attributed to an unbounded desire of acquiring wealth, power, or fame, we shall briefly remark, that moral arguments will mostly prove unavailing, where the primary education has been defec-
