terminates in a large tuft. The females are not so large as the males, nor do they exhibit the same shagginess of the fore-parts. The B. is the largest quadruped now existing in Europe, although within the historic period there appears to have existed along with it an ox exceeding it in size; and it appears to have been this ox, and not the B., which was called Urus (q. v.) by the ancients, although their Bonasus (or Bonassus) was probably the same with the bison.-The food of the B. consists of grass and brushwood, and the leaves and bark of young trees. Its cry is peculiar, resembling a groan or a grunt, more than the lowing of an ox. It does not attain its full stature till after its sixth year, and lives for about thirty or forty years. The period of gestation appears to be the same with that of the ox. The B. has never been reduced to subjection by man, and the domestication even of individuals taken young, has been very partial. It generally shews a great aversion to the domestic ox. The common statement, however, that the B. calf invariably refuses to be suckled by the domestic cow, is contradicted on the excellent authority of the master of the imperial forests in the Russian government of Grodno.-The B. is generally very shy, and can only be approached from the leeward, its smell being very acute. It is easily provoked, and is not approached without danger. It runs very swiftly, although it cannot long continue its flight, galloping with its head very low, so that the hoofs are raised higher than the head. There is no historical evidence that the B. ever existed in Britain; but remains of this, or of a very closely allied species, are found in pliocene freshwater beds in several parts of England, as well as on the continent of Europe. The size of these B. bones is, however, so great as of itself to cause a doubt of the identity of the species, and the horns are longer in proportion. The fossil B. has been called Bison priscus; Bison being by some naturalists separated as a genus from Bos, upon the ground chiefly of the osteological differences in the head. The American B. (Bos Americanus of some naturalists, B. Bison of others) is interesting as the only species of the ox family indigenous to America, except the Musk Ox (q. v.) of the subarctic regions. It is commonly called Buffalo by the Anglo-Americans, although it is very different from the Buffaloes (q.v.) of the old world. It is found in vast numbers in the great prairies between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains; it occurs as far north as the vicinity of Great Marten Lake, in lat. 63° or 64°; extensive level and marshy tracts there affording it suitable food, although it is nowhere else to be met with in so high a latitude. Its southern limit appears to be in New Mexico. It is comparatively rare to the west of the Rocky Mountains, and appears to have been rare to the east of the Appalachians, even on the first settlement of Europeans. Within the present century, however, it was found in the western parts of the State of New York, and in large numbers in that of Ohio; but it has now disappeared from the whole region east of the Mississippi, and it is necessary to advance about one hundred miles to the westward of that river before considerable numbers are anywhere to be found. In the western prairies, enormous herds still congregate; great plains are sometimes spotted and darkened with them as far as the eye can reach; 'countless thousands' are described as coming to refresh themselves in stagnant pools; and their paths are said to be, in some parts of the wilderness, as frequent and almost as conspicuous as the roads in the most populous parts of the United States. 122 About 300,000 Indians are supposed to subsist almost entirely on the flesh of the B. The spear and the bow and arrow are still much employed by them in hunting it, although many of them also use firearms. They frequently pursue it on horseback; but the hunter, whether on horseback or on foot, has often much difficulty in getting within shot, upon account of its keenness of scent, and the speed with which it runs. The chase of the B. is also very dangerous, as it is apt to turn upon an adversary, and even a fleet horse cannot always escape it. Great numbers, however, are sometimes killed when the hunters can succeed in throwing the herds that are scattered over the plains into confusion, so that they run wildly, without heeding whither. Another expedient of the Indians is to set fire to the grass of the prairies around them, when they retire in great consternation to the centre, and are easily killed. A sort of pound or enclosure is sometimes made, with a long avenue leading to it, and an embankment of snow, such that when the animals have descended over it they cannot return, and by this means great numbers are often captured and killed. Livingstone describes a similar expedient as in use for killing wild animals in South Africa. Sometimes, also, the Indians contrive to throw them into consternation, and to make them run towards a precipice, over which many of the foremost are driven by the crowds which throng up behind. The American B. is very similar to the European. In general, it is of rather smaller size, but this does not appear to be always the case, and it is said sometimes to attain a weight of 2000 lbs. Its limbs and tail are shorter, and the tail consists of fewer vertebræ. The horns are shorter and more blunt. The fore-parts are still more shaggy, and retain more of their shagginess in summer. The ground upon which many naturalists have rested their chief confidence of specific difference has been, however, the presence of an additional pair of ribs, the The more American B. being said to have fifteen pair; but Mr Vasey has recently ascertained that, like the European B., it has only fourteen. gregarious habit may perhaps be accounted for, like that of the American beaver, by difference of circumstances. The wolf is quite unable to contend with the B., but many wolves often hang around the herds, to devour calves which may stray, or aged animals which have become too weak to keep up with the rest. These have sometimes been seen assailed by whole packs of wolves, and dealing death to many of their assailants, before they were compelled to yield to numbers and hungry pertinacity. only American animal that is singly capable of overcoming the B. is the grisly bear. See BEAR. The The flesh of the B. is very good, and differs from BISSAGOS-BITCHE. that of the ox in having a sort of venison flavour. much employed in medicine, both internally and The hump, in particular, is esteemed a delicacy.- externally, in hemorrhages and many other comPemmican (q. v.), so much the food of fur-hunters plaints. B. is a native of meadows in Europe, and and northern voyageurs, is made of the flesh and fat of the bison.-The tallow forms an important article of trade. One bull sometimes yields 150 lbs. The skins are much used by the Indians for blankets, and when tanned, as coverings for their lodges and beds. A blanket of B.'s skin is not unfrequently sold for three or four pounds sterling in Canada, to be used as a travelling cloak or wrapper. The Mandan Indians make canoes of B. skins spread upon wicker-work frames. These canoes have the round form of the Welsh coracle (q. v.). The long hair or fleece is spun and woven into cloth; and some of it which has been brought to England has been made into very fine cloth: stockings, gloves, &c., are also knitted of it. A male B. yields from six to eight pounds of this long hair. The few attempts which have been made to domesticate the American B., have been so far successful, that they afford encouragement to further experiments. The size and strength of the animal make it probable that, if domesticated, it would be of great use. BISSA GOS or BIJU'GA ISLANDS, a group of small volcanic islands, about 20 in all, off the west coast of Africa, in lat. 10° 2′-11° 42′ N., and long. 15-17° W., opposite the mouth of the Rio Grande. The islands are enclosed by a reef, and, with a few exceptions, are thickly wooded. Many of them appear to be densely peopled by a savage, thievish, negro race, who cultivate maize, bananas, and palms, and feed cattle and goats, which constitute their chief wealth. There are several fine ports. On one of the islands, Bulama, the British formed a settlement in 1792, but were obliged to abandon it the following year, on account of its unhealthiness. Bissao, one of the group, on which there is a Portuguese settlement, has a population of 8000. It carries on a large trade in slaves, nearly all its European inhabitants being engaged in the traffic. It has also a trade in rice, wax, hides, &c., and imports annually about £20,000 worth of British manufactured goods. Bistort (Polygonum Bistorta). is found in Britain, but is by no means common. See POLYGONUM. BI'STRE, or BI'STER, is a pigment of a warm brown colour, prepared from the soot of wood, especially beech. It is used in water-colours after the manner of Indian ink. BISSEN, WILHEM, a distinguished Danish sculptor of the present time, was born near Schleswig BI'STRITZ, a fortified town of Transylvania, in 1798, and studied his art for ten years in Rome, beautifully situated on the Bistritz River, in a under the guidance of his countryman, Thorwaldsen. fine valley about 50 miles north-east of KlausenReturning home, he executed a number of excellent burg. In its vicinity are the remains of an ancient works (a bust of Oersted, Atalante hunting, &c.). castle, once the residence of the illustrious Hunyads. In 1841, he returned to Rome, being commissioned It has several large cattle-fairs, but the extensive by the government to make 18 statues larger than general trade it once carried on is now entirely life. Along with these he produced a Venus, and gone. Forming, as it does, the last strong position a charming piece, 'Cupid sharpening his Arrow.' in the north-east of Transylvania, it was repeatedly Being recalled to Copenhagen, he was commissioned during 1848-1849 the scene of hot strife between to execute a frieze of several hundred feet long the Hungarian and Austrian generals. Pop. 6500. for the great hall of the palace, representing the B. is also the name of a river which, rising in development of the human race according to the Greek mythology. Thorwaldsen, in his will, appointed B. to complete his unfinished works and have charge of his museum. In 1850 he was made director of the Academy of Arts, Copenhagen. At the Paris Exhibition in 1855, he was the only sculptor who represented Danish art. BI'STORT (Polygonum Bistorta), a perennial plant, 1-1 ft. high, with a simple stem, ovate subcordate and wavy leaves, the radical leaves tapering into a long footstalk, and one dense terminal cylindrical spiked raceme of flesh-coloured flowers. The root is about the thickness of the little-finger, blackish brown externally, reddish within, and tor. tuous (whence the name bistort). The whole plant is astringent, containing much tannin; the root is one of the strongest vegetable astringents, and is East Hungary, flows south-east through Bukowina and Moldavia, and joins the Sereth near Baku, after a course of 110 miles, and is called the Golden B., on account of the auriferous character of its sands. BIT, or BITT, in ship-building, is a frame composed chiefly of two short but strong vertical timbers, fixed into or upon the deck in the fore-part of the vessel. Its main purpose is for fastening the cable when the ship rides at anchor, and for leading the principal ropes of the rigging. To 'bit the cable,' is to fasten it round the bit. are called riding-bits,' 'Elliott's bits,' 'Carrickbits,' 'paul-bits,' jeer-bits,' 'topsail-sheet-bits,' &c. Having to resist great strains, the bits are strongly bolted to the beams that support the deck. Various kinds BITCHE, a town of France, in the department of the Moselle, in a wild and wooded pass of BITHOOR-BITTERN. the Vosges, about 16 miles east-south-east of Sarreguemines. Its citadel, which is built on a precipitous and isolated rock, in the middle of the town, is well supplied with water, defended by 80 cannons, has accommodation for a garrison of 1000 men, and is considered all but impregnable. The Prussians under the Duke of Brunswick attempted to surprise it in 1793, but failed. Pop. of town, 2456, who are engaged in the manufacture of paper, glass, and porcelain. BITO'NTO (ancient Butuntum), a town of Naples, in the province of Bari, and 10 miles west-southwest of the city of Bari. It is situated in a fruitful plain about 5 miles from the sea, is well built, is, conjointly with Ruvo, the see of a bishop, and has a fine cathedral, monasteries, and a nunnery. Pop. 16,000, who carry on an extensive trade in a wine called Zagarello, which is largely cultivated in the environs. B. is the birthplace of Giordani, the mathematician. In its vicinity, the Spaniards, under Count BITHOO'R, a town in India in the district of de Montemar, gained a splendid victory over the Cawnpore and sub-presidency of North-west Pro-Austrians on the 25th of May 1734, the result of vinces, stands on the right bank of the Ganges, about which was that Spain re-obtained possession of the 12 miles to the north-west of Cawnpore itself. B., kingdom of Naples. particularly devoted to the worship of Brahma, has numerous pagodas. It is, of course, a favourite resort for pilgrims, who here, as at Benares and Bindraban, have access to the sacred stream for purposes of ablution, by means of elaborately constructed ghauts. During the mutiny of 1857, B. acquired an unenviable notoriety as the stronghold of Nena Sahib. Here also Havelock more than once exacted retribution, however inadequate, defeating the Nena in the field, and burning his fort. B. is said to contain 8217 inhabitants. BITHY'NIA, an ancient division of Asia Minor, was separated from Europe by the Propontis (Sea of Marmora) and the Thracian Bosporus (Strait of Constantinople), and was bounded N. by the Euxine, and S. by Galatia, Phrygia, and Mysia. Its eastern limits were not very clearly defined, but they at least extended as far as Paphlagonia. It contained the famous Greek cities or colonies of Chalcedon, Heraclea, &c.; and at later periods, Nicomedia, Nicæa, and Prusa, were flourishing cities of Bithynia. The inhabitants of B. were supposed to be of Thracian origin. The country was subdued (560 B. C.) by Croesus of Lydia, and five years later, fell under the Persian dominion. But about 440 or 430 B. C., it became an independent kingdom under a dynasty of native princes, who made Nicomedia their capital. The last king, Nicomedes III., made the Romans his heirs, and with a large addition from the Pontic king dom, B. became a province of the empire (74 B. C.). Under Trajan, B. was governed by Pliny the Younger, whose letters to the emperor on the administration and condition of the province contain the well-known passage respecting the Christians. The Emperor Diocletian made Nicomedia his habitual residence. In 1298, Osman the Turk broke into the country; and in 1328, Prusa, or Brusa, then the chief town of B., became the capital of the kingdom of the Osmanli. BITLI'S, a town of Asiatic Turkey, in the pashalic of West Van, in lat. 38° 24' N., and long. 42° 5' E., about 120 miles south-east from Erzrum. It is situated at an elevation of 5156 feet above the level of the sea, in a deep ravine traversed by the river Bitlis, one of the head streams of the Tigris. B. is a straggling, irregular place, covering a large surface of ground, and surrounded by bare limestone mountains, rising to a height of about 2000 feet above the valley, which is filled with orchards and gardens, and watered by numerous streams and springs. It has 3 mosques, about 12 convents belonging to the howling dervishes, who appear to have made B. their head-quarters, several well-stocked bazaars, and extensive manufactures of cotton cloths, which are celebrated for their bright red dye. It has also a very extensive trade. The import of British goods is small. The population consists of about 2000 Mohammedan, and 1000 Armenian families. The Persians defeated Solyman the Magnificent near B. in 1554. BITTER CRESS. See CRESS. BITTER KING (Soulaurea ama'ra), a shrub or small tree of the natural order Polygalacea (q. v.), a native of the Indian Archipelago, which has received its name from its intense bitterness. The genus differs from the usual structure of the order in its regular flowers. The B. K. has large oval leaves and axillary racemes of flowers. It is used medicinally in fevers and other diseases. BITTER SPAR, a name given to Dolomite (q. v.), from the magnesia contained in it, which the Germans call Bitter Salt. BITTER VETCH. See OROBUS. BITTERN (Botaurus), according to some modern ornithologists, a genus of the Heron (q. v.) family (Ardeida); but regarded by others as a mere subgenus of Heron (Ardea), and not a very well defined one. Bitterns are indeed chiefly distinguished from herons by the long, loose plumage of the neck, which they have the power of erecting at pleasure, along with the rest of their clothing feathers, so as greatly to increase their apparent size. The back of the neck, however, is merely downy, or almost bare, the long feathers being on the front and sides. Bitterns also differ from herons in the greater length of their toes, the middle toe being as long as the shank. They are almost all solitary birds, inhabiting reedy and marshy places, where they lie hid during the day, and will almost allow themselves to be trodden upon ere they take wing; they feed during the night, and then, also, often rise spirally to a great height into the air, and emit loud resounding cries. Their food consists chiefly of frogs, and partly, also, of fish, lizards, water-insects, &c., and even of small birds and quadrupeds. The claw of the middle toe is serrated on the inner edge, probably to aid in securing slippery prey.-The COMMON B. (B. stellaris, or Ardea stellaris) is a bird very widely diffused over the old world, being found in almost all, at least of the temperate, parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, which are sufficiently marshy for its manner of life. It is now rare in Britain, owing to drainage; but was formerly more common, and in the days of falconry, was carefully protected by law in England, on account of the sport which it afforded. Its flesh also was in high esteem, and is not rank and fishy, like that of the herons generally. In size, it is rather less than the common heron; the bill is about four inches long, the feathers on the crown of the head are greenish black, and the plumage in general of a dull yellow colour, beautifully and irregularly marked and mottled with black. The B. makes a rude nest of sticks, reeds, &c., in its marshy haunts, and lays four or five greenish-brown eggs. It has a peculiar bellowing cry, which has obtained for it such English provincial names as Mire-drum, Bull of the Bog, &c., and many of its appellations in other languages, perhaps even its name B. (Bitour, Botur, Botaurus). Some naturalists used to assert that the booming cry of the B. was produced by the bird inserting its bill into a BITTERN-BITTERSWEET. reed; that notion, however, has long since been exploded. When assailed, it fights desperately with bill and claws; and it is dangerous to approach it incautiously when wounded, as it strikes with BITTERS are prepared from an infusion of herbs containing bitter principles. The plant generally used for the purpose is Archangelica officinalis, or the Garden Angelica. See ANGELICA. The roots or seeds, or both, are placed in water, and the whole is left to simmer for several days, when the infusion will be strong enough. The B. from Angelica are not much used by physicians, having been superseded very much by infusions of gentian, &c.; but they are still used as a household medicine in town and country by elderly people. The chemical composition of the root is: Common Bittern (Botaurus stellaris). its long sharp bill, if possible, at the eye.-The LITTLE B. (B. minutus, or Ardea minuta) is common in some parts of Europe, but rare in Britain. Its whole length is only about thirteen inches.The AMERICAN B. (B. lentiginosus, or A. lentiginosa), a species almost equal in size to the common B., and very similar to it in habits and voice, has occasionally been shot in Britain. It is common in many parts of North America, migrating northward and southward, according to the season. The crown of the head is reddish brown, and the colours and markings of the plumage differ considerably from those of the common B.-The LEAST B. (B. or A. exilis) is another North American species, of very small size, which is also migratory, and somewhat social in its habits. The AUSTRALIAN B. (B. or A. australis) is generally diffused throughout Australia, wherever marshes or sedgy rivers occur. In habits it closely resembles the B. of Europe. The head and upper parts generally are purplish brown, except the wings, which are buff, conspicuously freckled with brown; the throat, breast, and belly mottled brown and buff. BITTERN, BITTER LIQUID, or SALT OIL, is an oily liquid obtained during the preparation of common salt (q. v.). When the mother-liquor of the evaporating pans ceases to deposit crystals of common salt, there is left behind in the boilers the material called bittern. It consists principally of a strong solution of common salt, along with Epsom salts, and other compounds of magnesia. The B. at our salt-works is generally run into tanks, and during winter, it is employed as a source of Epsom salts. The B. is treated with a little sulphuric acid, which converts the chloride of magnesium (MgCl) into sulphate of magnesia (MgOSO), and on the liquid being allowed to cool, the crystals of Epsom salts (or sulphate of magnesia) separate. Water and loss, The medicinal properties of B. are mainly those of a mild tonic and pungent aromatic stimulant, and hence they are serviceable as a stomachic in cases of weakness of the digestive organs. The taste is at first sweetish, rapidly becoming hot, aromatic, and bitter, and the odour is rather pleasant. The Angelica root yields a larger amount of the bitter principle than Angelica seeds. Camomile flowers, coriander-seeds, and other vegetable tonics and stimulants, are occasionally employed in the preparation of bitters. BITTERSWEET, or WOODY NIGHTSHADE (Solanum Dulcamara), a plant found in hedges and thickets in Britain, and in most parts of Europe, also in Asia and in North America. The root is perennial; the annual stems climbing and shrubby, Bittersweet (Solanum Dulcamara): a, branchlet with flowers and fruit, reduced; b, a flower, reduced. many feet in length; the leaves ovate-heart-shaped, the upper ones spear-shaped; the flowers purple, in drooping corymbs, much resembling those of its congener, the potato, but much smaller, followed by ovate red berries of tempting appearance, which, being poisonous, are not unfrequently the cause of serious accidents, particularly to children. The BITTERWOOD-BIVALVE SHELLS. twigs, collected in autumn after the leaves are fallen, are used in medicine as a diaphoretic and diuretic, and as a remedy for leprosy and other cutaneous disorders. See SOLANUM. BITTERWOOD, a name given to certain species of the genus Xylopia, trees and shrubs remarkable for the bitterness of their wood, particularly the West Indian X. glabra. Furniture made of this wood is safe from the attacks of insects.-The genus Xylopia belongs to the natural order Anonaceae (q. v.). The fruit of some of the species, particularly X. sericea, is highly aromatic and pungent like pepper. X. sericea is a large tree, a native of Brazil; its bark is used for making cordage, which is excellent. B. is also the name of Pierana excelsa (formerly Quassia excelsa), a tree of the natural order Simarubacea (q. v.), a native of Jamaica, the wood of which is used in medicine for the same purposes as Quassia (q. v.), and often under that name; indeed, it is probable that all the present quassia of the shops is really this wood. It is, botanically, very nearly allied to the true quassia, and possesses very similar properties, containing the crystallisable bitter principle called Quassite or Quassin. The wood, which is intensely bitter, is a very useful stomachic and tonic; an infusion of it is a well-known and useful fly-poison; and it appears to act as a powerful narcotic on many quadrupeds. knife. Its colour is blackish, reddish, or yellowishbrown; and its specific gravity is sometimes a little less, and sometimes a little more than that of water. It has a strong bituminous odour, and burns with a sooty flame. BITU'MINOUS COAL is a term applied to the varieties of coal which contain a large percentage of volatile matter. They yield, on their destructive distillation, a considerable quantity of gas, remarkably pure, and with good illuminating qualities, and are consequently largely used for that purpose. See COAL. BITU'MINOUS LIMESTONES are limestones impregnated and sometimes deeply coloured with bituminous matter, obtained from decaying vegetables, or, more probably, from the decomposed remains of those animals, the hard parts of which form so large an amount of the rock. BITU'MINOUS SHALES are indurated beds of clay occurring in the coal-measures, and containing such an amount of carbon and volatile matter that they are able to keep up combustion when mixed with but a little coal. They are indeed impure coal, with a large percentage of ash or earthy matter, which after burning retains the original form. See CoAL. BITZIUS, ALBERT, better known under the nom de plume of Jeremias Gotthelf, a Swiss author, BITU'MEN, a mineral substance, remarkable was born at Morat, in the canton of Freiburg, 4th for its inflammability and its strong peculiar odour; October 1797. He was educated for the church; generally, however, supposed to be of vegetable and after holding several cures, was appointed, in origin. The name, which was in use among the 1832, pastor of Lützelflüh, in Emmenthal, canton of ancient Romans, is variously employed, sometimes Bern, which office he retained till his death. His to include a number of the substances called Mineral first work was entitled The Mirror of Peasants Resins (see RESINS, MINERAL), particularly the liquid (Burgsdorf, 1836). It is the touching history of a mineral substances called Naphtha (q. v.) and Petro- poor villager, Jeremias Gotthelf, which pseudonym leum (q. v.) or Mineral Oil, and the solid ones called B. ever after retained. In 1838 appeared his Sorrows Mineral Pitch, Asphalt (q. v.), Mineral Caoutchouc, &c. and Joys of a Schoolmaster; in 1839, Dursli, the -sometimes in a more restricted sense it is applied Brandy-drinker, and How Five Maidens miserably by mineralogists only to some of these, and by some perish in Brandy; in 1842-1846, Scenes and Tradi mineralogists to the solid, by others to the liquid tions of the Swiss, in six vols., in which B. narrates, ones. All these substances are, however, closely with great art, the old national legends, among allied to each other. Naphtha and petroleum consist which the most remarkable is the Reconciliation. essentially of carbon and hydrogen alone, 84-88 The best and most popular of his stories, however, per cent. being carbon; the others contain also are Grandmother Katy (Berlin, 1848); Uli, the Farma little oxygen, which is particularly the case in servant (Berlin, 2d edition, 1850); its continuation, asphalt, the degree of their solidity appearing to Uli, the Farmer (2d edition, Berlin, 1850); and depend upon the proportion of oxygen which they Stories and Pictures of Popular Life in Switzerland contain, which amounts in some specimens of (Berlin, 1851). Subsequently, he wrote several asphalt to 10 per cent. Asphalt also contains a pamphlets against the German democrats, without, little nitrogen. Bituminous substances are generally however, violating those popular sympathies and found in connection with carboniferous rocks, in dis- liberal convictions which pervade his writings, and tricts where there is, or evidently has been, volcanic which at an earlier period led him vehemently to agency. See the articles already referred to. oppose the family government of the Bernese arisIndeed, most kinds of coal contain B., and a sub-tocracy. His last work was The Clergyman's Wife, stance essentially the same is produced from all kinds of coal by distillation; and whether before existing actually formed in the coal, or produced at the time by the action of heat, B. may often be seen bubbling from pieces of coal after they have begun to burn on an ordinary fire. Some of the shales of the coal-measures are very bituminous, as is also a kind of marl-slate abundant in some parts of the continent of Europe. See SHALE and MARL.-One of the most interesting of the bituminous minerals is that called Mineral Caoutchouc or Elastic B., and for which the new name of Elaterite has been devised, as if to support the dignity of its exaltation to the rank of a distinct mineral species. It is a very rare mineral, only three localities being known for it in the world -the Odin lead-mine in Derbyshire; a coal-mine at Montrelais, near Angers, in France; and a coal-mine near South Bury, in Massachusetts. It is elastic and flexible like caoutchouc, and may be used, like it, for effacing pencil-marks. It is easily cut with a which appeared in 1854. Its author died on the 22d October of the same year. B.'s writings are greatly relished in Switzerland. They are characterised by simplicity, inventiveness, a wonderful fidelity in the delineation of manners and habits, great vigour of description, and raciness of humour, while their tone is strictly moral and Christian. BI’VALVE SHELLS, or BIVALVES, are those testaceous coverings of mollusks which consist of two concave plates or valves, united by a hinge. So long as molluscous animals, provided with shells, were considered by naturalists almost exclusively with respect to these, the order of B. S., originally established by Aristotle, retained its place (see CON. CHOLOGY); and indeed the external character upon which it is founded is closely connected with some of the important structural characters according to which mollusks are now classified. See MOLLUSCA. A vast majority of recent B. S. belong to Cuvier's Testaceous order of Acephalous Molluscă, the Lamel |