BEAN-FLOUR. 



[ 78 ] 



BERKLEYIA. 



cell-division of the terminal dome-shaped 

 cell. While the cells or joints of the axes 

 are still young, they send olF a number of 

 radiating processes, which soon become cut 

 oiF by septa, so as to constitute distinct cells, 

 and then elongate and ramify so as to form 

 the whorls of articulated ramules (fig. 5.9), 

 which at length become very dense (fig. 57). 

 From the basal cells of these branches second- 

 ary branches grow down perpendicularly over 

 the cell of the main axis immediately below 

 (fig. 59), forming at length a kind of rind over 

 it. This diifers from the analog:ous structure 

 in Chora, in the fact that there, branches grow 

 up as well as down from each articulation of 

 the axis, and meet half-\A'ay. Some of the 

 ramules Avliich grow out free become fertile, 

 and produce spores at their extremities, 

 while others grow out into transparent capil- 

 lary points. The spores are produced in large 

 numbers on each tuft, forming an agglome- 

 rated heap (fig. 58) at each articulation. 

 The branches of the main axis are produced 

 by lateral budding of its cells, just above and 

 as it were in the axils of the smaller whorled 

 branches. It is supposed, butnot ascertained, 

 that these plants produce zoospores. 



The specimens frequently change colour 

 when di'ied upon paper, becoming usually 

 much darker. Bory St. Vincent carefully 

 examined the distinctive characters of this 

 genus, and he is followed by Hassall, who, 

 however, erects several of his varieties into 

 species. He gives the following : — 



1. B. bombiisimim, Bory. Frond green, 

 turning black on paper. 



2. B. helmintosum, Bory. Bluish-green, 

 o. B. confusum, Hassall. Gray, violet 



when decayed, very large. 



4. B. stagnale, Hass. Yellowish-green. 



5. B. moniliforme, Hass. Deep brown- 

 gray. 



6. B . pulcherrimum, Hass. Violet-gray. 



7. B. vagum, Ag. Bluish-green, yellow 

 when old. 



8. B. alpestre, Shuttlew. Blackish. 



9. B. proliferum, Hass. Gray. 



10. B. rubrum, Hass. Bright red. 



l[. B. atrum, Harv., var. a setaceum, 

 bluish, /3 cajnllinum, blackish. 



BiBL. Bory St. Vincent, Ann. du Museum, 

 xii. 188, 316' et seq. pi. 22, 29; Hassall, 

 Brit. Freshw. Alga, p. 101 et seq. pi. 13-16. 

 63 ; Decaisne, A7in. des Sc. nat. 2 ser. xvii. 

 p. 340. pi. 15, i.; Braun, Verjungung, p. 160; 

 Ray Society's Translation, 1853, p. 150. 



BEAN-FLOUR. See Flour. 



BEE. See Apis. 



BEER. — The fermentation by which this 

 liquid is produced results from the growth of 

 the yeast-plant, a microscopic Fungus. See 

 Yeast and Fermentation. 



When ammonia is added to beer, a precipi- 

 tate of the ammonio-phosphate of magnesia 

 falls, resembling that subsiding from urine 

 under the same circumstances (PI. 9. fig. 3). 



BELBA, Heyden {Damaus, Koch). — A 

 genus of Arachnida, of the order Acarina and 

 family Oribata. 



Char. Abdomen separate from the tho- 

 rax, rounded, as if bulbous ; legs long, geni- 

 culate. 



BiBL. Walcken. Apteres, iii. (Gervais) ; 

 Koch, Uebersicht d. Arachniden Systems. 



BENZOIC ACID.— This acid is well- 

 known as occurring naturall)^ in benzoin resin 

 and some other resins. It is found in animal 

 secretions (urine) only as a product of the 

 decomposition of hippuric acid. It is also a 

 product of the oxidation of proteine com- 

 pounds. It is but slightly soluble in cold, 

 more readily in hot water and in alcohol, 

 also in sether. 



Its crystals belong to the right rhombic 

 prismatic system. It is readily sublimed, 

 and the crystals thus produced form shining 

 delicate needles. When crystallized from a 

 solution, it usually forms dendritically ar- 

 ranged, superimposed plates, with angles of 

 90°, sometimes narrow six-sided needles or 

 prisms; occasionally the angles are trun- 

 cated, so that the inclination of the edges 

 amounts to an angle of 135°. 



It is not unfrequently obtained from urine 

 when not fresh, in attempts to procure hip- 

 puric acid. It may be distmguished from 

 hippuric acid by its much greater solubility 

 in aether, by its crystallization in the plates, 

 and their form (PI. 7- fig- 13). 



BERGMEHL.— The German expression 

 for mountain-flour. A powdery or more or 

 less coherent mineral, consisting principally 

 of the siliceous valves of the Diatomaceae. 

 In some countries it is mixed with articles of 

 food in times of scarcity. See Diatomace^. 



BERKLEYIA, GreVille.— A genus of Dia- 

 tomaceae. 



Char. Phycoma spherical at the base, 

 giving off filiform branches, in which are 

 contained the densely aggregated frustules ; 

 frustules linear in the front view; valves 

 linear -lanceolate or lanceolate ; marine. 



The valves are exceedingly thin, brittle 

 and transparent. No markings have been 

 detected upon them, but there can scarcely 

 be a question that they exist. 



