Transactions. 143 



Basket-ftinger, the gold-crested wren. Communicated. 



Bilter, a child. This meaning is widely spread, but it appears 

 to mean a minnow in Dumfriesshire. Perhaps a generalised idea 

 of " a little one." However, in Renfrewshire a thriving child was 

 a "big bilter." 



Blach-dookeT s, a Galloway word for Cormorants. 



Brass, used in Dumfriesshire for money — in Renfrewshire tin. 

 Also, in former it means " coppers." Vide Matthew's gospel. 



Boivin, to take the lease of a farm in grass with the live stock 

 on it. 



Bland, to strike. 



Bus, a cow-stall, N. of England, pron. Boose. 



Bill)/, brother. " Waverley." Allan Eamsay. 



Btnk, a bench, a long form used in schools. Allan Ramsay. 



Bit, used for place. Have you got a new bit ? Have you 

 got a new place or situation ? 



Bleeze-money, money presented to the teacher at Candlemas, 

 i^ome old people recollect when candles were lighted as a part of 

 the ceremony. 



Boiler, this is the common word for kettle. 



Bluidij-fingers, fox-gloves ; in Renfrewshire called Dead-men's 

 bells. 



Baul or Bauld, we would imagine this to be a variation of 

 the English word bold, which once spelled bald, but the meaning 

 is different. "Are you bauld?" signifies "Are you in good 

 health ? Are you strong ?" There is an old French word bauld, 

 later baud, meaning gay, pleased, content, which may put in for 

 the origin of ours. 



Breem, to burn with desire. East England word. 



Brisket, the breast, oftener of dead animals exposed for sale. 



Brisk)/, a chaflSnch ; also, Brichtie. Communicated. 



Bidl dainj, a wild orchis. 



Brand, a contemptuous name for a worthless person. Pos- 

 sibly a variant of brat. 



Buist, to stamp sheep with the owner's initials. 



Bullisters, the fruit of the bullace tree. 



Buiterhlobs, what James Hogg calls Lucken-gowans, the 

 plant Trollius Europaeus. 



Beds, hop-scotch. The circular slate driven by the foot is 

 called the bed-stane, but in Renfrewshire the game is known as 



