82 



at 



BRACHIONUS. A genus of minute ani- 

 mals, found in stagnant fresh water and in 

 a water. [See ENTOMOSTKACA.] 



BRACHIOPODA. A class of Acephalous 

 or headless molluscous animals, with bivalve 

 ihells. They are characterized by having 

 the mantle organized so as to be serviceable 

 for respiration, and by having two long, 

 fleshy, ciliated, spiral arms, but no foot. 

 They have no organs of locomotion, but live 

 fixed to submarine bodies. The species are 

 umerous and widely diffused ; and, though 

 comparatively low in the scale of creation, 

 the class is interesting both to the physiolo- 

 gist and the geologist. 



BRACHYCERUS. A genus of Coleopte- 

 rous insects, the species of which are apterous, 

 and very rough. They live upon the ground, 

 and appear to be peculiar to the south of 

 Europe and Africa, particularly abounding 

 "n the latter quarter of the globe. 



BRACHYPTERES. The name given by 

 Cuvier to that class of birds generally known 

 i " Divers." 



BRACIIYTELES. A genus of Quadru- 

 ana, so named on account of the very small 

 development of the thumb. 



BRACON. A genus of Hymenopterous 

 insects, allied to the Ichneumons ; remark- 

 able for the hiatus which exists between the 

 mandibles and the clypeus. 



BRADYPUS. [See SLOTH.] 



BRAHMIN BULL, INDIAN OX, or 

 ZEBU. (Bos Indicus.) There is a very con- 

 siderable difference in the various domes- 

 ticated Asiatic oxen, as to the size and direc- 

 tion of the horns : some are short and sub- 

 erect ; others incline inwards ; but they are 

 generally distinguished by a fatty elevated 

 hump upon the withers. The ears are pen- 

 dulous, and the dewlap is usually very 

 largely developed. Their colour varies from 

 a light ashy grey to a milk white, and their 

 size from the stature of an ordinary bull to 



that of a Shetland pony. The limbs of all 

 are light and elegant. The flesh is neither 

 so sweet nor so good as that of the common 

 ox, except the hump, which is allowed on 

 all hands to be delicious when properly 

 cooked. In many parts of India the Zebu is 

 used as an animal of burden, and, when har- 

 nessed to a carriage, it will travel, at an easy 



rate, about thirty miles a day. Antient wri- 

 ers speak of its performing about double that 

 distance ; but if that were true, it must have 

 ost much of its fleetness. The Hindoos regard 

 ihem as animals worthy of veneration, and 

 :onsequently consider it sinful to slaughter 

 hem ; they do not, however, generally ob- 

 ect to work them. " They are spread," says 

 Vlr. Bennett, " over the whole of Southern 

 Asia, the islands of the Indian Archipelago, 

 and the eastern coast of Africa from Abys- 

 sinia to the Cape of Good Hope." 



BRAMBLING. (FrimjUla montifringitta.) 

 This bird, which is also called the Mountain- 

 Finch, is larger than the chaffinch. The top 

 >f the head and the back are of a glossy 

 jlack colour, slightly edged with a yellow 

 brown ; the throat and breast are orange, as 

 are the lesser coverts of the wings ; but those 

 which rest on the quill feathers are barred 

 with black, tipped with orange ; and the 

 tail is slightly forked. 



BRANCHIOPODA. An order of Crusta- 

 ceous animals, in which the locomotive ex- 

 ;remities fulfil the functions of gills. These 

 Crustaceans, which are for the most part 

 microscopic, are always in motion when in 

 in animated state, and are generally pro- 

 tected by a shell or crust in the shape of a 

 shield, or of a bivalve shell, and are fur- 

 nished sometimes with four, sometimes with 

 two antennae. Their feet vary in number, 

 some having not less than a hundred. A 

 great portion have only one eye. 



BRANCHIOSTEGI. A tribe of Cartila- 

 ginous fishes, comprehending those in which 

 the gills are free, and covered by a mem- 

 brane ; including the Sturgeon and Chimaera 

 [which see]. 



BREAM. (Abramis brama.) A fish of 

 the Carp family, and by anglers often called 

 the Carp-bream ; found in lakes, and in the 

 deepest parts of still rivers. The body is ex- 

 tremely deep and thin in proportion to its 



BREAM. (AB 



length, and the back much elevated. Length 

 two feet to two feet and a half ; colour olive, 

 with a pale or flesh-coloured tinge on the 

 under parts : scales large ; dorsal fin rather 

 small, and situated a little beyond the 

 middle of the back ; anal fin extending from ; 

 the vent nearly to the tail, which is pretty j 

 deeply forked. Its flesh is generally con- 1 

 sidered coarse and extremely insipid." 



The SEA BRKAM (Pagrus ccntrodontus)isa. \ 

 common fish in the Mediterranean, nor is it 

 by any means uncommon on the southern j 

 and western coasts of England, especially j 



