J8 A L 



BAB, 



BAG' SHOT BEDS. } One of the groups of 



BAG'SHOT SAND, j the Eocene deposits 

 in the London basin. These Eocene 

 deposits have generally been divided 

 into three groups, namely, the 

 plastic clay, the London clay, and 

 the Bagshot sand. Of these, the 

 Bagshot sand is the uppermost, in 

 the order of superposition,: it rests 

 conformably upon the London clay, 

 and consists of siliceous sand and 

 sandstone, without any cement, 

 with some thin deposits of marl 

 associated. The sandstone of the 

 Bagshot sand is so hard as to 

 require blasting with gunpowder, 

 and is used for paving and building. 

 "Windsor Castle is constructed of it 

 This deposit is destitute of mineral 

 contents. 



BAI'KALITE. A variety of augite, of 

 a whitish, or yellowish white, and 

 pale green colour. 



B'ALA LIMESTONE. A group of a few 

 beds found in North Wales, rarely 

 exceeding twenty feet in thickness. 



BA'LANITE. (lalanites, Lat.) A fossil 

 belonging to the genus balanus. 



BAI/ANTJS. (balanus, Lat. fiaKavo^, 

 Gr.) A sessile, affixed, conical 

 univalve, the apex truncated; the 

 base closed by an adherent testa- 

 ceous plate; the opening subtrigonal 

 or elliptical, with four moveable 

 valves, inserted near the inner base 

 of the shell. The balani are not 

 to be considered among those fossils 

 which are frequently found. 

 Parkinson. 



The recent balanus is observed 

 on rocks and shells at a depth 

 ranging to ten fathoms ; and affixed 

 to bottoms of ships and other float- 

 ing bodies. De La Heche, 



Balanus is the only genus of 

 sessile cirrhipedes, the shells of 

 which consist of six principal 

 valves, except Coronula, Sowerby, 



BA'LASS. } (Called also Spinel and 



BA'LLASS. j Zeilanit by "Werner.) A 

 sub-species of corundum; it is 

 found in crystals of a regular 



octahedron, composed of two four- 

 sided pyramids applied base to base. 

 Colour red. Balass is chiefly found 

 in Ceylon, and the dark and black 

 varieties have obtained the name 

 Ceylanite. It ranks among 'the 

 precious stones, and when of a 

 certain size is deemed very valuable. 



BALI'STES. The file-fish; a cartila- 

 ginous fish belonging to the fourth 

 class. Professor Buckland, in his 

 chapter on Ichthyodorulites, or 

 fossil spines, states that the spines 

 of balistes have not their base, like 

 that of the spines of sharks, simply 

 imbedded in the flesh, and attached 

 to strong muscles; but articulate 

 with a bone beneath them. The 

 spine of balistes is also kept erect 

 by a second spine behind its base, 

 acting like a bolt or wedge, which 

 is siinultaneouslv inserted or with- 

 drawn by the same muscular motion 

 that raises or depresses the spine. 



BA'LKSTONE. A provincial name given 

 to an impure stratified limestone. 



BA'NNER. The upper large petal of a 

 papillionaceous flower. 



BA'OBAL. A stone which has obtained 

 its name from its resemblance to 

 the fruit of the baobal tree. 



BARB. 



1. That which grows in place of a 

 beard. 



2. A sort of pubescence in plants. 

 BA'RBATE. | (from barlatus, Latin.) 

 BA'RBATED. J Bearded ; awned. 

 BA'RBED. Bearded ; awiied. 

 B'ARDIGLIONE. A name given by the 



Count de Bournon to Anhydrite. 

 See Anhydrite. 



BA'RIUM. The metallic basis of 

 baryta, discovered by Sir II. Davy. 



BARK. In botany, the covering of 

 plants, composed of woody hbres, 

 situated above the wood and under 

 the cellular integument, consisting 

 of from one to many layers, accord- 

 ing to the age of the plant or 

 branch, an additional layer being 

 produced every year. 



