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B A K 



BA'RNACLE. (The Lepas balanus of 

 LinnEeus. Barnacle, Fr. larnacla, 

 It.) A species of shell-fish, a 

 pedunculated cirrhipede, frequently 

 found adhering to the bottoms of 

 ships in such prodigious numbers, 

 and of so great a length, as to 

 materially impede their progress 

 through the water. Some very 

 fine specimens may be seen 

 in the British Museum The 

 barnacle is known by the names 

 Anatifer, and Pentelasmis In the 

 arrangement of Cuvier the barnacle 

 is placed in the sixth class, namely, 

 Cirrhopo^a, of Mollusca. Linnaaus 

 comprised them all in one genus, 

 Lepas, which Brugieres divided 

 into two. The name anatifer, 

 from the two Latin words anas and 

 fero, signifying duck-bearing, was 

 given to the barnacle from a ridicu- 

 lous notion, formerly entertained, 

 that they enclosed in an embryo 

 state the young of the barnacle 

 duck. Sowerby states that fossil 

 specimens of this marine genus are 

 found in the calcaire-grossier, of 

 Paris, and in other similar beds. 

 Parkinson observes that anatifa 

 laevis and anatifa striata are both 

 said by Bosc to be found fossil; 

 the latter is also said by Gmelin to 

 be sometimes found fossil, but that 

 he believes neither of these state- 

 ments to be supported by sufficient 

 authority. He, however, gives a 

 representation of what he believes 

 to be a fossil barnacle in a flint 

 stone which he found in the gravel 

 pits near Hackney-road, and the 

 opinion he first formed, not only of 

 its having derived its figure from 

 animal organization, but of its 

 affinity to the barnacle, received 

 corroboration from different speci- 

 mens which he subsequently met 

 with. Large bunches of barnacles 

 attached to pieces of wood are 

 frequently thrown up by the waves 

 upon our coasts. 



BA'KOLITE. (from fiapvs, heavy, and 

 \i'0o<f, a stone, Gr.) Carbonate of 



barytes. The Baryte carbonatee 

 of Haiiy. Barolite is found native, 

 or it may be artificially prepared. 

 It was first discovered native by 

 Dr. "Withering, from whom it was 

 named Witherite. According to 

 the analysis of Dr. Withering, 

 carbonate of barytes consists of 

 barytes 80, and carbonic acid 20. 

 It is soluble in dilute nitric acid. 

 It is poisonous. It occurs abun- 

 dantly in lead veins, that traverse 

 a secondary limestone in Cumber- 

 land and Durham, and at Angles- 

 ark, in Lancashire. 



Barolite or "Witherite occurs in 

 various forms; it is found in irregu- 

 lar stalactitical minute crystals, 

 opaque and white; in dodecahedral 

 crystals formed of two hexahedral 

 pyramids, of a pale wine-yellow 

 colour ; and in elongated hexahe- 

 dral pyramids or spiculas of a chalk 

 white colour. It is also met with 

 incrusting fragments of galena, 

 blende, and limestone ; sometimes 

 forming crystallized balls of a dirty 

 white colour, with a striated frac- 

 ture ; radiating from a centre. In 

 irregular six sided prisms without 

 pyramids, and perfectly transpa- 

 rent, occurring occasionally in the 

 centre of the balls above mentioned. 



BAROSE'LENITE. (from papvs, heavy, 

 and selenite.) Heavy spar; native 

 sulphate of barytes, or boroselenite. 

 The Baryte sulphatee of Haiiy. 

 A mineral, found abundantly in 

 this and other countries. It occurs 

 both massive and crystallised. The 

 varieties of its crystals are very 

 numerous. It is of various colours, 

 white, grey, yellow, brown, red, 

 green, blue, and black. It consists 

 of 66 per cent, of barytes and 34 

 per cent, of sulphuric acid. Its 

 texture is generally foliated. "When 

 heated it decrepitates. It is solu- 

 ble in dilute sulphuric acid. It is 

 found in veins, in primary, transi- 

 tion, and secondary rocks. 



BA'ROTE. A name given to barytes 

 by Morveau. See Barytes. 



