B I T 



/..V.7) that inhabits France. This is yellow, with two 

 tranfverfc bands of brown. Geoffrey. 



BISTRICZ, or DisTRtTZ, in Geography, a town ot 

 Tranfylvania, and capital of a county, to which it gives 

 name, fuuate on the river Biftricz, which runs into the 

 .Samos, 4 miles S. W. of Kczovar. The town is 4^ ■"•'« 

 N. N. E. of Claiifcnbiirg, and 256 E. of Vienna. N. lat. 

 47° 7,7,'. E. long. 25^ 3'. 



BISTRIGALIS, in Entomology, a fpccies of Phal.-f.n a 

 (PyralU), with cinereous wings, with two ferruginous 

 llreaks. and ;i black dot. Inhabits Europe. Liniixus. 



BISTRIGARIA, a fpccies of Ph.\l«na (Gfrnrfra), 

 with cinereous wings, undulated, with two linear llreaks. 

 A native of Europe. Linn. &c. 



BISTRIGAT.'\, a fpecics of Phal.t.na {Geomdra). 

 It is grifeous, with two whitilh ftreaks. Inhabits Eu- 



BISTRITZA, in Geography, a town of European 

 Turkey, in Moldavia, on a river of the fame name, which 

 runs into the Siret, 6 miles S. E. of Bakeu. The town is 

 20 miles S. VV. of JafTy.— Alfo, a town of Walachia, 16 

 miles AV. S. W. of Kimnik. 



BISTRIZ, a town of Moravia, in the circle of Brunn, 

 6 miks W. S. W. of Els. 



BISTROFF, a town of France, in the department of the 

 Mofeile, and chief place of a canton in the dillnft of Mor- 

 hange, 4 miles N. N. E. of Morhange. 



BISTRY, a town of Bohemia, in the circle of Konigin- 

 gratz, 10 miles from Gitfchin. 



BISUGA, a river of Ruffian Tartary, which runs into 

 the fea of Azof, 4S miles S. W. of Eiflvoi. 



BISULCATUS, in Entomology, a fpecies of Curculio 

 that inhabits Italy. This is black, with a cinereous border 

 all round, and two furrows on the beak. Fabricius. 



BISULCUS, a fpccies of Ichneumon, of a black co- 

 lour, with two imprelTed lines before ; legs rufous ; fting 

 ihort. Linn. Muf. Lefk. 



BITS, or BiTTS /or Horfes, in the Manege, zre pieces 

 of iron of various figure and conftruftion, which, being 

 placed in the horfe's mouth, fcrve, by the affiftance of the 

 reins, to reilrain or guide his motions. 



The term hhts, or bits, is confidered by fome as originating 

 from the horfe's biting or champing them between the teeth 

 when placed in his mouth ; in the French language is ufed 

 a term alfo of fimilar fi^nification, les mortis, which would 

 ftem to corroborate the above etynioloey of it : — another 

 however, equally natunl, prefents itfclf in the common 

 word bit, or bitts, that is pieces of iron ; this apparatus being 

 always made of one or more pieces of this metal. 



The art of bitting horfes may be faid to confid in fur- 

 ntfliing the mouth with the moll proper mouth-pieces, &c. 

 for obtaining from them an obedience to the will of the 

 rider, and exacting a due performance of all the movements 

 and reflraints wliich may be defired, or at lead which are de- 

 pendent upon the operation of the reins. Rightly under- 

 ftood, and v.ell adminiftcred, this art affords the power of 

 communicating to the horfe fupport and confidence, with 

 greater eafe and fecurity to the rider. The mifapplication 

 ol its rules, on the coiitrar)', or an inattention to them, 

 where tht: mouth is not totally infenfible, will produce pain- 

 ful fenfations to the horfe, with difgufl and rebellion, and to 

 the rider uneafmefs and perhaps danger. 



It is to be lamented that the prcfumptuous opinions of 

 the uninformed have been too much the guide of the public 

 in their eftimation and choice of the proper bits for horfes, 

 as alfo in too many other things rcfpefting thefe ufcful 

 aninaals, tending ofteo to accumulate unneceflary fuffering 



B I T 



and mifeiY upon them. The writers on this fubjefl are few 

 and unfatisfadory ; we ihall, however, except Mr. Berenger, 

 whofe work is a noble effort to emancipate this branch of 

 f<:ience from barbarity and ignorance ; and from him we 

 (hall take occafion to make fome extrafts in the fequel of 

 this article. Here it will be proper to obfcrvc, that this 

 author, by the term bit, has dcfigniited the curbed bit 

 only ; but we have ventured, for the fake of purfumg amori 

 conneded view of the fubjed, to include in this term any 

 piece or pieces of metal placed in the horfe's moutli, for the 

 purpofes of guidance or rertraint. 



In our account of the different kinds of bits, and their 

 cffeds, we (hall begin, for the fake of order, with the de- 

 fcription of a bit of the mod eafy and fimple conftrudioo 

 poffil)le, and then proceed to the moll complicated. 



A fhort iron rod, made rather wiiltr than the mouth of 

 the horfe, and provided with a hook or ring at each extre- 

 mity fur faitening the reins to, affords us an inllance per- 

 haps of the greateft poffible fimplicity in the conllradion of 

 a bit ; and fuch a one only (lightly curved forv.'ards, to allow 

 more liberty for the tongue, is at prefent in general ufe for 

 the heavier kind of draft horfes, the bearing rein being 

 ufually attached to it, paffing over the hames of the 

 collar. 



A fimilar rod to the former, broken in two pieces, and 

 conneded by a joint in the middle, is the next in point of 

 (implicity, and is in common ufe for horfes of light draft, 

 as in thole employed for the curricle, coach, Sec. and is at- 

 tached by the bearing rein to the hook of the faddle, and 

 this kind of bit is moftlv termed with us a bridon. 



The next in point of farther comphcation of parts, and 

 which fcarcely can be faid to differ from the former, is the 

 common JiwJJle. This is provided with two crofs pieces, 

 which rell againft the lips or fides of the mouth ; for as the 

 fnnffle is intended for the faddle horfe, and the reins go to the 

 hands, fo the crofs pieces are ufeful in preventing the bits 

 from being drawn through the mouth, which precaution is 

 not fo neceffary where the bits are affixed to the bearing 

 rein. The bridon, we may obfcrve, is alfo made in general 

 fmaller than the fnaffle, as well as without crofs pieces. 



The dillindion, however, between a bridon and fnaffle 

 is infignificant and of little confequcnce ; for on all occafions 

 cro(s pieces are the moll convenient ; and it will be eafily 

 fei-n that the bridon is merely an imperfeft fnaffle, poffeffing 

 no peculiar charaders which can form a real dillindion. 



The term, alfo, when confined to this objcd is mifapplied ; 

 for the French, from whom we have borrowed it, by le 

 bridon underlland the fnaffle and its rein, in oppofition to 

 le bride, by which they denote the curbed bit and reins. 



In war, and on other occafions, the bridon was ufed as a 

 leffer bridle, or bridle of referve, in cafe of the failure 

 of the former from any accident ; and hence the origin of 

 its name. 



The number of parts of which the mouth-piece of the 

 fnaffle is compofed, may be increafed to any extent, as it 

 may be made with one, two, or feveral joints ; but as it is 

 evident thefe additions will not cffentially alt r its properties 

 or effeds, it would be ufelefs to purfue a diftind conlidera. 

 tion of them. 



But the condition of the fnaffle admits of being fo altered 

 and changed by the variation of its figure, its fubftance, and 

 its furface, as to acquire new properties and effeds which 

 will require particular attention ; its gentlenefs or rigour will 

 depend almoft wholly on thefe conditions. A mouth-piece 

 made of two entirely ftraight pieces will be more fevere than 

 when thefe are fomewhat curved, as the curved bit is more apt 

 to embrace and include the lips between it and the bars than 



the 



