BAR 
Balearic Crane agrees in fome particulars with that 
beautiful race of birds, it alfo differs from it in fo 
many effential qualities^ that it cannot be referred 
to the fame family without violating the laws of 
natural hiftory. It appears pretty evident, how- 
ever, that this bird was unknown to the ancients ; 
and that, though it has obtained it's name from one 
defcribed by Pliny, we Ihould more properly con- 
fider the real Balearic Crane of that author as be- 
ing the leffer afn-coloured heron, or perhaps the 
egret. 
BALESTRA. A name given by Salvian, and 
fome other authors, to the filh more generally 
known by the name of caprifcus. 
BALISTES. A genus of the fwimm.ing am- 
phibia, comprehending eight fpecies. 
BALylVIS. A name given by the natives of the 
Philippine Iflands to the common duck of that cli- 
mate ; which is fomewhat inferior in fize to that of 
Great Britain, but much more beautifully varie- 
gated. 
BAL.I_.AN. A fpecies of the v/rafle caught on 
the northern coafts of England, and differing in fe- 
veral particulars from the other fpecies. It is form- 
ed like the common wrafTe, except between the dor- 
fal fin ajid the tail, where there is a confiderable de- 
preffion ; above the nofe is a deep fulcus ; and, 
on the farther cover of the gills, there is a depref- 
fioh, radiated from the centre. It has only four 
branchioftegious rays 5 the dorfal fin has thirty-one; 
the peftoral fins have fourteen; the ventral has fix; 
and the anal twelve. The tail is rounded at the ex- 
tremity, and at the bottom, for a confiderable fpace ; 
and between each ray there is a row of fcales. The 
colour of this fifh is yellow, variegated with orange; 
and it commonly weighs about five pounds. 
BALL/ERUS. A name given by fome authors 
to afpecies of frelh-water fifh of the leather-mouthed 
kind; which appears to^be the fame v/ith the cir- 
-cafiius, or (as fome call it) the circaffii tertium 
genus. 
BALLERUS is alfo a name given by Ariftotle 
to that fpecies of cyprinus, called blicea pleyftra 
and pallerus by the moderns. 
BALTIMORE BIRD. The Baltimore Bird, 
which is generally found in Virginia and Mary- ■ 
land, is about the fize of a linnet; from the neck to 
the tail, as well as on the upper part of the wings, 
it is of a bright gold colour; and the head is black. 
It ufually fixes it's neft to two twigs at the end of 
a bough of the tulip or poplar-tree. 
Baltimore Bird, Bastard. The Ballard 
Baltimore Bird has a pointed bill, with a black 
fpot under it. The tail and wings are of a brov/nilh 
afh colour;, but all the other parts are yellow, ex- 
cept the feet, which are blue. The head and breafl, 
together with half the back of the female, are of 
the fame colour; and the tail is black. The 
lov/er half of the wings is alfo black ; the upper 
half, the extremity of the back, the breaft, the 
belly, and the thighs, are of a dirty red; and the 
feet are blue. 
BANOY. A name given by the natives of the 
Philippine Iflands to a fpecies of hawk fomewhat 
larger than our fparrow-hawk, of a yellowifh colour 
on the back and wings, and white under the belly. 
It is the mofl: common fpecies of hawk in that cli- 
mate ; and is extremely fierce and voracious. 
BANSTICKLE. A name frequently given 
to the gaftercifteus. It is likewife called the pri ckie- 
bag, or prickle-back ; and fometimes the ftickle- 
back. 
■ BARB, An appellation fometimes given to the 
BAR 
Barbaiy pigeon, the columba numidica of Moorei 
This bird, which is but fmall, has a very fhort beaik, 
like that of the bull-finch; with a naked circle of 
tuberofe red flefh round the eyes; and the irides are 
of a pale colour. The value of the bird increafes 
in proportion to the breadth and deepnefs of the 
colour of this circle; which, however, is always 
narrow when it is young, and does not arrive at it's 
full breadth till the fourth year of it's age. Some 
of this fpecies have a tuft of feathers behind their 
heads, but others want that beautiful diftinction. 
When the bird is alfeftcd with ficknefs, the red cir- 
cle round the eyes becomes pale and whitifli. The 
proper colour of the Barbaiy pigeon is black, or 
dun ; though there are likewife fome pied ones : 
but thefe, being of a mixed breed, are elleemed far 
lefs valuable. 
BARBATUS PISCIS. A name given by Sal- 
vian to the fihirus, called in Englifti the flieat-fifli, 
the glanus of Pliny, and other ancient naturaiifts.. 
Artedi deicribcs this fifli under the name of the filu- 
ms with four cirri, or beards, at the mouth. This 
feems to diftinguifli it from the fifh called the lake, 
or alkuffa; which, though certainly a genuine 
fpec'es of tlie filurus, has only one beard. 
BARBE, or BARB. A beautiful, vigorous, 
and fleet breed of horfes, brought from Barbary. 
Barbs are generally flender made, their legs be- 
ing far afunder. It has been remarked that Barbs 
grov/ ripe, but never old, becaufe they retain their 
vigour to the lafr: and, for this reafon they are 
greatly prized for ftallions; their mettle, accord- 
ing to the Duke of Newcaftie, ceafing only with 
their lives. 
We are told that the Barbs anciently ran wild in 
the defarts of Arabia; and that fom.e of them even 
exceed the oftrich in fwiftnefs. Dapper informs 
us, that the m.oft beautiful Barbs are fold Ibmetimes 
at one thoufand ducats apiece. They are fed with 
a very parfimonious hand; 3.nd their genealogies 
are preferved with as miuch care, and traced with 
as much precifion, as thofe of the fii-fl: families of 
Europe. 
This valuable breed, however, is new much de- 
generated ; the Arabians having been difcouraged 
from keeping it up, through the violence and in- 
juftice of the Turkilh officers, who feize them as 
foon as they are reared, without making a juft com- 
penfation to their owners. At prefent, the Tin- 
gitanians and Egyptians have the reputation of 
preferving the beii breed of Barbs, both with re- 
fpefl to fize and beauty; the fmalleil of thele laft 
being ufaaJly fixteen hands high. 
The principal qualities of the Barbs are, that 
they v/alk well; and flop ftiort, if required, even 
in a full career. They are, however, lazy and neg- 
ligent in all their motions; they will often ftum- 
ble in walking over the fmootheft gmund; they 
trot very rough, and gallop very low; but, on the 
other hand, they are generally finewy, nervous, and 
excellently winded, and therefore adapted for a 
long journey, if not over-, weighted. 
The mountain Barbs are accounted the beft, be- 
caufe they are the largefl and fb-ongefl: : they be- 
long to the Allarbes, a nation inhabiting the inte- 
rior parts of Africa; for which reafon they are not 
procured without difficulty. 
Though Barbs are not unufual among people of 
fafnion in this country, they fall infinitely fhort of 
that fwiftnefs for which they are celebrated in their 
native regions. This may be accounted for, pardy 
from the fmaUnefs and lightnefs of the Arabs, their 
riders; and partly, from their not being loaded with 
