Black-Cap, Ceylonese. The bill of this bird ' 
IS a little bent, and of a blueifli colour ; the crown 
of the head and hind-part of the neck are black; 
the back is green; the under fide of the neck and 
the entire belly are of a light yellow; the v/ings are 
black, with two bars of white; and the tail is of a 
ruft-colour. 
The name of Black-Cap is likewife given by the 
vulgar in many counties of England to the pewit, 
a bird of the gull-kind ; and it is alfo the common 
name for the Englifh parus paluftris, or marfli-tit- 
moufe. 
BLACK-GAME. The common appellation 
for the urogalkis, or tetrao minor; called alfo the 
groufe. 
BLACK-FISH. This fijfh is faid to refemble 
the flieat-filk in it's fhape, though not above twen- 
ty inches long, and twenty ounces in weight. The 
head and back are black: and the lateral line runs 
direftly from the head to the tail, through the mid- 
dle of the fide ; below which, tov^ards the belly, 
the colour generally changes to a dark purple ; of 
which cok)ur alfo is the under part of the head. 
The head is flat, and near five inches long ; the 
body is round, till v/ithin a fhort fpace of the tail, 
where it becomes comprefiTed ; the mouth, vv^hich is 
rather fmall, is deilitute of a tongue; the eyes are 
placed near the corners of the mouth, on the lower 
edge of the upper jav/; and there are four gills on 
each fide, armed with a double row of fharp points, 
in a pe£linated form.. Near the gills there are tvv'o 
fins, confining of feven rays ; and a pretty ftrong 
prickly bone is connefled to the fore-part. About 
an inch above the vent, there are two Imaller fins; 
and another ofconfiderable length extends from the 
vent to the tail. Thei'e is likewife another of the 
fame kind that runs from the neck all along the 
back; but neither of thefe fins are united to the tail. 
The Black-Fifh is caught in the River Orontes; 
and it is conftantly and plentifully expofed to fale 
In the markets of Aleppo from November till the 
beginning of March. The flefl:i, which is extremely 
red, has a rank, flrong tafte. 
BLANK. An appellation given by fome au- 
thors to a fpecies of the cod-fifh, called gelbe, kol- 
mulen, and afellus flavefcens. 
BLATTA. A genus of infects of the order of 
hemiptera in the Linnsean fyftem : the characfters of 
which are, that the head is inclined; the antenns 
are fetaceous; the Vv'ings are membranaceous; the 
thorax is flat, orbiculated, and marginated; the feet 
are formed for running; and there are two fmall 
horns above the tail. There are feveral fpecies be- 
longing to this genus. 
Blatta is lilvcwife the nam.e of a fpecies of bee- 
tle, called by Columna fcarabiieus tefcudinaius, and 
confifting of feveral varieties. 
The word Blatta, according to fome writers, was 
alfo ufed for the kermes infect ; and, in the opinion 
of others, for the purple worm : but both thefe ac- 
ceptations are liable to fufpicion. 
Blatta, Common. See Beetle, Mill. 
Blatta, Yellow. This fpecies of fcarabfeus 
is fomev/hat larger than the common fly. The 
fiiield which covers the bread is mem.branaceous, 
of an oval fnape, and marginated ; the cafes of the 
wings are membranaceous and tranfparent, and of 
a brownifii colour, with raifed fcreaks marked with 
black fpots ; the legs are prickly, refembling horns; 
the feelers arc long; and there are two articulated 
horns, or prickles, above the vent. This fpecies 
is a native of Lapland; for vv'hich reafon it is called 
by Linnaeus the Lapland Blatta. 
B L E 
Blatta, American ; or, Cock-Roach. Thefe 
infefts, which are of a reddifh brown colour, are 
extremely deftruftive and voracious. They herd 
together in fuch numbers, that it is almoft impofil- 
ble to keep vi6luals of any kind from their ravages ; 
and they even eat leather, linen, and paper. They 
difappear on the approach of winter, but return to- 
wards the fummer ; and chiefly commit their deva- 
fl:ations in the night-time. Thefe Blattas lay their 
eggs in heaps, and wrap them all round in bags or 
webs, after the manner of fome fpiders. When the 
eggs are hatched, the young ones appear quite per- 
fect, and leave their fliells almoft inftantaneoufly. 
Being at firft no larger than ants, they are capable 
of penetrating through the fmalleft apertures into 
boxes and chefts, where they gnaw and deftroy every 
thing within their reach. They have two very long 
horns or feelers ; fix hairy legs, with two claws, re- 
fembling forks, at their ends ; and their heads, which 
are black, have reddifli circles on their upper parts. 
When arrived at their full growth, they caft their 
flvins, which burft on their backs ; and then the Blat- 
tas, or Cock-Roaches, are perfedlly formed. Their 
wings are foft and tender, being Vv^hitifh -'c firft, and 
afterwards of a reddifli colour; but their heads, 
horns, and the reft of their bodies, retain the fame 
fliapes and colours as they pofleflTed before the 
exuvise were fiied. 
BLEAK. This very common fpecies of fiflij 
the alburnus cyprinus of Linnjeus, is found in 
many of our rivers. Bleaks generally keep toge- 
ther in large fhoals ; and, at certain feafons, they 
appear to be in great agonies, tumbling about near 
the furface of the water, as if incapable of fwim- 
ming to any confiderable diftance: but in a ftiort 
time they recover, a nd prefently difappear. They 
feem to be troubled with a fpecies of gordius, or 
hair-v/orm, of the fame kind as thofe worms with 
which Ariftotie tells us the ballerus and tillo are 
infefted ; and which torment them to fuch a degree, 
that they frequently rife to the furface of the v/ater, 
and expire. 
Bleaks feldom exceed five or fix inches in length. 
Their bodies are flender, confiderably comprefil'd 
fideways, and not very diffimilar to fprats. Their 
eyes are large; their irides are of a pale yellow; 
their under jaws are long; their lateral lines are 
crooked; their gills, fides, and belly, are filveryj 
their backs are green ; their fins are pellucid; their 
fcalcs are deciduous; and their tails are much 
forked. Their fry, or young, during the month 
of July, appear in aftonifliing multitudes in the 
River Tham^es near Blackwall; and are knov/n in 
L.ondon and it's vicinity by the name of white- 
bait. 
Artificial pearls are made with the fcales of the 
Bleak, after the follov/ing manner. Being removed 
from the fifh, artiics immerge them in a bafon 
containing a little water, and then rub them againft 
the bottom, as if they were grinding colours. This 
being done, they pour off the filver- coloured wa- 
ter into a glafs, leaving the fcales at the bottom of 
the bafon ; and then repeat the operation till no- 
thing comes off, alv/ays pouring the v/ater into 
other glaiTes. They then let it fettle for ten or 
twelve hours, during v/hich time the filvery matter 
finks to the bottom; and then pouringoff the water 
by a gentle inclination, that which remains is of the 
confiftence of oil, and of the colour of pearls : this 
they mix with ifinglafs, or fifli-glue, and with it 
varnifh any fort of fubftance of the fize of beads, 
particularly v/ax, alabafter, and glafs ; all which, 
after this operation, have die exaft appearance of 
2 D pearls. 
