bakhshish 
bakhshish, . See 
baking (ba'ldng), n. [Verbal n. of bake.] 1. 
The act of baking. 2. The quantity baked at 
once: as, a bakiiiy of bread. Also called hake 
and batch. 
baking-powder (M'king-pon'dte), w. Any 
powder used as a substitute for yeast in raising 
bread, cakes, etc. Baking-powders are composed of 
bicarbonate of sodium or potassium mixed with a dry 
powder capable of setting carl ..... ic acid free when the 
mixture is moistened. 
bakshish, bakhshish (bak'shesh), n. [Also 
backxltixh, backsheesh. bukshish, etc., < Turk. Ar. 
Hind, bakhshish. < Pers. bakhshish, a present, 
< baklisli'ulini, give.] In the East, a present or 
gratuity in money. 
We promised him backxhec.sh for a sight of the sacred 
book. B. Taylor, Lauds of the Saracen, p. 94. 
"Bakhshish," says a modern writer, "is afee or present 
which the Arabs (he here means the Egyptians, who got 
tlie word from the Persians through the Turks) claim on 
all occasions for services you render them, as well as for 
services they have rendered you. This tocAcMw, in fact, 
is a sort of alms or tribute, which the poor Arab believes 
himself entitled to claim from every respectable-looking 
person." R- F. Burton, El-Medinah, p. 23. 
bakufu (bak'u-fo), n. [< Jap. baka, curtain, + 
fu, office.] Curtain-government, that is, the 
government or council of the former shoguns of 
Japan: so called in allusion to the curtain used 
in time of war to screen off that part of the 
camp occupied by the general or shogun. See 
shogun. 
On the 3rd of June the Sh6guu had an audience of the 
Mikado. His majesty's speech on the occasion was as 
follows: "The duties of the bakufu are on the one hand 
to govern the empire in peace, and on the other to subju- 
gate the barbarians." F. 0. Adams, Japan, I. 384. 
bal (bal), n. [Formerly 1 also ball, < Corn, lal, a 
mine (Pryce), a cluster of mines (Borlase).] A 
mine. [Cornwall.] 
bal. An abbreviation of balance. 
balaam (ba'lam), n. [In allusion to Balaam 
and his " dumb ass speaking with man's voice " 
(Num. xxii. 28-30; 2 Pet. ii. 16).] 1. Matter 
regarding marvelous and incredible events in- 
serted in a newspaper to fill space. [English 
printers' cant.] 
Balaam is the cant name for asinine paragraphs about 
monstrous productions of nature and the like, kept stand- 
ing in type to be used whenever the real news of the day 
leave an awkward space that must be filled up somehow. 
Lockhart, Life of Scott, Ixx. 
2. Same as balaam-box. 
Bring in Balaam, and place him on the table. 
J, Wilson, Noctes Anibros., II. xxvi. 
balaam-box, balaam-basket (ba'lam-boks, 
-bas"ket), n. An editor's depository for worth- 
less matter, rejected writings, etc. 
Who can doubt that ... an Essay for the Edinburgh 
Review, in " the old unpolluted English language," would 
have been consigned, by the editor, to his balaain-basket 1 
t\ Hall, Mod. Eng., p. 17. 
Balaamitet (ba'lam-It), n. [< Salaam (Num. 
xxii.) + -ite 2 .] One who makes a profession of 
religion for the sake of gain : in allusion to the 
prophet Balaam. 
Balaamiticalt (ba-lam-it'i-kal), a. Pertaining 
to or characteristic of a Balaamite. 
Bala beds. See bed 1 . 
balachan (bal'a-chan), n. Same as balachong. 
balachong (bai'a-chong), n. [< Malay bdla- 
e/jart.] A substance composed of small fishes 
or shrimps pounded up with salt and spices, 
and then dried. It is much used in the East 
as a condiment 
for rice. Also 
balachan, bala- 
cltoung, bala- 
chaun. 
baladine, /'. See 
balladiite. 
Balsena (ba-le'- 
na), n. [L., < 
Gfr. (fiaAaiva, 
more correctly 
fyafc/jiLva, a 
whale.] The 
typical genus 
of whalebone 
whales, of the 
family Balami- 
cUe, having the 
cervical verte- 
bras ankylosed, 
the fore limbs 
424 
out furrows, and no dorsal fin. it contains the 
(Ireenland or arctic whale, Jl. wytiticetus, and several 
iithrr species found in all seas. See cuts under ankylimx 
ami Htilii'iiiilir. 
Balasniceps (ba-le'ni-seps), . [NL., < L. ba- 
lu'ita, a whale, + -ccps, < caput, head.] A genus 
of grallatorial altricial birds, of which the type 
and only known member is the shoebill or 
whalehead of Africa, B. rex, comparatively 
lately discovered on the upper part of the 
White Nile. The genus is the type of a family Bahe- 
nicijridtr, of somewhat uncertain position, probably near 
the storks. The bird is remarkable for its enormous 
vaulted beak, which is ranch longer than the head. Lit- 
tle is known of its habits and economy. It is a large 
species, standing upward of 3 feet high. The bill some- 
what resembles that of the boat-billed heron, Cancroma 
coe.hlearta. See cut in preceding column. 
Balaenicipid* (ba-le-ni-sip'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < 
lialumiccps (-tip-) + -feto.J A family of birds, 
of which the genus Balainiccps is the type and 
only known representative. It belongs to the altri- 
cial or herodiouine series of wading birds, and is probably 
nearly related to the Ciconiidat, or storks. 
balaenid (bal'e-nid), n. A cetacean of the fam- 
ily Jia/a-nidie ; any right whale. 
Balaenidae (ba-le'ni-de), n. pi. [NL.,< Balama + 
-ifte.] A family of right whales, or true whale- 
bone whales, typi- 
fied by the genera 
Balama and Ba- 
l&noptera, having 
baleen instead of 
teeth. Teeth are, 
however, present in 
the fetus, though they 
never cut the gum. 
The Balaniidae may be 
divided into two sec- 
tions, the smooth 
whales, characterized 
by smoothness of skin 
and the absence of a 
dorsal fin, as the 
Greenland or right 
whale, Balatna, mysti- 
cetus ; and the fur- 
rowed whales, iu which 
the skin is furrowed 
and the dorsal fin is 
present, as the finncrs 
(f'hygalux), hump- 
Skull of Fetal Whale (Baltxnn aiistrnli^, side and top view. 
ioid ; MH, mandible ; . 
, prrmaxilla ; .v>/. squarno- 
Eo, exoccipital ; Fr, frontal ; Gl, glenoul ; MH, mandible ; MX, 
.axilla ; Na, nasal ; Pa, parietal ; Pntx, pren 
balance 
Balaenopterinae (bal-e-nop-te-ri'ne), n. pi. 
[NL., < Jliilirim/iffrti + -Mice.] A subfamily of 
whalebone whales, typified by the genus liala:- 
noptera. (a) A subfamily of Hiilifniilir, including the 
furrowed as distinguished from the smooth right .whales 
or Balteniiwe. (b) A subfamily of BdLasnopteridae, in- 
cluding the tinner whales as distinguished from the hump- 
backed whales OT Megapttrtno, having a high, erect, fal- 
cate dorsal fin, and 4 digits of not more than 6 phalanges. 
balafo (bal'a- f o)i n. [Native name.] A musi- 
cal instrument of the Senegambian negroes, 
consisting of graduated pieces of wood placed 
over gourds to increase their resonance. Its 
compass is two octaves. 
balalaika (bal-a-li'ka), n. [= F. lalaleBca = G. 
balalaika, repr. Russ. balalaika.] A musical 
instrument of very ancient Slavic origin, com- 
mon among the Russians and Tatars, and, ac- 
cording to Niebuhr, also in Egypt and Arabia. 
It is of the guitar kind, and has two, three, or four strings, 
giving a minor chord. (Mendel.) It is now most used by 
the gipsies of eastern Europe. 
The dances of the gipsies, accompanied by the music of 
the balalaika, and clapping of hands. 
A. J. C. Hare, Studies in Kussia, vi. 
Bala limestone. See limestone. 
balance (bal'ans), n. [< ME. balance, balaunce, 
early mod. E. also ballrmce, belauncc. etc., < OF. 
balance, F. balance = Pr. balansa = Sp. balama, 
balance = Pg. balanca = It. bilancia, < LL. *bi- 
lancia, a balance, < bilanx (ace. bilancem), adj., 
in libra bilanx, a balance having two scales, 
< L. bi-, bis, twice, -I- lanx, a dish, scale of a 
balance. See bi- 2 , lance' 2 , launcc 2 , and auncel.'] 
1. An instrument for determining the weigbt 
of bodies as compared with an assumed unit- 
mass. In its simplest and most scientific form it con- 
sists of a horizontal lever, having its fulcrum (which is a 
knife-edge) just above the center of gravity of the whole 
balance, and carrying two pans suspended as delicately as 
possible (preferably from knife-edges) at equal distances 
on the right and left of the fulcrum. It also carries a 
tongue-pointer or index (a slender rod) rigidly attached to 
the middle of the beam or lever, and extending vertically 
up or down. Except in coarse balances, there is a divided 
scale, over which the end of the tongue moves in the oscil- 
lations of the balance. All delicate balances are protected 
from currents of air by glass cases, and they have contri- 
vances for steadying the pans, and often for removing the 
knives from their bearings and for replacing them. Ex- 
ceedingly delicate balances are sometimes inclosed in 
vacuum-chambers, and have machinery for changing the 
weights. In using the balance, the substance to be weighed 
is placed in one pan or scale and the weights are put in 
the other, and different combinations of weights are tried 
until the pointer oscillates at equal distances to one side 
and the other of the position it has when the scales are 
empty. In chemical balances the last adjustment is ob- 
tained by moving a minute weight, or rider, to different 
points on the decimally graduated beam. The figure shows 
the beam of a balance of precision. It is so formed as to 
combine stiffness with lightness, and there are various ad- 
justments for moving the center of gravity, the knife-edges, 
etc. Other things being equal, the greater the length of 
pentadactyl,the 
bead enormous, 
with long black 
elastic baleen, 
the throat with- 
sal ; Sit, supra-occipital ; Ty, tympanic. 
backed whales (Mer/aptera), and rorquals or piked whales 
(nalcenoptera). The term is sometimes restricted to the 
first of these sections, the other whalelmne whales then 
constituting a separate family, Balcenopterulw. See whale. 
Balaeninse (bal-e-ni'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Balama 
+ -ino.'.] A subfamily of Balamidai, typified by 
the genus Balama, containing only the smooth 
right whales. See Balawidce. 
Balacnoidea (bal-e-noi'de-a), n. pi. [NL., < 
Bakcna + -osrfea.]' One of the three primary 
groups into which the Cetacea are divisible, 
the other two being -the Delphinoidea and the 
Phocodontia. It embraces the right whales 
(Balama) and the fin-whales (Balatnoptera, 
etc.). 
Balaenoptera (bal-e-nop'te-ra), n. [NL., < L. 
balwna, a whale, + Gr. KTepov, a wing.] A ge- 
nus of whalebone whales, containing the sev- 
eral species of piked whales, rorquals, tinners, 
finbacks, or razor-backs, so called from their 
long, sharp, falcate dorsal fin. They are found in 
all seas. Some are very large, as Ii. fribbaldi, which attains 
a length of 80 feet. The flippers have 4 digits ; the baleen 
is short and coarse ; the skin of the throat is folded ; the 
head is small, flat, and pointed ; the body is long and slen- 
der; and the cervical vertebrae are free. Common Atlan- 
tic species are B. nni^culus and B. borealis. The whale- 
bone is of comparatively little value. 
balsenopterid (bal-e-nop'te-rid), n. A cetacean 
of the family Bala'nopteriaa. 
Balaenopteridae (bal"e-nop-ter'i-de), n. pi. 
[NL., C Bal&noptera T -<te.] The furrowed 
whalebone whales ; a family of mysticete ceta- 
ceans, typified by the genus Bahenoptera, hav- 
ing the throat plicated, the dorsal fin developed, 
the cervical vertebra free or incompletely anky- 
losed, the nippers with only 4 digits, and the 
baleen short and coarse. It contains the humpbacked 
and the rtnner whales, sometimes respectively made types 
of the subfamilies Meijapterince and Balcenopterince. 
Beam and neighboring parts of a Balance of Precision. 
A A, beam ; K, knife-edge on which tt turns ; C, C, knife-edges fixed 
to the beam on which the pans are hung ; D, D, the bearing-pieces of 
the pans; K., tongue, the lower extremity of which moves over a scale ; 
F, screw with a nut for raising and lowering the center of gravity : 
this has no connection with the horizontal rod //," G, screw with a 
nut for carrying the center of gravity toward one or the other pan ; H, 
a rider, or little weight, whose value depends on its position on the 
beam, which it straddles ; / /, rod sliding horizontally, with a hook to 
take up and set down the rider ; K K, piece which raises and lowers 
the levers, /., L ; L, L, levers to take the beam and pans simultane- 
ously off their bearings when the weights are to l>e changed ; M, At, 
knobs supporting the beam when the levers. A, /-, are raised; N,N, 
Y's supporting the pans when the levers, L, L, are raised. Many bal- 
ances have arrangements for adjusting the relative positions of the 
three knives, but these are discarded in the larger balances. 
the arms and the smaller the distance of the center of 
gravity below the center of suspension, the greater will be 
the sensibility of the balance or the angular amount of 
the deviation produced with a given slight addition to 
either scale. The degree of sensibility to be desired de- 
pends upon the use to which the instrument is to be put. 
Such a balance as is employed in accurate chemical analy- 
sis will indicate a difference of weight of a tenth or hun- 
dredth of a milligram. 
I have in equal balance justly weigh'd 
What wrongs our amis may do, what wrongs we suffer. 
Shale., 2 Hen. IV., iv. 1. 
2. Any apparatus for weighing, as a steel- 
yard or a spring-balance. 3. One of the scales 
of a balance ; in the plural, scales. 
And I beheld, and lo a black horse ; and he that sat on 
Mm had a pair of balances in his hand. Kev. vi. 5. 
Take a pinte of air; and weigh it against a pinte of wa- 
ter, and you will see the ballanee of the last go down a 
main. Digby, Nat. Bodies, iii. 19. (N. E. D.) 
4. The act of weighing mentally; the act of 
comparing or estimating two things as in a bal- 
