BYR 
BIJX 
Glass buttons. These articles are also 
frequently wholly composed of glass of va. 
rious colours, in imitation of the opal, lapis 
lazuli, and other stones. The glass is in 
this case kept in fusion, and the button nip- 
ped out of it whilst in its plastic state, by 
a pair of iron moulds, like those used for 
casting pistol shot, adapted to the intended 
form of the button ; the workmen previ- 
ously inserting the shank into the mould, so 
that it may become imbedded in the glass 
when cold. 
Mother of pearl buttons. This substance 
is also frequently used in the manufacture 
of buttons : in which case, the mode of fix- 
ing in the shank is somewhat ingenious. It 
is done by drilling a hole at the back M'hich 
is under-cut ; that is, larger at the bottom 
than the top, like a mortise, and the shank 
being driven in by a steady stroke, its ex- 
tremity expands on striking against the bot- 
tom of the hole, and it becomes firmly ri- 
vetted into the button. To these foil-stones 
are also frequently added, in which case, 
they are usually attached with isinglass- 
glue. Steel studs are also often rivetted 
into buttons of this and various other kinds. 
The practice of wearing buttons con- 
sisting merely of a mould covered with the 
same kind of cloth as the garment itself, 
being at present extremely general, it may, 
perhaps, be proper to remark, that this is 
prohibited on pain of pecuniary penalties, 
from 40s. to 51. per dozen, by several sta- 
tutes which have been made at different 
times for the promotion of this manufac- 
ture, and under which several convictions 
have taken place within a few years. 
BUTTRESS, a kind of butment built 
archwise, or a mass of stone or brick, serv- 
ing to prop or support the sides of a build- 
ing, wall, &c. on the outside, where it is ei- 
ther very high, or has any considerable load 
to sustain on the other side, as a bank of 
earth, &c. 
BUXBAUMIA, in botany, a kind of 
moss, of which there are only two species. 
Both are to be found in the dissertation of 
the younger Linnaeus on mosses. 
BUXUS, in botany, a genus of the Mo- 
noecia Tetrandria class and order. Natural 
order of Tricoceae. Enphorbiae, Jussieu. 
Essential character : male calyx three- 
leaved ; petals three ; styles tliree ; capsule 
three-beaked; three-celled ; seeds two. 
There is but one species ; viz. B. semper- 
virens, box-tree, is well known in its 
dwarf state and as a shrub, about three feet 
in height. The wood is of a yellow colour, 
very hard and ponderous. It is the only 
one of the European woods which will sink 
in water. The leaves are ovate in the com- 
mon sort, hard, smooth, glossy, evergreen, 
very dark green above, and pale green un- 
derneath, like those of myrtle, but blunt 
and emarginate at the end ; from the axils 
of the leaves come out the small herbaceous 
flowers, in round bunches ; a female flower 
occupying the middle of the bunch, being 
surrounded by several males. 
The female flower is succeeded by a cap- 
sule of a globular form, very smooth, shining, 
tricoccous, and before it opens having three 
beaks resembling a tripod ; the cocciili or 
grains are of the consistence of paper, two- 
valved, and opening with an elastic spring ; 
receptacle central, three-sided, and short ; 
in each cell is a pair of seeds, ovate, growing 
more slender upwards ; triangular-com- 
pressed, obliquely truncate at the end, of a 
blackish brown colour. The wood of the 
box-tree sells at a very high price, by 
weight, being very hard and smooth, and 
not apt to warp. It is a native of most 
parts of Europe, from Britain southwards. 
BY-LAWS, or Bye-laws, private and 
peculiar laws for the good government of 
a city, court, or other community, made 
by the general consent of tire members. 
All by-laws are to be reasonable, and for 
the common benefit, not private advantage 
of any particular persons, and must be 
agreeable to the public laws in being. If 
made by corporations, they are to be ap- 
proved by the Lord Chancellor or Chief 
Justice, or justices of assize, on pain of 40/. 
if against the good of the public. But it is 
said, a corporation cannot make by-laws 
without a custom for it, or the king’s 
charter ; nor may they make any by-law to 
bind strangers that live out of their corpo- 
ration, or to restrain a person from working 
in or setting up his trade, though it may be 
for the order and regulating of trades ; and 
notwithstanding such a by-law may inflict a 
reasonable penalty, which may be recover- 
ed by distress or action of debt, yet none 
can be imprisoned upon it, as it is contrary 
to Magna Charta. 
BYRLAW, or Burlaw laws, in Scot- 
land, are made and determined by neigh- 
bours, elected by common consent in byr- 
law courts. The men, chosen as judges, are 
called byrlaw or burlaw-men, and take 
cognizance of complaints between neigh- 
bour and neighbour. 
BYRRHUS, in natural history, a genus of 
insects of the order Coleoptera : generic 
