INDEX. 
5 // 
Banian. See Fig-tree. 
Baobab tree one of the largest productions of the vegetable king- 
dom — where found, iii. 166. easily injured — its prodigious size, 
1()7. use of the leaves and fruit — singular use which the na- 
tives make of the trunks, 108, 169. 
Barnacle frequently seen adhering to oysters, &c. ii. 548. descrip- 
tion, 54Q. Goose barnacle, 550. 
Basaltes described — Giant’s causeway, a wonderful basaltic pro- 
duction, account of, iii. 562 — 565. Island of Stafi'a described, 
566 and 5QJ. Cave of Fingal a most singular cavern, accoun 
of- — rocks of the Cyclops, 568 — 570. different situations in 
which basaltes occur — its origin disputed, 3 fl, 3/3. employed 
by the Egyptians in the formation of their monuments and sta- 
tues, 574. 
Bat, i. 342. description and habits, 343, 344. experiments of Spal- 
lanzani, 345, and of Mr. Carlisle, 346. Vampire bat of South 
America a dangerous animal, 347. account of by Captain Sted- 
man, 348. 
Bear, brown, the most common of all the varieties, i. 234. de- 
scription and habits, 235. grows excessively fat in the winter — 
comes from his hiding-place in the spring — conceals her young, 
236. the cubs described — ascend trees with great agility — are 
fond of honey — singular custom among the American savages 
respecting the bear, 237. hunting the bear described, 238. su- 
perstitious ceremonies observed in the chase, 239 — 24 1 . the 
flesh a great delicacy — use of skin, shoulder-blades, and in- 
testines, 242. Polar hear is not calculated to live in temperate 
climates — is frequently carried out to sea on floating ice— Ice- 
landers will attack him with a spear — is very bold and fero- 
cious, 243, his attempt to board a ship in the whale-fishery 
— Berentz’s seamen killed by the white bears, 244. sometimes 
visits a Greenlander in his canoe without doing any mischief 
— pass the winter in the snow, 245. very troublesome in Green- 
land— when dead of great use to the Greenlander, 246. notice of 
a white bear kept in the Tow r er, 247- 
Bearded Eagle, i. 389. 
Beaver, description of and where found— castor, what — hair ma- 
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