6. The act of bringing forth.-

by three ridges of hills, which run in a SW. direc tion from the river Dee to the Grampians. In the vallies formed by the three ridges, run three ftreams of water; viz. the Feugh, the Chattie, and the Birfe; all of which difcharge themselves into the Dee; and they all abound with excellent trout and falmon. Of the whole extent no more than 2590 acres are under cultivation; the reft of the parith being hill, mofs, or covered with that extenfive foreft of natural wood, called the foreft of Birfe. The arable foil is light and fharp; but in fome places it inclines to loam, and even clay. The parifh abounds with excellent limeftone; yet agriculture is ftill in its infancy, prejudices being with great difficulty overcome. The road from Dundee to Inverness, by the Cairn-o'Mount paffes through the parish. Birfe has long been famed for fine honey; in 1791 it contained no less than 300 hives. The population in 1801, was 1266, and had increased about 140 fince 1755. As an evidence of the healthinefs of the climate, the Rev. Mr Jofeph Smith ftates, that in 1792, there were two perfons then living above 100 years of age.

BIRSEMORE, a hill of Scotland, in Aberdeenfhire, in the parish of Birfe.

BIRSHA, king of Gomorrah, one of the five kings, who rebelled againtt Chedorlaomer; and, after being defeated, were relieved by Abraham, who refufed to accept of any fubfidy for his fervices. Gen. xiv.

*BIRT. n. f. A fish; the fame with the turbot which fee.

(1.)* BIRTH. n. f. [beorth, Sax.] 1. The act of coming into life †→

But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy, Nature and fortune join'd to make thee great. Shak. King John.

2. Extraction; lineage.— Moft virtuous virgin, born of heavenly birth. Spenfer.

3. Rank which is inherited by defcent.He doth object, I am too great of birth. Shak. 4. The condition or circumftances in which any man is born.

High in his chariot then Halefus came, A foe by birth to Troy's unhappy name. Dryd. 5. Thing born; production; ufed of vegetables as well as animals.

The people fear me; for they do obferve Unfather'd heirs, and loathly births of nature. Shakespeare.

She, for this many thousand years, Seems to have practis'd with much care, To frame the race of women fair; Yet never could a perfect birth Produce before to grace the earth. Waller. The vallies fmile, and with their flow'ny face, And wealthy births, coufefs the flood's embrace. Blackmore. Others hatch their eggs, and tend the birth, till it is able to fhift for itlelf. Addison. VOL. III. PART II.

That fair Syrian thepherdefs,
Who after years of barrennefs,
The highly favour'd Jofeph bore
To him that ferv'd for her before;
And at her next birth, much like thee,
Through pangs fled to felicity.

Milton 7. The feamen call a due or proper diftance be tween fhips lying at an anchor, or under fail, a birth. Aifo the proper place aboard for the mefs to put their chefts, &c. is called the birth of that mefs. Alfo a convenient place to moor a thip in, is called a birth. Harris.

(2.) BIRTH, as above defined, (§ 1. def. 3.) is faid to be high or loay according to the circumftances of one's ancestry. "There is fearce any truth (Mr Knox obferves in his Ellays) of which the world has been more frequently reminded by the moraliits, than the unreafonableness of that veneration which is paid to birth. They have been told, that virtue alone is true nobility; but thougi they have acknowledged the affertion to be founded in reafon, they have continued, with uniform perfeverance, in the fame error. The luminous glory of an illuftrious ancestor, feems to have dif fufed a brilliancy over a long line of defcendants, too opaque of themfelves to emit any original irradiations." "Gratitude (continues our elegant author,) which first raises a benefactor to a dif tinguished rank in civil honours, is willing to continue its kindness to his immediate offspring. The diftinction is rendered hereditary. This predi lection for an ancestor foon leads to the accumulation of honours and poffeffions in his fucceffors; and the incenfe originally offered, because it was deferved, is at laft lavished at the fhrine of opulence, independently of merit. Subordination is, indeed, effential to fociety. The order of nobles, as hereditary guardians of the laws, is found an ufeful political eftablishment; and none seem fo well adapted to fupply it, as they who have been raifed to eminence by their ancestors, and who poffefs a territorial patrimony in the land which they are to protect. All that is contended for is, that the recommendation of birth may not fet afide or depreciate real merit, the praife of learning, and the intrinfic value of virtuous exertions. It is a remarkable circumftance in the hiftory of mankind, that fome of the best books have been written, and fome of the greateft atchievements performed, by thofe whofe origin was truly plebeian. The politeft and genteeleft books, whether the fentiments or the ftyle be confidered, have been produced by flaves, or the defcendants of flaves. Horace, Phaedrus, and Terence, wrote in a ftyle which must have been the ftandard of a court, to an intercourfe with which they were by no means intitled by their extraction. The founders of the moft diftinguished families emerged from the middle and the lower claffes, by the fuperior vigour of their natural abilities, or by extraordinary efforts, affifted by fortune: and unPPPP

lefs

of coming into life"-(if intakes place, if not at conentrance of a perfon into

lefs the adventitious circumftances of wealth and civil honours can effect a change in the conftituent principles of the mind and body, there is certainly no real fuperiority to be derived in a boasted pedigree of Tudors and Plantagenets. And yet there have appeared flattereis, who have indirectly fuggefted, that the minds of the nobility feem to be caft in a finer mould, and to have an elegance inherent in their original conftitution. According to this hypothefis, we must go on to fuppofe, that the mind of a commoner exalted to the higher order of fenators, catches this elegance by the contagion of invifible effluvia. On his creation he undergoes a kind of new birth, and puts off the exuvie which encumbered and degraded him in the lower regions. Thus are all the occult perfections of noble blood to be infufed by the mandate of a monarch. But no,' faid Maximilian to a man who alked to be ennobled by him, though I can give you riches and a title, I cannot make you noble.' In truth, there is many a nobleman, according to the genuine idea of nobility, even at the loom, at the plough, and in the fhop; and many more in the middle ranks of mixed fociety. This genuine idea contains in it generofity, courage, fpirit, and benevolence, the qualities of a warm and open heart, totally unconnected with the accidental advantages of riches and honour; and many an English failor has poffeffed more of the real hero than a lord of the admiraity. If indeed there is any fubftantial difference in the quality of their blood, the advantage is probably on the fide of the inferior claffes. Their indigence and their manual employments require temperance and exercife, the best purifiers of the animal juices. But the indolence which wealth excites, and the pleasures which fashionable life admits without reftraint, have a natural tendency to vitiate and enfeeble the body as well as the mind: and among the many privileges inherited by him who boafts nobility in his veins, he commonly receives the feeds of the moft painful and the impureft difeafes.. He difpays indeed a coronet on his coat of arms, and he has a long pedigree to perufe with fecret fatisfaction; but he has often a gout or a fcrophula, which make him with to exchange every drop derived from his Norman ancestors, for the pure tide that warms a peafant's bofom. The fpirit of freedom, moral, mental, and political, which prevails in Britain, precludes that unreafonable attachment to birth, which, in the countries of defpotifm, tends to elevate the noble to a rank fuperior to humanity. In our neighbour's land, the region of external elegance united with real meannefs, the implicit veneration paid to birth adds to the weight of legal oppreffion. A Frenchman of the plebeian order attends to a Count or Marquis with all the filent fubmiffion of idolatry; on the contrary, there is no doubt but that an English gondolier would box with the beft lord in the land,

if he were affronted by him, without the leaf r gard for his ftar and ribbon. It would indeed be an additional pleasure to the natural delight of conqueft, to have bruifed a puny lord. Ev the more refined and polifhed do not idolife illu trious birth. In truth, wealth appears to be the object of more univerfal veneration. Noble blood and noble titles, without an eftate to support them, meet with great compaffion indeed, bet with little refpect; nor is the man who has raised himself to eminence, and who behaves well in it, neglected and despised because he derives no lví tre from his forefathers. In a commercial country, where gain is the general object, they who have been moft fuccefsful in its purfuit will be revered by many, whatever was their origin. In France, where honour is puriued from the mo march to the cleanfer of a jakes, the diftinction of birth, even with extreme poverty, is enviable. The brother of a Marquis would rather starve on a beggarly penfion, than pollute himself with a trade, by which means he might acquire the revenues of a German kingdom. In our land of good fenfe this folly is lofing ground; and the younger brothers of noble houfes, often think it no difgrace to rival the heir in a princely for tune acquired by honourable merchandise. As the world becomes more enlightened, the exorbitant value which has been placed on things not really valuable will decrease. Of all the effects of man's capricious admiration, there are few lefs rational than the preference of illuftrions defcent to perfonal merit, of difeafed and degr nerate nobility to health, to courage, to learning and to virtue. Of all the objects of purfait when are not in our own power, the want of diftinguith. ed birth may moft eatly be difpented with, by thofe who possess a solid judgment of that which makes and keeps us happy. There may be fome reafon to repine at the want of wealth and fame; but he who has derived from his parent health, v gour, and all the powers of perception, need not lament that he is unnoticed at the herald's office. It has been obferved, that virtue appears more amiable when accompanied with beauty; it may be added, that it is more ufeful when recommended to the notice of mankind by the diftinction of an honourable ancestry. It is then great to be wifhed, that the noble born would endea vour to deferve the respect which the world pays them with alacrity, by employing their influence to benevolent purpofes; to thote purposes which can at all times be accomplished, even when the patriotic exertions of the field and cabinet are precluded.”

(3.) BIRTH, in midwifery. Sce MIDWIFERY, (4.) BIRTH, or BERTH, in fea language, the ftation in which a flip rides at anchor, either a lone or in a fleet, comprehending the extent of the space in which the ranges at the extent of her

cabies

cables. Thus, the feamen fay, he lies in a good birth, i. e. in a convenient fituation, or at a proper diftance from the fhore and other veffels; and where there is good anchoring ground, and thelter from the violence of the wind and fea.

(5.) BIRTH, AFTER. See AFTER-BIRTH. (1.) * BIRTHDAY. n. f. [from birth and day.] 1. The day on which any one is born.— Orient light,

Exhaling first from darkness, they beheld
Birthday of heaven and earth.

Milton.

2. The day of the year in which any one was born, annually obferved.

This is my birthday; as this very day
Was Caffius born.

Shakespeare. (2.) BIRTH-DAY, the anniversary return of the day whereon a perfon was born. The ancients placed a good deal of religion in the celebration of the birth-days, and took omens from thence of the felicity of the coming year. The manner of celebrating birth-days was by a fplendid drefs; wearing a fort of rings peculiar to that day: offering facrifices; the men to their genius, of wine, frankincenfe; the women to Juno; giving fuppers and treating their friends and clients; who in return made them prefents, wrote and fung their panegyrics, and offered vows and good withes for the frequent happy returns of the fame day. The birth days of emperors were alfo celebrated with public fports, feafts, vows, and medals ftruck on the occafion. But the ancients, it is to be obferved, had other forts of birth-days befides the day on which they were born. The day of their adoption was always reputed as a birth-day, and celebrated accordingly. The emperor Adriar, we are told, obferved three birth-days, viz. the day of his nativity, of his adoption, and of his inauguration. In thofe times it was held, that men were not born only on those days when they first came into the world, but on thofe alfo when they arrived at the chief honours and commands in the commonwealth, e. gr. the confulate. Hence that of Cicero, in his oration ed Quirites, after his return from exile: A parentibus, id quod neceffe er t, parvus fum procreatus; a vobis natus fum conJularis.

BIRTHDOM. n. . [This is erroneously, I think, printed in Shakespeare, birthdoom. It is derived from birth and dom. See Doм; as kingdom, dukedom.] Privilege of birth.

Let us rather

Hold faft the mortal fword; and, like good men, Beftride our downfaln birthdom. Shakespeare. BIRTHIN, a river in Monmouthshire. BIRTHNIGHT. n.f. [from birth and night.] 1. The night on which any one is born.-

Th' angelick fong in Bethlehem field, On thy birthright, that fung the Saviour born. Par. Reg. 2. The night annually kept in memory of any one's birth.

A youth more glittʼring than a birthnight beau. Pope. BIRTHOLM LODGE, a village in Iluntingdonfhire, W. of Budgen.

BIRTHPLACE. n. f. [from birth and place.] Flace where any one is born.-A degree of ftuidity beyond even what we have byen elarged

By merit, more than birthright, Son of God,
Milton.

-To fay, that liberty and property are the birthright of the English nation, but that if a prince invades them by illegal methods, we muft upon no pretence refift, is to confound governments. Addifon.

* BIRTHSTRANGLED. adj. [from birth and Strangle.) Strangled or fuffocated in being born.Finger of birthftrangled babe, Ditch deliver'd by a drab, Shak. Macbeth. (1.) * BIRTHWORT. n. f. [from birth and avort; I fuppofe from a quality of haftening delivery. Ariftolochia, Lat.] "The name of a plant. (2.) BIRTHWORT, in botany. See ARISTO

LOCHIA.

BIRTLEY, a village in Durham, W. of MonkWearmouth.

BIRTS-MORTON, a town in Worcestershire, near Perthore.

BIRU, a town of Peru, 10 leagues from Trufilla, inhabited by Indians, Spaniards, Mulattoes, and Meflees. Lon. 69. 17. W. Lat. 8. 4. S.

BIRVIESCA, a town of Old Caftile in Spain, the capital of a small territory called BUREVA, 15 miles N. of Burgos. Lon. 3. 50. W. Lat. 42. 35. N. BIRZA, a town of Poland, in the province of Samogitia. Lon. 25. 10. E. Lat. 56. 35. N. (1.) BIS, in botany, a name given by fome old writers to the NAPELLUS, or monks-hood; and by others to the CICUTA or hemlock. There is, however, another fenfe of the word, very different from both thefe, in which it is ufed to exprefs an efculent plant. See 2.

(2.) BIS AL NIL is frequently mentioned among the Arabian writers; and as al nil fignifies only of the river Nile, the whole name fhould feem to express the character of fome poifonous plant growing in the Nile. This, however, is by no means the fenfe in which it is received; for we are told, that bis al nil fignifies a bulbous root of a fweet tafte, growing on the mountains about Damafcus, and in other parts of Syria, and eaten in the fpring by the people of the adjacent country.

BISA, or BIZA, a coin of Pegu, current there for half a ducat. It is alfo a weight ufed in that kingdom, equal in Venetian weight to 2 lb. 5 oz. BISACCIA, a small town of Naples, in the Principato Ulteriore, with a bishop's fee. Lon. 15. 35. E. Lat. 41. 3. N.

BISACUTA, in middle age writers, an axe with two edges, or which cuts either way; or a miffive weapon pointed at both ends. Walfingham reprefents the fecuris bifacuta as peculiar to the Scottish nation. Sce BATTLE-AXE, $ 2.

BISALTA, a town in Egypt, anciently called ACANTHOS.

BIS-ANNUAL, a name given by botanists to Pppp 2 thof

are Bilboa, Ordonna, Durango, Fontarabia, St Se baftian, Tolofa, and Victoria. See BISCAYNERS.

thofe plants, which crdinarily do not flower till the fecond year.

BISANT. See BESANT. BISARCA, in botany, a name used by fome authors for the herb Tarragon.

BISBA, [from 6, a vine.] a feaft celebrated by the Meffapii after the pruning of their vines, to obtain of the gods that they might grow again

the better.

BISBROKE, a village in Rutlandfhire, E. of Uppingham.

BISCAIAN LANGUAGE, the Cantabrian, or ancient language of Spain, a branch of the Celtic, which firft gave way to the Romanfe. See Bis

CAYNERS.

BISCARA, a town of Africa, in the kingdom of Algiers, feated in the eastern or Levantine government. This city belonged to the province of Zeb in Numidia, which lies S. of the kingdom of Labez; but the Algerines, in their annual inroads to carry off flaves, made them felves mafters of Bifcara, in order to facilitate their entrance into the fouthern provinces. It retains still some remains of the ancient city that gave name to this territory; and hath a garrifon to keep the inhia bitants in awe, who ufually bring lions, tigers, and other will beafts for fale to strangers.

BISCARANS, the natives of Bifcara. Algiers is frequented by great numbers of them, and they are employed in the hardest and loweft offices, as cleaning of ftreets, emptying of vaults, fweeping of chimneys, &c.; and when they have got about 10 or 12 crowns by this drudgery, they return to their country, where they are refpected as worthy men on account of their money, the inhabitants of this province being almost entirely deftitute of coin, and reckoned the poorest of all the Arabian tribes. Lon. 5, 50. E. Lat. 35. 10. N. BISCAW-WOAN, or BOSCENNA, a village in Cornwall, at the Land's End.

(1.) BISCAY, a province of Spain, bounded on the N. by the fea called the Bay of Bilcay, on the S. by Old Caftile, on the W. by Afturias of SantiJana, and on the E. by Navarre. It is in length from N. to S, about 67 miles, and in breadth from W. to E. about go, but very unequal. In general it is mountainous and barren; but in fome places it produces corn, and every where a great quantity of apples, oranges, and citrons. The people make cyder of the apples, which is their common drink. They have alfo wine called 'cha colino, which is pleasant, but will not keep long, and therefore is urfed instead of fmall beer. Their valley's produce a little fax, and their hills a great deal of timber for fhips. The fea affords them excellent fish of all forts. The wool that is exported here comes from Old Caftile; but their greatest riches are produced by their mines of iron; which metal is extremely good, and is tranf. ported to all parts. They have alfo artificers that work in iron; and are, in particular, famous for making fwords and knives. Bifcay is the country of the ancient Cantabri, fo imperfectly fubdued by Auguftus, and fo fightly annexed to the Ronian empire. Their mountains have in all ages afforded them opportunities of withdrawing themfelves from every yoke that has been attempted to te impofed upon them. The chief towns in it

.

(2.) BISCAY, Nɛw, a province of North Ame rica, in the audience of the Guadalajara. It has New Mexico on the N. Culiacan on the W. Zacatecas on the S. and Panuca with Florida on the E. It is about 300 miles from E. to W. and 360 from N. to S. In general it is well watered, fruitful, moderately temperate, and abounds in all forts of provisions, except the mountains of Topia, which are barren. The original inhabitants are not all brought under fubjection, they having 4 large towns in the moraffes, that are of difficus. accefs; for this reafon the Spaniards have burt 3 fmall fortified towns, which are well inhabited, for the defence of their filver mines, The latitude is from 25° to 28°.

BISCAYNERS, the inhabitans of BISCAY, (N° 1.) a people quite diftinét from the other Spaniards. Their language is accounted aboriginal, and un mixed with either Italian, French or Spanish, and feems to be a dialect of the Celtic. It is fo totally different from the Caftilian, that we feldom meet with any of the peafants that underftand ore word of the Spanish. The Bifcayners are flour, brave, and choleric to a proverb. The beft failors In Spain belong to the ports of Bifcay, and its mountains produce a very valuable race of foldiers. Their privileges are very extenfive, and they watch over them with a jealous eye. They have no bishops in the province, and style the king only Lord of Bilcay. The men are well built and active, like all mountaineers The moft fingular thing in their drefs is the covering of their legs, they wrap a piece of coarfe grey or black woollen cloth round them and faften it on with many turns of tape. The women are beautiful, tall, light, and metry; their garb is neat and paftoral; their hair falls in long plaits down their backs; and a veil or handkerchief, twisted round in a coquetish manner, ferves them for a very becoming head-drefs. On Sundays they generally wear white, tied with rofe-coloured knots.

BISCHOFFSHEIM, a town of Germany, in the archbishopric of Mentz, and late circle of the Lower Rhine, feated on the river Tauber, near the frontiers of Franconia. This town was the scene of feveral actions between the French and Auftrians in 1796. It was attacked by a body of 25,000 French, on the 25th of June, but repulfed thei with great lofs. It was afterwards taken, but evacuated in the end of the campaign. Lon. 9. 37. E. Lat. 49. 40. N.

BISCHOFS-WERDA, a town of Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, three miles from Drefden.

· BISCHOFS-ZELL, a town of Switzerland, belonging to the bishop of Conftance. The inhabitants are a mixture of Proteftants and Catholics; and they alternately ufe the fame church. There is a caftle wherein the bishop's bailiff refides, who receives half the fines; but he has nothing to do with the town, nor is there any appeal from the council of the town. It is feated on the Thur, at its confluence with the Sitter, almoft half way be tween Conftance and St Gall. Lon. 9. 13. E. Lat. 47.27. N...

(1) BISCHOP, Abraham, fun of Cornelius, (N*

four times.-The bifcuit alfo in the ships, especial ly in the Spanish gallies, was grown hoary and unwholefome. Knolles's Hift.-Many have been cured of dropfies by abftinence from drinks, eating dry bifcuit, which creates no thirst, and ftrong frictions four or five times a-day. Arbuth. on Diet. 2. A compofition of fine flour, almonds, and fugar, made bythe confectioners.

(N° 2.) was inftructed by his father to defign hiftorical fubjects and portraits; but preferred the painting of fowls, particularly thofe of the domef tic kind to any other fubjects which were recommended to him. He defigned every object after nature, and ufually painted in a large fize, fuch as ornamental furniture for grand halls; and every fpecies of fowl was fo exactly like nature in its attitude, character, and plumage, that his works were beheld with universal approbation.

(2.) BISCHOP, Cornelius, portrait and hiftory painter, was born at Antwerp in 1630, and was the difciple of Ferdinand Bol. His pencil, his colouring, and his manner, had a strong refemblance of his mafter; and by judges he is efteemed not inferior to him in hiftorical fubjects or portraits, having been always affiduous to ftudy after nature. A painting of his, confifting of a few figures by candle light, was fo much admired by Louis XIV. that he purchafed it at an high price, and it is placed in the royal collection; and the King of Denmark admitted his works among thofe of the best mafters. However, notwithstanding the encomiums bestowed on this mafter by the Flemish writers, an impartial judge would perhaps think his compofitions but heavy and without expreffion, and his works in general not worthy of all that commendation which is lavished upon them. He died in 1674.

(3.) BISCHOP, or BISKOP, John DE, an excellent painter and engraver, born at the Hague in 1646. He is spoken of with great commendation, and his drawings are held in the higheft eftimation by the curious. In these he has fucce ded fo happily, as to preferve with the greatest exactness the tyle of the painter whofe pictures he copied. But he is best known as an engraver; and his works are numerous. They are chiefly etchings, harmonized with the graver; and though flight, yet free, ipirited, and pleafing. He gives a richness to the colour, and a roundnefs to the figures, far beyond what is usually done with the point, so little affifted by the graver. His figures in general are well drawn; but in a mannered, rather than a correct, ftyle. The extremities indeed are not always well marked, or his heads equally expreffive. It is faid, that he owed his excellency to his genius alone, having never studied under any mafter. He.worked chiefly at Amfterdam, where he died in 1786, aged 40.

BISCHROMA, in mufic, the fame as our triple quaver. See CHROMA.

BISCHWEILEN, or a fortrefs of France, in BISCHWEILLER, the department of the Upper Rhine, and ci-devant province of Alface. Lon 7.51. E. Lat. 48. 40. N.

BISCIA, in ichthyology, a name by which fome have called the ACUS, or tobacco-pipe fish. BISCOT, in law, a fine of 2 d. on every perch of land, for not repairing banks

* BISCOTIN. n. f. (Fr.] A confection made of flour, fugar, marmalade, eggs, &c.

BISCOTT, a village in Bedfordshire in the parish of Luton.

* BISCUIT. n. /. [from bis, twice, Lat. and crit, baked, Fr.] 1. A kind of hard dry bread, made to be carried to fea; it is baked for long voyages

BISCUTELLA, BUCKLER-MUSTARD, or Bafzard Mithridate mustard: A genus of the tetradynamia order, belonging to the filiculofa clafs of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 39th order, Siliquofa: The filicula is flat-compreffed, rounded, above and below two-lobed, and the leaves of the calyx are gibbous at the base. There are 3 fpecies, all natives of France, Italy, and Germany; viz.

I. BISCUTELLA APULA, with flowers growing in fpikes, and a shorter style:

2. BISCUTELLA AURICULATA, with small pods joined to the style: and

3. BISCUTELLA DIDYMA, with a double orbicular pod diverging from the style. BISE. See BICE, N° 2.

*To BISECT. v. a. [from binus and feco, to cut. Lat. To divide into two parts.-The rational horifon biteeth the globe into two equal parts. Brown's Vulg. Err.

BISECTION. n. f. [from the verb.] A geometrical term, fignifying the divifion of any quantity into two equal parts.

BISEGLIA, a populous town of Naples, in the Terra di Bari, with a bishop's fee, feated near the Gulph of Venice. Lon. 16. 49. E. Lat. 41. 28. N. BİSEGMENT, n. in geometry, a part divided into two equal parts.

BISELLIARI, or in antiquity, those who enBISELLIARII,joyed the honour or privilege of the BISELLIUM. The word occurs in an old infcription. CN. PLAETORIO VIVIRO AUGUSTALI BISELLIARIO. (Gruter, Infer. p. 1099.) Scaliger in his index to Gruter, miftook the bifelliarii for artificers who made thefe feats.

BISELLIUM, [from bis, and fella, a chair,] in antiquity, a kind of feat or chair, larger and richer than ordinary, big enough to hold two perfons, wherein to fit in courts, theatres, and other public aflemblies.

BISERRULA: A genus of the decandria order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 32d order, Papilionaces: The legumen is locular and flat; and the partition contrary. Of this genus there is only one fpecies known; viz.

BISERRULA PELECINUS, an annual plant with purple flowers, growing in Italy, Sicily, Spain, and the fouth of France.

(1.) BISERTA, a lake of Africa, in Tunis. The millets of this lake are the best in Barbary; great quantities of their roes dried and made into BoTARGO, are fent from hence into the Levant, where they are accounted a great dainty. See N° 2.

(2) BISERTA, a large gulf of Africa, and the Sinus Hipponenfis of the ancients. It is formed by the Capes Blanco and Ziebeb; and has a beautiful fandy inlet near 4 leagues wide, which once ad