Home › B › Bowdoin – Brachyura

Bowdoin – Brachyura

Bowdoin

JAMES, an American patriot, born in Boston, Aug. 8, 1727. He was prominent in Massachusetts during the Revolution. He became governor of his State in 1785, and, in the following year, suppressed Shay's rebellion. Bowdoin' College was named after him. He died in Boston, Nov. 6, 1790.

Bowdoin College

an institution for higher education in Brunswick, Me.: organized in 1794 under the auspices of the Congregational Church; reported at the end of 1919: Professors and instructors, 29; students, 448; volumes in the library, 120,000; productive funds, $2, 631,012; income, $137,137; president, Kenneth C. M. Sills.

BOWELS. See ABDOMEN: DIARRHEA:

INTESTINES.

Bower Birds

the name given to certain birds of the genera ptilonorhynchus and chlamydodera, which are ranked under the family sturnidæ (starlings). They are found in Australia.

The English name is given because these birds are in the habit of building bowers as well as nests. The best known species is ptilonorhynchus holosericeus.

Bowery

THE, a New York street.

It begins at Chatham Square and terminates at Cooper Union. It was long famous for the resorts located along its length, but now resembles any other populous city street.

Bowie

JAMES, an American frontiersman, born in Burke co., Ga., about 1790. He took part in the revolt of Texas against Mexico, and fell in the Alamo massacre, March 6, 1836. He gave his name to the bowie knife.

Bowles

SAMUEL, an American journalist, born in Springfield, Mass., Feb. 9, 1826. He was editor and proprietor of the Springfield "Republican" and a prominent factor in public affairs.

He wrote "Across the Continent" and "The Switzerland of America." He died at Springfield, Mass., Jan. 16, 1878. irs.

Box Elder

the English name of negundo, a genus of plants belonging to the order aceracex (maples). It resembles acer, but has pinnate leaves. The ash-leaved box elder, negundo americanum, rises to the height of 35 feet, and is an ornamental tree.

Boxing the Compass

in seamen's phrase, the repetition of all the points of the compass in their proper order an accomplishment required to be attained by all sailors.

Boyd

THOMAS DUCKETT, American educator, born in Wytheville, Va., Jan. 20, 1854. He was graduated at Louisiana State University, and has held important posts in the educational institutions of Louisiana. Since 1896 he has been President of Louisiana State University.

Boyle's Law

or MARIOTTE'S LAW, a law in physics to the effect that the volume of a gas will vary inversely to the pressure to which it is subjected, the temperature being constant.

Bozrah

an ancient city of Palestine, E. of the Jordan, and about 80 miles S. of Damascus. It was the capital of Og, King King of Bashan, and subsequently belonged to the tribe of Manasseh.

Early in the Christian era it became a flourishing place, and was long a great emporium of trade. It is now a scene of ruins.

Brachyura

a suborder of decapodous crustaceans, containing those families in which the abdomen is converted into a short-jointed tail folding closely under the breast. The common edible crab (cancer pagurus) is a familiar example of this structure. The suborder contains four families: (1) Oxystomata, (2) oxyrhyncha or maiadæ, (3) cyclometopa or canceridæ, and (4) catometopa or ocypodidæ.