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Braille – Brazilian Grass

Braille

LOUIS (brī'ē), a French teacher of the blind, born in 1809. He invented the Braille alphabet. It consists of a system of points printed on cardboard by indenting the reverse side.

The writing is traced with the finger.

He died in 1852. See BLIND.

Brake

a contrivance for retarding or arresting motion by means of friction. In machinery it generally consists of a simple or compound lever, that may be pressed forcibly upon the periphery of a wheel, fixed upon a shaft or axis.

See AIR BRAKE.

Bramatherium

a genus of antilopidæ, consisting of a gigantic species with four horns. It is allied to sivatherium, which also is four-horned. Both occur in the Upper Miocene, or Lower Pliocene beds of the Sewâlik Hills in India.

Branchia

the gills of fishes and various other inhabitants of water.

They are the apparatus for enabling the animal to extract oxygen from the water, BRANCHIOPODA instead of being dependent on the atmosphere.

Branchiopoda

Cuvier's first order of the sub-class entomostraca. The genera included under it, such as cyclops, cypris, apus, limnadia, branchipus, etc., are now generally ranked under several orders, viz., copepoda, ostracoda, and phyllopoda. It is also a division or "legion" of the sub-class entomostraca. It includes the orders cladocera, phyllopoda and trilobita, perhaps with mesostoma.

Branchiostoma

Costa's name for the very anomalous genus of fishes now called amphioxus.

Branco

RIO, a river of northern Brazil, which rises in the Parima Mountains, on the very borders of Venezuela; and, after a S. course of about 400 miles, joins the Rio Negro, of which it is the principal tributary, on its way to the Amazon.

Brandling

a species of fish, the parr or young of the salmon, so named from its markings being, as it were, branded. The name is also given to a small, red worm used for bait in freshwater fishing.

German

Brasenose

one of the colleges of Smith, Smith, Bishop of Lincoln, and Sir Rich- The origin of the name is doubtful , but there is a large college is very rich in endowments. nose of brass over the entrance.

The distinguished himself in the Peloponne-

Brasidas

a Spartan general, who master of Amphipolis. He was wounded sian War, and, in 426 B. C., made himself B. c., made himself in a combat with Cleon, the Athenian general, who was endeavoring to retake this place. He died 422 B. C.

BRASS

Bravura

an air requiring great skill and spirit in its execution, each syllable being divided into several notes.

It is distinguished from a simple melody by the introduction of florid passages, a style of both music and execution designed to task the abilities of the artist.

Brazilian Grass

an incorrect chamærops argentea, which popular name applied to a substance used in the manufacture of a very cheap kind of hats, known as Brazilian grass hats, and also as chip hats. It consists of strips of the leaves of a palm, ported into Great Britain for this manufacture, and chiefly from Cuba. are im-