Blowgun
a primitive weapon used especially by some Indian tribes of South America . It consists of a tube or blowpipe from ten to twelve feet long, ingeniously constructed by setting one palm stem within another so as to prevent warping. An arrow about two feet in length is made from the spine of another palm. It is wound with cotton down to make it fit the tube perfectly. This arrow is expelled by the breath with wonderful accuracy. An experienced hunter is able to kill birds in the top of the tallest trees. As the arrow is perfectly noiseless, he is frequently able to shoot several birds before his presence is noticed; thus doing more execution than a sportsman with a double-barreled shotgun. In war, the tips of the arrows are poisoned. A flight of poisoned arrows from Indians in ambush is to be dreaded. See Archery
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Blowing
The rushing, roaring noise created by the forcible ejection of gases at the runners and risers when the vents are insufficient to carry them away, or are accidentally choked, is by the moulders termed "blowing." See VENTING.
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Blucher
bloo'ker (1742-1819), a field marshal of Prussia. He served under Frederick the Great in the Seven Years' War. A lieutenant having been promoted over his head, Blucher wrote to Frederick the Great as follows: "Von Jaegersfeld, who has no merit except being the son of a Markgraf, has been put over my head: I beg to request my discharge." Frederick ordered him to prison, but later wrote: "Captain Blucher is at liberty to go to the devil." During the Napoleonic wars Blucher rejoined the Prussian army and shared in its reverses. He was one of a number of Germans who did not believe that Napoleon's star would always remain in the ascendancy. He led the Prussian forces in the battle of Leipsic, and followed Napoleon persistently, it may be remembered, to the very gates of Paris. After Napoleon's return from Elba, Blucher took the field again at the head of the Prussian troops. His timely arrival at the battle of Waterloo completed Napoleon's defeat. Blucher's reputation as a fighter is second to none. His reputation for promptness and readiness to charge the foe won him the nickname of "Marshal Forward" by which he is still affectionately remembered in military circles. Numerous statues have been erected in his honor, among which may be mentioned a colossal one of bronze in his native town of Rostock, and one in Berlin by the famous artist Rauch, the same who modeled the statue of Frederick the Great.
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Blue Beard
the name of the bloodthirsty husband in the familiar tale of "Blue Beard," best described in Perrault's "Tales" (1697). The original of this monstrous personage was a character celebrated in Breton legend, Gilles de Laval, Baron de Retz (1396- (1396-1440), famous in wars of Charles VII. According to tradition he used to entice the children of the peasants into his castle, and there sacrifice them to the Devil. He was condemned to death, strangled, and his corpse burned at the stake at Nantes in 1440. Another Breton legend represents de Retz with a red beard about to marry a beautiful girl after having already made away with seven wives. The bride expostulates at the altar. De Retz offers her all his possessions, finally his body and soul. "I accept," cried the bride at the same time transformed into a blue demon and making a sign that changes de Retz's beard from red to blue. Henceforth he belongs to Hell, and is the dread of the country under the name of Blue Beard. BLUEBELL (so called from the color and shape of the flowers), the English name of the plant genus agraphis, and especially of the wild hyacinth (agraphis nutans of Link, scilla nutans of Smith, hyacinthus nonscriptus of Linnæus). The bluebell of Scotland is the roundleaved bell flower or harebell (campanula rotundifolia).
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Blue Bird
a beautiful bird, the sylvia sialis of Wilson. Its whole upper parts are sky blue, shot with purple, with its throat, neck, breast, and sides reddish chestnut, and part of its wings and its tail feathers black. It is about 72 inches long. It has a soft, warbling note, which is one of the first harbingers of spring.
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Blue Bottle
a two-winged fly, musca (lucilia) cæsar, the body of which has some faint resemblance to a bottle of blue glass. Also the centaurea cyanus, more fully named the corn blue bottle, from its being found chiefly in corn fields. It belongs to the order asteraceæ (composites), and the sub-order tubulifloræ. It is from 2 to 3 feet high with florets of the disk, which are small and purple, and those of the ray few, larger and bright blue. It is common in the United States and Europe.
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Blue Bronze
Important: Safety Warning
This page contains a formula or preparation using substances now known to be dangerously toxic, such as arsenic, mercury, lead, or cyanide compounds. Exposure to these substances can cause severe poisoning, permanent injury, or death.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Cleanse the metal from all grease by dipping in boiling potash lye and afterwards treat it with strong vinegar. Wipe and dry the article thoroughly, and rub it with a linen rag, moistened with hydrochloric acid. Allow the coating to dry for a quarter of an hour, and then heat the article on a sand bath, until it assumes the desired color, when it should be removed. Bronze for Small Brass Articles. Oxide of iron, 3 parts; white arsenic, 8 parts; hydrochloric acid, 36 parts. Clean the brass thoroughly and apply with a brush until the desired color is obtained. Oil well and finish by varnishing or lacquering.
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Blue Disease
a condition in which the most prominent symptom is a peculiar discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes, due to the circulation of dark or venous blood in the vessels. It is also called cyanosis.
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Blue Eye
a beautiful little bird, abundant and very generally dispersed in New South Wales, although not found in Victoria. It is one of the honey eaters, or honey suckers, and is sometimes called the blue-cheeked honey eater.
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Blue Fish
a noteworthy food and game fish (Pomatomus saltatrix) of the American Atlantic coast from the Gulf erel, and, when young, snappers.
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Blue Gowns
a term applied to a class of privileged beggars in Scotland. Each had his district and made the rounds with regularity carrying the news, and not infrequently making himself very useful. No gentlemen thought of refusing a blue gown his regular present. He was theoretically welcome at every fireside, and was supposed to know the history of each person and event far and near, being, in fact, a sort of walking newspaper. For a further account the reader is referred to Edie Ochiltree, the famous character in Scott's tale of the Antiquary.
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