Blue-coat School. See CHRIST'S HOSPITAL.
Blue Flag. See IRIS.

Blue Grass, Kentucky Blue Grass, June Grass, Meadow Grass, Spear Grass, a species (Poa pratensis) of the natural order Cramina, native of the cooler parts of the northern hemisphere. The plant is a perennial with very numerous rootstocks and long, soft radical leaves. The more or less leafy stems which rise from one to two feet are terminated by a loose, pyramidal panicle three to four inches long, which readily distinguishes it from its somewhat larger close relative, Texas blue grass (P. arachnifera), in which the panicle is contracted and which is further distinguished by its woolly seeds. Blue grass forms a dense sod, which is very resistant to the trampling of stock, upon soils favorable to its growth, and is ranked as the best pasture and lawn grass throughout its range in districts and upon soils adapted to it. It attains its highest development upon limestone soils, and where found growing naturally, is considered to indicate a superior agricultural soil especially useful for stock raising. The Blue Grass region of Kentucky, which also extends into Tennessee, and from which the former State derives one of its popular names, is of limestone formation, and is noted for its superior, strong-boned, wellformed stock, especially horses. Upon soils other than limestone this grass does not produce so well and upon sandy soils it usually fails. Blue grass hay is of high quality, but is produced in too small amount to pay as well as other hay grasses. The hay cut when the seed is in the milky stage, has the following composition: Nitrogen-free extract, 34.3; crude fibre, 24.5; water, 24.3; ash, 7.0; proteid matter, 6.3; fat, 3.6. If the grass be allowed to mature its seed before being cut it is somewhat less nutritive because of the change in the relative proportion of nutrient material to non-digestible matter. The composition of the fresh grass is as follows: Water, 65.1; nitrogen-free extract, 17.6; crude fibre, 9.1; proteid matter, 4.1; ash, 2.8; fat, 1.3. Texas blue grass (P. arachnifera) is a valuable species for the Southern States, where Kentucky blue grass is less resistant to the effects of drouth. Both species may be propagated by sowing seed or by setting out pieces of sod, a method most commonly practised with the southern species, because of the difficulty of spreading its woolly seeds evenly. The method is very popular in lawn-making with the northern species. Since the seed of Kentucky blue grass is often of low vitality, and is frequently mixed with chaff, it should be sown rather thickly. A permanent blue grass pasture requires about three years to become established, after which, without much attention, beyond ordinary fertilizing, it may remain profitable for half a century or more. In long settled districts there are occasional pastures of more than 75 years standing.

Blue Grass State, a nickname for Kentucky.

Blue-green Algæ. See CYANOPHYCEE.

Blue Hen State, a nickname for Delaware. During the War for Independence, a certain popular officer of Delaware, named Capt. Caldwell, asserted that a game cock to be unconquerable must be "a blue hen's chicken." This name

was at once applied to his regiment and later to the State and its people.

Blue Island, Ill., a city of Cook County situated on the Calumet River and on the Illinois C., the Chicago, R. I. & P., the Chicago & G. T., and the Chicago & C. T. R.R.'s. It forms a southern suburb of Chicago, about two miles south of the city limits, and is an important manufacturing, commercial, and railroad centre. Among its industries are brick-making, stonequarrying, etc. There are also smelting-works, oil-works, and breweries. It was settled in 1833 and incorporated in 1872. The municipal organization provides for a mayor with a term of two years, and a city council. The city operates its own waterworks and electric light system. Pop. (1900) 6,114.

Blue Jay. See JAY.

Blue John, a name for fluorspar (q.v.).

Blue Laws, a term sometimes applied to the early enactments of several of the New England colonies, but more frequently limited to the laws of New Haven Colony. The origin of the term is not exactly known. Various conjectures have been made, but the most probable derivation is that given by Prof. Kingsley, who thinks the epithet "blue" was applied to any one who immediately after the Restoration of the Stuarts looked with disapprobation on the licentiousness of the times. Thus, in Hudibras, For his religion, it was fit

To match his learning and his wit;
'Twas Presbyterian true blue.

That this epithet should find its way to the colonies was a matter of course. It was here applied not only to persons, but to the customs, institutions, and laws of the Puritans, by those who wished to render the prevailing system ridiculous. Hence, probably, a belief with some that a distinct system of laws, known as the blue laws, must somewhere have had a local habitation. The existence of such a code of blue laws is fully disproved. The only authority in its favor is Rev. Samuel Peters, whose General History of Connecticut) (1781) is a spiteful, satirical work, full of exaggerations. The traditions upon this subject, from which Peters framed his stories, undoubtedly arose from the fact that the early settlers of New Haven were uncommonly strict in their application of the "general rules of righteousness." Judge Smith, in his continuation of the history of New York, published in New York Historical Collections, Vol. IV., gives evidence against the existence of the blue laws, which is particularly valuable, as it was put on record some 15 years before Peters' history was published. He writes: "Few there are who speak of the blue laws (a title of the origin of which the author is ignorant), who do not imagine they form a code of rules drawn up for future conduct, by an enthusiastic precise set of religionists; and if the inventions of wits, humorists, and buffoons were to be credited, they must consist of many large volumes. The author had the curiosity to resort to them when the commissioners met at New Haven for adjusting a partition line between New York and Massachusetts in 1767; and a parchment covered book of demi-royal paper was handed him for the laws asked for, as the only volume in the office passing under this odd title. It contains the

memorials of the first establishment of the colony, which consisted of persons who had wandered beyond the limits of the old charter of Massachusetts Bay, and who, as yet unauthorized by the Crown to set up any civil government in due form of law, resolved to conduct themselves by the Bible. As a necessary consequence, the judges they chose took up an authority which every religious man exercises over his own children and domestics. Hence their attention to the morals of the people in instances with which the civil magistrate can never intermeddle in a regular well-policied constitution, because to preserve liberty they are recognizable only by parental authority." See Trumbull, True Blue Laws of Connecticut and New Haven, and the False Blue Laws Invented by Rev. Samuel Peters' (1876); Prince, An Examination of Peters' Blue Laws, in Annual Report of the American Historical Association for 1898.

Blue Light. See BENGAL LIGHT.

Blue-light Federalists, a term applied to the party in American politics which opposed the War of 1812. In 1813 Decatur made several attempts on dark nights to escape from the blockaded port of New London, Conn. He declared that his failure was due to signals of blue lights flashed from the shore to warn the British. This led to the opponents of the war, who were accused of having shown the lights, being stigmatized as "Blue-light Federalists."

Blue Lodges, a secret association of advocates of slavery, organized about 1854, in Missouri, for the purpose of aiding the work of establishing slavery in Kansas. The members of the order, although citizens of Missouri, crossed into Kansas in 1855 and forcibly deposited their ballots for the pro-slavery candi

dates.

Blue-Mantle, one of the English pursuivants at arms, connected with the Heralds' College, so styled from the color of his robe.

Blue-mass. See MERCURY.

Blue Monday, a name formerly given in Europe to the Monday before Lent, when the

churches were decorated with blue.

It was

kept as a holiday by classes whose ordinary avocation required them to labor on Sundays. As this led to violent disturbances the custom was legally abolished. The term now signifies a Monday of depression, or blue spirits, particularly among clergymen, but is very loosely used, and by hard-working persons is applied to Monday in general.

Blue Mountains, (1) a beautiful wooded range of mountains in Oregon, from 8,000 to 9.000 feet high, which, with the Powder River Mountains, separate the Columbia River valley from the Great Basin; (2) a mountain chain of New South Wales, part of the great Dividing Range. The highest peak is Mount Beemarang, which attains an elevation of 4.100 feet above sea-level. The range is now traversed by a railway, which attains a maximum height of 3,494 feet; (3) the Central mountain range of Jamaica, the main ridges of which rise to 8,000 feet; (4) the second main ridge of the Appalachians, known also as the Kittatinny Mountains in Pennsylvania, as the Shawangunks in New York. This range should not be confounded with the Blue Ridge (q.v.).

Blue Nile. See NILE.

native of Nova Scotia. Blue Nose, a popular nickname for a

Blue Peter, a blue flag having a white ship on which it is hoisted is about to sail, and square in the centre, used to signify that the for recalling boats. The term is a corruption of Blue repeater, one of the signal flags in the used as a sailing signal in the United States inBritish code. A flag known as the comet is stead of the blue peter.

Blue-pill. See MERCURY.

Blue Point, N. Y., the southern extremity of Patchogue Bay, Long Island, which lends its name to the well-known oysters, Blue Points.

Blue Print, a positive photographic print from a transparent negative on paper sensitized by potassium ferricyanide and citric acid, giving white lines on blue ground.

Blue, Prussian. See DYES.

Blue-ribbon Army, the name of an English total abstinence society, so called from the color of the membership badge. The organization grew out of the Murphy Movement in America and dates from 1878. About five years later the society become known as the Gospel Temperance Union. See TEMPERANCE Societies.

Blue Ridge, the most easterly ridge of the Alleghany or Appalachian Mountains, which extends from the Hudson River southwest to Georgia. It first receives the name of Blue Ridge when it enters Virginia, the western portion of which it traverses. the range becomes a broad plateau, which is at In south Virginia, its widest in North Carolina, and is here crossed by the Black, Cowee, Nantahala, and South mountains, extending transversely to the axis of the Blue Ridge. The highest peaks of the range occur in the Black Mountain group, where are found Mount Mitchell or Black Dome, 6.710 feet; Guyot's Peak, Sandoz Knob, Gibbe's Peak, and a few others over 6,000 feet. In Virginia the Blue Ridge nowhere rises much above 4,000 feet, and in Pennsylvania and New Jersey its height is much less. Several large rivers pierce the ridge, such as the Hudson in the Highlands, the Delaware at the Water Gap, and the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. See also APPALACHIANS.

Blue-stone, or Blue-vitriol. See COPPER.

Blue-stocking, a pedantic woman; a lady regarded as too fond of learning. The origin of this name is thus given by Boswell in his 'Life of Johnson': "About this time (1780) it was much the fashion for several ladies to have evening assemblies, where the fair sex might participate in conversation with literary and ingenious men, animated with a desire to please. These societies were denominated blue-stocking clubs, the origin of which name was as follows: One of the most eminent members of these societies was Mr. Stillingfleet, who always wore blue stockings. Such was the excellence of his conversation, that his absence was felt as a great loss, and it used to be said, We can do nothing without the blue stockings); and thus by degrees the title was established." One of the most famous of these clubs was that which met at Mrs. Montagu's. This was sometimes honored by the presence of Dr.

Johnson, and its principal members have been sketched and eulogized by Hannah More, in her poem entitled the Bas Bleu.'

Blue Thistle. See BUGLOSS.

Blue-vitriol, called also Blue-stone, the salt, sulphate of copper, composed of sulphuric acid, oxide of copper, and water. It is a natural product of some mines of copper ores, and is also largely prepared for economical purposes. See COPPER.

Blueback, the salmon of the Fraser River, B. C., one of the most valuable of the Pacific salmon (q.v.). The name is given to various other fishes having bluish backs.

Bluebeard, a famous_hero of legend and folklore, familiarized to English readers in the 18th century through a translation from the French of Charles Perrault, 1697. This tale of Bluebeard has been regarded by some as partly historic, of which the original was Gilles de Laval, Baron de Retz, who was burned at Nantes in 1440 for his cruelty to children, whom he is supposed to have enticed into his castle, where he sacrificed them to the devil. It is, however, really a märchen, and the leading idea of curiosity punished is world-wide. The forbidden chamber is a counterpart of the treasurehouse of Ixion, on entering which the intruder was destroyed, or betrayed by the gold or blood that clung to him; also of Pandora's box, as well as of Proserpine's pyx that Psyche opened in spite of the prohibition. There are several parallels among the German fairy-tales collected by Grimm; and one feature at least is found in the Kaffir tale of the Ox (Callaway's Nursery Tales of the Zulus'). Variants are found in Russia, and among Gaelic popular tales; and in the Sanskrit collection Katha Sarit Sagara,' the hero Saktideva breaks the taboo, and like Bluebeard's wife, is confronted with the horrible sight of dead women. Possibly in the punishment following the breaking of the taboo may be a survival of some ancient religious prohibition; among the Australians, Greeks, and Labrador Indians, such an error was regarded as the means by which death came into the world. Frescoes of the 13th century have been found in Morbihan, Brittany, representing scenes from the similar legend of St. Trophime. Tales similar to that related by Perrault are found in Straparola's Piacevoli Notti (1569), and in Abbatutis' 'Il Pentamerone, while a not very dissimilar tale is that of the Third Calendar in the Arabian Nights Entertainment.' Operas founded upon it are Grétry's 'Raoul Barbe-Bleu' (1789); Offenbach's 'Barbe-Bleu' (1866).

Bluebell, Bellflower, Hairbell, or Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, a plant of the natural order Campanulacea, native of the colder parts of the northern hemisphere. Its common name is suggested by the shape and color of its flowers, and its specific name from the shape of its root-leaves. The stem leaves are lanceolate or otherwise than round. This is the bluebell of Scotland and of literature. It may be found peeping through the snow and ice which are supposed to be melted by the self-generated heat of these little plants. They have long been favorites in the hardy flower border and are of simplest culture. (See also CAMPANULA.) The name is also applied to a species of Scilla (q.v.).

Blueberry. See HUCKLEBERRY; VACCINIUM.

Bluebill, one of the most common of American fresh-water ducks, which breeds throughout Alaska and the northern part of Canada generally, spending the cold months in the United States, but going only as far south as is necessary to avoid the freezing of the lakes and ponds. The head, neck, and fore part of the body of the drake are black, the head with a green gloss. The back and sides are whitish with finely waved blackish markings. The abdomen and speculum of the wing are white. In the female the head and anterior parts are brown, and the face pure white. The most distinguishing part of the bird is the very broad, spatulate bill, which is light blue, with a black nail. Hence the other names "broadbill," and "scaup duck." There are two species, the larger scribed, which is regarded as a variety of the (Aythya marila nearctica) the one just deEuropean scaup duck; and the lesser (A. affinis), which is very similar to the preceding, but smaller, and rather more southerly in its distribution. These ducks are close relatives of the canvasback and redhead (qq.v.), and resemble them in habits. Other local names for them are "blackhead" and "shuffler."

REA.

Bluebottle, or Corn-flower See CENTAU

Bluebottle Fly, a greenish-blue fly, sometimes called by English authors "green-bottle" fly (Lucilia cæsar). It closely resembles the blow-fly (q.v.), but is smaller and entirely blue or green. These flies hibernate through the winter, appearing early in spring. Its eggs are deposited upon meat and decaying animal matter. The larvæ are said to be indistinguishable from those of the blow-fly. They are white, footless maggots, of an elongated conical shape, which transform in the ground. It is said that bluebottle flies do not commonly enter houses.

Bluebreast. See BLUETHROAT.

Bluebuck, the name given by English workmen in South Africa to one of the duikers,

the pigmy antelope (Cephalolophus monticola)

of Natal.

These tiny creatures, which stand only 13 inches high, are the smallest of the antelopes, and grayish-blue in color, with short, spike-like horns, which hardly show above the tuft of stiff hairs on the top of their heads. They swarm in the thickets of southeast Africa, feeding on herbage berries and buds, scrambling about the rocks, and climbing leaning tree trunks, with amazing agility.

Blue-eye, a small and favorite species of honey-eater (Entomyza cyanotis) with a conIt spicuous patch of blue about the eyes. frequents the eucalyptus trees, and has the curious habit of depositing its eggs in a neat depression on the top of the big, oven-shaped nest of a certain starling, whenever it can find a deserted one. Otherwise it constructs a nest for itself. See HONEY-EATER.

Bluefields (formerly written BLEWFIELDS), a town of Nicaragua, on the Caribbean coast and at the mouth of the Escondido or Bluefields River. Lat. 12° N., lon. 83° 44′ W. It was the capital of Mosquitia (see CENTRAL AMERICA). In the latter part of 1847 the population was about 600, one sixth white, five sixths black. Slavery was abolished in 1841. The king of Mosquitia, who resided here in one of the few

houses built of boards, claimed sovereignty over a territory 235 miles wide and 340 miles long; also the districts of Talamanca and Chiriqui in Costa Rica. A British agent and consul-general also was stationed at Bluefields, the English government maintaining a protectorate over the Mosquito Indians until 1860. A German colony at Carlsruhe, adjoining Bluefields, was founded in 1844, but abandoned in 1849. The climate is moist and hotter than in the interior. In 1901 the company to which the Nicaraguan goyernment granted a concession and monthly subvention for the establishment of a line of steamers agreed to make six trips a month between Bluefields and New Orleans, and to carry the mails between those points eight times monthly. Bluefin, or Blackfin, a large cisco-like whitefish (Argyrosomus nigripinnis) of the deep waters of Lake Michigan and some other of the lakes of Wisconsin and Minnesota, readily known from other species by its black fins.

Bluefish The bluefish or "skipjack» (Pomatomus saltatrix) is one of the most widely distributed and abundant of sea-fishes, being found in the Atlantic from the Mediterranean and Novia Scotia to Brazil, and in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It is taken casually at all seasons on the eastern coast of the United States, but becomes numerous irregularly in summer, when its presence or absence seems to be governed largely by the movements of its principal food, the menhaden (q.v.), when seeking their inshore spawning-grounds. The only wonder is that both have not been exterminated many centuries ago, for of all the butchers of the sea the bluefish is the most wolfish and diabolical, snapping its prey in half for a mouthful and passing on in ruthless industry. It is beautifully shaped for swimming, built with the fine lines of the mackerel and the strength of the salmon. It is a near relative of the pompanos and horse-mackerels (family Carangida), but is set apart in a family (Pomatomide) by itself, which Jordan considers an offshoot toward the percoids. In color it is steel-blue, and its flesh is very sweet and savory. The weight varies, five pounds being the common run, although 20 pounds are recorded.

The favorite method of fishing for it is "squidding," or casting from a platform built out into the surf, with a rod and line armed with a spoon, or a bone-baited hook. Its voracity makes it a free biter, and its temperament makes it a fierce one, so that the angler may expect a fight from the strike to the death, and only by sheer strength can the prey be landed. The bluefish is also trolled for from boats, especially in Florida, and off the south coast of New England.

On our Pacific coast the "California bluefish" (Cynoscion parvipinnis) is found from Santa Barbara to Guaymas and Mazatlan, and is a near relative of the eastern weakfish (q.v.), locally called "totuava" (Cynoscion macdonaldi). In the Gulf of California it congregates at the mouth of the Colorado River and attains enormous size, having been taken in hand-lines as high as 170 pounds. Like other species of this genus, it is erroneously yet frequently called "sea-bass." The bluefish thrives on sardines and other small fish. Assuming that one bluefish eats 10 small fish a day, it has been figured that it requires ten thousand million sardines to feed

the one thousand billion bluefish on our coasts every summer.

Consult Jordan and Evermann, 'Food and Game Fishes of America' (1902); Goode, 'Fishery Industries, Section 1 (10th census, Washington, 1884); Mayer (editor), 'Sport with Rod and Gun' (1892).

Bluegowns, an order of paupers in Scotland, called also the "King's Bedesmen," to whom the kings annually distributed certain alms on condition of their praying for the royal welfare. Their number was equal to the number of years the king had lived. The alms consisted of a blue gown or cloak, a purse containing as many shillings Scots (pennies sterling) as the years of the king's age, and a badge bearing the words "Pass and repass," which protected them from all laws against mendicity. Edie Ochiltree, who figures prominently in Scott's novel The Antiquary,' is a type of the class, but probably a favorable specimen as compared to those who were to be met with in real life. The practice of appointing bedesmen was discontinued in 1833, and the last of them drew his last allowance from the exchequer in Edinburgh in 1863.

Bluethroat, an Old World bird (Cyanecula suecica) related to the European robin, and deriving its name from its bright blue throat, which is separated from the white below it by crescent-shaped bands of rust-red and white. It is one of the most highly migratory birds known, spending its winters in tropical Africa and India, and during the summer breeding in Scandinavia, northern Russia, Siberia, and western Alaska. It makes its nest in bushes and weeds along streams, as far north as 71 degrees. It is extraordinary in never beeing seen in the intermediate countries, between its summer and winter homes, so that it stands to reason that the journey is made at a single flight, either at night, or at an invisible altitude. The bluethroat is celebrated for its fine singing, and powers of mimicry when in its summer home, on account of which the Laplanders call it "the bird of the hundred voices." Consult Gätke, Birds of Heligoland' (English translation 1895); and works on European, Siberian, and Alaskan ornithology.

Bluewing, a duck. See TEAL.

Bluffs, a term of American origin, synonymous with cliffs. It has long been used to designate the high cliffs met with along the Mississippi River; particularly those abrupt banks of loam on its eastern side below the These are continually mouth of the Ohio. washed and undermined by the action of the river, while the opposite side, rising more gently back from the river, is but slightly washed On the south shore of Lake by its waters. Superior, near the Pictured Rocks, is a most remarkable bluff of loose, blowing sand, which rises so steeply from the edge of the water to the height of 200 feet, that one would in vain The waves and the endeavor to ascend it. winds beat against it from the north, and keep its materials continually in motion; but more sand appears to be always supplied to replace that which is borne away.

Bluing, a compound dissolved in water to whiten clothes after washing. The indigo preparation once largely used has been extensively superseded by Prussian blue.

Bluing of Metals, the process of giving a blue color to metallic substances by heat. Iron, when heated, becomes first of a light, then of a darker gold color, and finally blue. Steel heated to redness and suddenly cooled, is rendered hard and brittle. It is restored to any degree of softness, by heating it up to certain temperatures and allowing it to cool slowly. These temperatures are precisely indicated by the color of the film of oxide which forms upon its surface. At 430° F. it is straw yellow of the very hard temper suitable for lancets. At higher temperatures it appears successively a golden yellow, then brown, purple, blue, and finally green. Pale blue at 550° is the temper for swords and watch springs. The common shade of blue, at 560°, is the temper for fine saws and dirks. Deep blue, at 600°, is the soft quality of steel for large saws.

Blum, blůn, Ernest, French dramatist: b. Paris, 15 Aug. 1836. Either alone or in collaboration with other dramatists he is the author of many highly successful plays. The drama of Rose Michel' (1877), of his own composition, insured his place among the most successful French dramatists of the time. Among his later compositions are Adam and Eve (1886); 'The Nervous Woman' (1888); End of the Century) (1890); 'La rieuse' (1894); Le Carillon' (1897).

Blum, Hans, hänts bloom, German publicist: b. Leipsic, 1841. He is a son of Robert Blum (q.v.), was educated in the universities of Leipsic and Bern, sat in the North German Reichstag 1867-70, and was a barrister in Leipsic 1869-97. He has written extensively on contemporary politics and among his works are 'Die Lügen unserer Socialdemokratie (1891); Fürst Bismarck und seine Zeit (1894-5); 'Das erste Vierteljahrhundert des deutschen Reichs (1896); Persönliche Erinnerungen an den Fürsten Bismarck' (1900). He has also written two dramas and several novels.

Blum, bloom, Robert, German patriot: b. Cologne, 10 Nov. 1807; d. Vienna, 9 Nov. 1848. He served for a short time in the army, and became subsequently connected with the Leipsic Theatre, of which he acted for some time as secretary and treasurer. About the year 1840 he began to come prominently forward as the champion of the Liberal cause, and acquired much renown as a popular orator. On the outbreak of the commotions of 1848 he manifested great enthusiasm, and became soon the rallyingpoint of democracy in Saxony, and the leading member of opposition in the National Assembly at Frankfort, to which he was sent that year as member for Leipsic. The events of October at Vienna inspired him with fresh energy, and he proceeded thither at the head of a deputation to express the sympathy of the German democrats in the Frankfort Assembly with the Viennese. He took an active part in the conflict of the citizens with the imperialists; but on the surrender of the capital to Windischgrätz, was arrested with several of his companions on 4 November. Brought before a military tribunal, he pleaded in vain his privileges as a deputy from the German diet, and was condemned to be hanged, a sentence which was changed to death by the bullet.

Blum, blum, Robert Frederick, American artist: b. Cincinnati, Ohio, July 1857. He

studied at the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts, and among his works are Venetian Bead Stringers,' which received a prize of $2,500 at the American Art Association exhibition in New York in 1889. Although he has worked in oils he is best known as a water-colorist and painter in pastels. He is ranked among the most brilliant of American water-color artists.

Blumenbach, Johann Friedrich, yō'hän frēd'riн bloo'měn-bạн, German naturalist of distinction: b. Gotha, 11 May 1752; d. Göttingen, 22 Jan. 1840. He studied at Jena and Göttingen, and was appointed in the latter, in 1776, extraordinary professor of medicine and inspector of the museum of natural history, and in 1778 ordinary professor. In 1812 he was appointed secretary to the Royal Society of Sciences at Göttingen, in 1816 became physician to the king of Great Britain and Hanover, in 1821 was made a knight-commander of the Guelphic Order, and in 1831 was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences at Paris. In 1825 the jubilee of his graduation as doctor was celebrated. On this occasion a medal was struck, and an endowment founded under the name of the Blumenbach Stipendium or Bursary, to assist talented young physicians and naturalists, and enable them to make scientific travels. In 1835 he retired from public life. The first work which brought him into notice was the 'De Generis Humani Varietate Nativa,' and from its publication in 1775 he continued almost for 60 years to exert a powerful influence on the progress of science, both by the number of distinguished pupils who were indebted for their first training to his admirable lectures, and by his valuable writings, partly inserted in the Transactions' of scientific societies, and partly published as separate works. Among the latter, in addition to the thesis, which received important additions in subsequent editions, and may be said to have given a direction to the most important studies of his after life, are the Institutiones Physiologica' (1787), long a textbook in many of the most celebrated schools of Europe; the Handbuch der vergleichenden omy), and Collectio Craniorum Diversarum Anatomie (Handbook of Comparative AnatGentium. The last work gives descriptions and figures of his collection of skulls, one of the most extensive in existence, and still preserved at Göttingen. In regard to the important subject of which it treats, Blumenbach held decidedly that the human race formed only one single pair; but he divided it into the five species, and had originally descended from a American, and Malay. varieties of Caucasian, Mongolian, Negro,

Blumenreich, Franziska, fränts is-ka bloo'měn-rīн, German novelist: b. Bohemia, 2 April 1849. Among her very numerous novels the more notable are At the Abyss of Marriage (1888); Freighted with Bliss' (1890); Storms in Port' (1802). She is a zealous advocate of woman's rights.

Blumenthal, Jacob von, yä'kōb fōn bloo'men-täl, German pianist and composer: b. Hamburg, 4 Oct. 1829. Going to London in 1849. he became pianist to Queen Victoria, taught music, and was soon well known as a composer of popular pianoforte numbers and equally popular songs such as My Queen); The Venetian Boat Song'; 'The Broken