BRA
BRA
Branch, in fcripture, is an appellation peculiarly giren to the
Mefliah, as being of the branch or houfe of David. Calm. Diet
Bibl. T. i. p, 32-1, feq. Branches of Faults? are fometimes ufed to denote the arches
thereof. Felib. loc. cit. p, 361. Branches of Arches, denote feveral portions of arches fpringing
all from the fame Cummer. Davil. Expl. Term; Archie, p.
434-
Branch of a Bridle— That part of the branch of a bridle, where- by we judge of its effects, and which difcovers its ftrength or weaknefs, is called the line of the banquet. A ftrong and hardy branch, is that whofe fevil-hole, at the lower end of it, is placed on the outfide of the line of the banquet.
A gentle branch is that, the fevil-hole of which is fet on the jnfide of the faid line.
A rude and hardy branch will bring in a horfe's head, propor- tionably as it is more or lefs hardy ; whereas a gentle branch, by diminifhing the effect of the bit-mouth, makes a horfe more eafily to bear the preflure thereof, who before could hard- ly endure it, Ruft. Did. T. 1. in voc.
Branch alfo denotes a complex metalline kind of candleftick, contrived for the reception of a number of candles. Thefe, in antient writers, are called phari a , cantbarte h , jejfe c ; when made of glafs, lujlres; the richer fort, girandoles d . — f a Vid. Mem. Acad. Infer. T. 9. p. 288. b DuCangc, Glon*. Lat. T. 1. p. 674. c Id. T. 3. p. 15. voc.'Je/fe. d Trev. Diet. Univ. T. 3. p. 216. voc. Girandole.'] See Jesse.
Branch of the Trenches, in fortific.it ion. See Boyau, Cycl.
BRANCH-StaHdT, in falconry, fignifies to make a hawk leap from tree to tree, till the dog fprings the partridge. Diet. Ruft. T. 1. in voc.
BRANCHER, among fowlers and falconers, denotes a young bird well fledged, which having quitted the ncft, is not yet in a condition to fly far, or jfhift for itfelf, but ftill keeps in the bufhes and branches about its native dwelling, where it is fed by the dam.
The branchers of hawks are alfo called ramage falcons ; thole of nightingales, pujhers ; becaufe, as fomc fay, they are thruft out of the neft by the old ones ; Canary birds of the firft year are called branchers ; when juft flown, and unable to feed themfelves, pujhers. Cox, Gent. Recr. P. 2. p. 71,74. It. P, 3. p. 55, feq. Hought. Collect. T. 3. N° 569. p. 347. Cox, lib. cit. P. 2. p. 60.
BRANCHERY, in the anatomy of vegetables, denotes the vaf- cular parts of divers fruits, as apples, pears, plumbs, and ber- ries.
In which fenfe, the Iranchery Hands diftinguifhed from the a- cetary, flan, pulp, &c.
The branchery of an apple is only the ramifications of the lig- neous body through all the parts of the parenchyma; the greater branches being likewife, by the inofculations of the lefler, united together. The main branches are ufually twen- ty ; ten of which are diftributed through the parenchyma, molt of them enarching themfelves towards the cork or ftool of the flower ; the other ten, running from the ftalk in a dirccter line, meet the former at the cork, and are there inofculated with them. Of thefe latter, five are originated from one ; which running along the center of the ftalk, and part of the paren- chyma of the fruit, is therein at laft divided. To thefe the coats of the internal kernels are falfened. So that whereas molt of thefe branches were originally extended even beyond the fruit, and inferted into the flower for the due growth there- of, the fruit afterwards growing to fome head, and fo inter- cepting and preying on the aliment of the flower, ftarves that, and therefrom fuperfedes the fervice of the faid branches to it- felf, fifteen for its parenchyma, and five for its feed, Greiv, A nat. of Plants, 1. 1. c. 6. §. 2. p. 40, feq. BRANCHIAE, in ichthyology, {Cycl.)— See Gills. BRANCHIALE, in natural hiftory, a name given by Mr. Lhuyd to a peculiar fpecies of 'fungites, which being of a deeply ftriated texture, is fuppofed to refcmble the gills of a fifli. See the article Fungites. BRANCHIARUM Foramina, in ichthyology, a term ufed to exprefs the apertures of the gills of fifties, for their ufe in re- fpiration. Scarce any fifties want thefe foramina, but they differ greatly in the various genera, in their number, fituation and form. As to number, they are generally only two ; one placed on each fide of the head. Examples of this we find in almoft every common fifh. They are fometimes ten in number, five placed on each fide ; this is the cafe in the greater part of the cartilaginous fifhes ; and finally, they are in fome fourteen in number, feven being placed on each fide, as in the petromyza. The cetaceous fifties, as they have lunas, have none of thefe apertures of the branchial; and in all thofe fifh that have them, the larger they are, the fooner the fifh dies, on being taken out of the water. Ariedi, dc Pifcibus. See Gills.
BRANCHIDiE, in antiquity, priefts of Apollo ferving in bis temple at Didyma in Miletus ; which was famous for its oracle.
The denomination is taken from Branchus, or Branchides, an epithet given to Apollo as worfliipped here; though on what account the title was given, is not agreed on, Suppl. Vol. I.
In the time of the Perfian war, the Branch'uU betrayed the temple and its oracle into the bands of the Perfians, who pillaged it. They tranfported themfelves into the farthefV parts of Afia, to be out of the reach of punifhment from the Greek? ; which yet they are faid to have met with from Alexander, who demolifhed their city, and put all the inhabitants to the fword. Strab. 1. 14. Sttid. Lex. in voc. Bparyxtk. Potter. Archjeol. Greet. 1. 2. c. 9. p. 285, feq.
BRANCHING. See Branch, and Ramification.
I he branching or fprouting of the horns of deer, &c. bears an analogy with the vegetation of plants. Philof. Tranfact. N> 227. p.^94. See Horn, Cycl. and Suppl. I he hair at the ends is apt to branch, or fplit, and divide into whole brumes, which are eafily vifible by a microfcope. Drake, Anthrop. 1. 3. c. 1. p. 169." See Hair, Cycl.
BRANCHIOSTEGI, in natural hiftory, a term ufed to exprefs one of the general clafies of fifties; the characters of which are, that the rays of the fins are of a bony fubftance ; but thefe fiih have no bones or offieula at the brancbire, as the malacopterygious and acanthoptcrv:iious fifhes all have. The word is derived from the Greek fyvtfc?*, gills, and orsk a bone.
BRANCHUS, Bfayx/b*, in medicine, a fpecies of catarrh, af- fecting chiefly the jaws, throat, and afpera arteria. Gorr. Med. Defin. Cajl Lex. Med. p. m. $uinc. Lex. Phyf. Med. p. 60. See Catarrh.
Branchus amounts to the fame with what is called by the La- tins, raucedo, raucitas, fometimes alfo ravis. See the article Hoarseness, Cycl. and Raucedo, Suppl.
Branchus, or Branches, alfo denotes a kind of glandular tu- mor in the fauces, refembling two almonds, which render the breathing and hawking difficult. Roland. Meth. Med. 1. 2 c 16. Cajl. Lex. Med. p. m.
BRAND-SWay, Dimanche des Brandons, in French ecclefiafti- cal writers, denotes the firft: Sunday in Lent ; which is thus called on account of an antient pradice in the Lyonnois, •where the peafants, in the night of this day, walked about their orchards, gardens, &c. with torches lighted, or fcz-brands in their hands; in which plight they vifited every tree, and addreffing themfelves to them one after another, threathed that if they did not bear fruit well the enfuing fcafon, they mould be cut down to the ground, and burnt. This is evi- dently a relict of paganifm ; "the like of which was practifed by the antient idolaters in the month of February ; hence called Februarius, a februando. Mencjlr. Hift. de'Lyon. p. 379. Trev. Diet. Univ. T. 1. p. 1205. Menag. Orig. p. 126. 'voc. Brandon. Du Conge, Cxloff Lat. T. r. p. 610. voc. Brando.
BRANDEUM, in ecclefiaftical writers, a linen cloth or veil put' over the tombs of the apoftles St. Peter and St. Paul, and left there for fome time; by which it is fuppofed to acquire a de- gree of faiidtity, fo as to be worfhipped as a relick; and for that purpofe frequently fent by the pope as aprefent to fome prince. Fkur-. Hift. Eeelef. 1. 35. p. 93. Trev. Diet. Univ. T. 1. p. 1 204. Spebn. GlolT. p. 87. Du Cange, Gloff Lat. T. 1. p. 609.
In this fenfe, brandeum amounts to the fame with what was otherwife called faniiuarhmi, fudarium, orarium, and velum. The ufe of brandea was introduced as a means of diffufing and propagating the virtues and influences of relicks, without mov- ing or any way impairing the fubftance of them ; the tranfla- tion of relicks in early days being forbidden. Magr. Not. Vo- cab. Ecclef. p. 37. See Relicks, Cycl.
BRANDRITH, denotes a trevet or other iron ftand, whereon to fet a veffel over the fire. Diet. Ruft. T. t . in voc. Skin. Etym. For. voc. Brander. Du Cange, Glofl", Lat. T. 1 p 609.
Brandrith, among builders, denotes a fence or rail about the mouth of a well. Neve* Build. Diet, in voc.
BRANDY. See Spirits.
BRANLIN, an Englifh name for a fpecies of fifh of the falmon kind, called alfo in fome places fingery.
They obtained this laft name from fome Angular marks they have which are five or fix tranfverfe black ftreaks upon each fide, looking as if made by the impreffion of fo many figures, and each marked with a fingle red fpot. The tail of this fifh is forked like that of the common falmon, and it is fuppofed they are all males ; they feem to impregnate the fpawn of the com- mon falmon, and are found in waters of fo rapid a current, that fcarce any other fifh could live in them. They never grow to any great fize. Wilhghby, Hift. Pi fc. p. 193.
BRASEM, in zoology, a name by which fome have called an American fifh of the fmaris kind, more commonly known a- mong authors by its Brafilian name of acaropeba. Ray's Ich- thyogr. p. 333. See the article Acaropeba.
BRASIDIA, B f ^J [13 , in antiquity, anniverfary feafts held at Sparta in honour of Brafidas, the foil of Tellis, famous for his great atchievements in favour of that frate. The Braftdia were celebrated with facrifices and games, at which none were allowed to contend but free-born Spartans. To be abfent from thefe folemnities, is faid by fome to have been held criminal, and punifhed with fines. Vid, Mcurf Grasc. Ferial. Fa/old. de Feft. Grxc. 1 2. c. 5. Potter, Archseol. Gra?c, 1, 2. c. 2c.
BRASILETTO, or Braziletto. See Brazil, Cyel.
5 L BRAS&TA,
