Part 659

{ Bird's" nest`, or Bird's-nest } (&?;), n. 1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.

2. (Cookery) The nest of a small swallow (Collocalia nidifica and several allied species), of China and the neighboring countries, which is mixed with soups.

The nests are found in caverns and fissures of cliffs on rocky coasts, and are composed in part of algæ. They are of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resemble isinglass. See Illust. under Edible.

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3. (Bot.) An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia (N. nidus-avis.)

Bird's-nest pudding, a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaced by sugar. -- Yellow bird's nest, a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys.

Bird's-nest`ing (brdz"nst`ng), n. Hunting for, or taking, birds' nests or their contents.

Bird's"-tongue` (&?;), n. (Bot.) The knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare).

Bird"-wit`ted (&?;), a. Flighty; passing rapidly from one subject to another; not having the faculty of attention. Bacon.

Bi`rec*tan"gu*lar (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + rectangular.] Containing or having two right angles; as, a birectangular spherical triangle.

Bi"reme (&?;), n. [L. biremis; bis twice + remus oar: cf. F. birème.] An ancient galley or vessel with two banks or tiers of oars.

Bi*ret"ta (&?;), n. Same as Berretta.

Bir"gan*der (&?;), n. See Bergander.

Birk (&?;), n. [See Birch, n.] A birch tree. [Prov. Eng.] "The silver birk." Tennyson.

Birk, n. (Zoöl.) A small European minnow (Leuciscus phoxinus).

Birk"en (&?;), v. t. [From 1st Birk.] To whip with a birch or rod. [Obs.]

Birk"en, a. Birchen; as, birken groves. Burns.

Bir"kie (&?;), n. A lively or mettlesome fellow. [Jocular, Scot.] Burns.

Birl (&?;), v. t. & i. To revolve or cause to revolve; to spin. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Birl (&?;), v. t. & i. [AS. byrlian. &radic;92.] To pour (beer or wine); to ply with drink; to drink; to carouse. [Obs. or Dial.] Skelton.

Bir"law (&?;), n. [See By-law.] (Law) A law made by husbandmen respecting rural affairs; a rustic or local law or by-law. [Written also byrlaw, birlie, birley.]

{ Bi*ros`trate (&?;), Bi*ros"tra*ted (&?;), } a. [Pref. bi- + rostrate.] Having a double beak, or two processes resembling beaks.

The capsule is bilocular and birostrated. Ed. Encyc.

Birr (&?;), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Birred (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Birring.] [Cf. OE. bur, bir, wind, storm wind, fr. Icel. byrr wind. Perh. imitative.] To make, or move with, a whirring noise, as of wheels in motion.

Birr, n. 1. A whirring sound, as of a spinning wheel.

2. A rush or impetus; force.

Bir"rus (&?;), n. [LL., fr. L. birrus a kind of cloak. See Berretta.] A coarse kind of thick woolen cloth, worn by the poor in the Middle Ages; also, a woolen cap or hood worn over the shoulders or over the head.

Birse (&?;), n. A bristle or bristles. [Scot.]