This species migrates, like the salmon, into several of our rivers; they
begin to run up the rivers in May, and are most plentiful in September
and October, although the flesh is not then so good (on account of their
spawning) as in July and August; when boiled, it is of a pale red, and
well flavoured, but drier than that of the salmon. Mr. Pennant has
described one taken in June, 1769, in the Tweed below Berwick.
The shape was thicker than the common trout; the irides silver, and the
head thick, smooth, and dusky, with a gloss of blue and green; the back
of the same colour, growing fainter towards the lateral line, which is
straight; and the sides, as far as this line, are marked with large
irregular-shaped spots of black; the sides beneath the line and the
belly are white; the tail is broad and even at the end; the weight was
three pounds two ounces.
The bull have the same haunts as the salmon trout, and are sometimes met
with in gentle shallow streams, running between and over rocks and
stones, and are also found about weirs, made across rivers. The baits
and tackle should be the same as for the salmon trout.—_Daniel._
BUMP, _s._ A swelling, a protuberance.
BUMPER, _s._ A cup filled.
BUNTING, (_Emberiza miliaria_, LINN.; _Le Proyer_, BUFF.) _s._ The
name of a bird.
The principal difference between this kind and that of the passerine
order, consists in the formation of the bill, which in the bunting is of
a very singular construction.
The two mandibles are movable, and the edges of each bend inwards; the
opening of the mouth is not in a straight line as in other birds, but at
the base, the junction is formed by an obtuse angle in the lower
mandible, nearly one-third of its length, which is received by a
corresponding angle in the upper one; in the latter there is a strong
knob, of great use in breaking the harder kinds of seeds and kernels, on
which it feeds. The tongue is narrow, and tapers to a point like a
toothpick; the first joint of the outer toe is joined to that of the
middle one.—_Bewick._
BUOY, _s._ A piece of cork or wood tied to a weight. Dog or sheep
skins prepared with a coating of tar and tallow, are used for
suspending spellits and herring nets—on the western and southern
coasts of Ireland they are called _puckawns_.
BUOY, _v._ To keep afloat.
BUOYANCY, _s._ The quality of floating.
BUR, _s._ A rough head of a plant.
BURBOT, _s._ A fish full of prickles.
BURN, _v._ To consume with fire; to wound with fire.
BURNISH, _v._ To polish.
BURNISHER, _s._ The person that burnishes or polishes; the tool
used—it is commonly a dog’s tooth set in a stick.
BURROW, _s._ Holes made in the ground by rabbits.
BURROW, _v._ To mine as conies or rabbits.
BURST, _v._ To break suddenly.
BURST, _s._ A cry of hounds.
BURT, _s._ A flat fish of the turbot kind.
BUSH, _s._ A thick shrub.
BUSHEL, _s._ A measure containing eight gallons; a strike.
BUSHY, _a._ Thick; full of small branches; full of bushes.
BUSS, _s._ A vessel for fishing—a herring boat.