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346 his father having died in 1761. Three years later he made his first scientific expedition to Newfoundland and Labra dor, and brought back a rich collection of plants and insects. Shortly after his return, Government resolved to send out Captain Cook to observe the transit of Venus in the Pacific Ocean, and Banks, through the influence of his friend Lord Sandwich, obtained leave to join the expedi tion. He made the most careful preparations, in order to be able to profit by every opportunity, and induced Dr Solander, a distinguished pupil of Linnaeus, to accompany him. He even engaged draughtsmen and painters to de lineate such objects of interest as did not admit of being transported or preserved. The voyage occupied three years, and many hardships had to be undergone ; but the rich harvest of discovery many natural phenomena being for the first time brought to light was more than adequate compensation. Banks was equally anxious to join Cook s second expedition, and expended large sums in engaging assistants and furnishing the necessary equipment ; but, owing to ill-feeling on the part of some Government officials, he was compelled to relinquish his purpose. He, however, employed the assistants and materials he had collected in a voyage to Iceland, returning by the Hebrides and Staffa, the geological formation of which he was the first to describe. In 1778 Banks was elected president of the Royal Society, of which he had been a fellow from 1766. His predecessor had been compelled to resign owing to some disagreement with the court, but Banks was always a favourite with the king. In 1781 he was made a baronet; in 1795 he received the Order of the Bath; and in 1797 he was admitted to the Privy Council. During the long tenure of his office as president, Sir Joseph did much to raise the state of science in Britain, and was at the same time most assiduous and successful in cultivating friendly relations with scientific men of all nations. His kindness and liberality were beyond praise, and he was most generous in affording to other naturalists the free use of his vast materials. It has, however, been made matter of objection to him, that from his own predilections he was inclined to overlook and depreciate the labours of the mathematical and physical sections of the Royal Society. Sir Joseph died on the 19th March 1820, at the age of 77. He bequeathed his valuable collections of books and botanical specimens to the British Museum. His only writings are two small tracts of little importance ; he seems to have given up his intention of writing an elaborate treatise after the death of his friend and fellow-labourer, Dr Solander. His fame rests mainly on his numerous, discoveries in botany and natural history. See Cuvier, Elogc Historique de M. Banks, 1821.  BÁNKURÁ, a district of British India, within the Bard Wean division, under the Lieutenant-Go vernor of Bengal, situated in 22 and 23 N. lat., and 86 and 87 E. long., bounded on the N. and E. by Bardwan district ; on the S. by Midnapur district ; and on the TV. by Manbhum district. Bankura forms a connecting link between the delta of the Ganges on the E. and the mountainous highlands of Chhota Nagpur on the TV. Along its eastern boundary adjoining Bardwan district the country is flat and alluvial, presenting the appearance of the ordinary paddy lands of Bengal. Going N. and TV., however, the surface gradually rises into long undulating tracts ; rice lands and swamps give way to a region of low thorny jungle or forest trees ; the ham lets become smaller and more scattered, and nearly disappear altogether in the wild forests along the western boundary. The principal hills are Mdnjia hill, on the south bank of the Ddmodar ; Koro hill, S. of the foregoing ; Susunia hill, W. of Kpro; and Beharinath hill, in the 1ST. TV. corner of the district. The rivers are merely mountain torrents the largest, the Damodar, being only navigable by country boats during the rains. The census of 1872 returned the population of the district at 526,772 souls, inhabiting 2028 villages, and 104,687 houses ; average density of popula tion, 391 to the square mile. The Hindus numbered 487,786, or 9 2 6 per cent, of the total population; Maho metans, 13,500; Christians, 70; and persons of unspecified religion, chiefly aboriginal tribes, 25,416.

1em

, the principal town of the district of the same name, in 23 14 N. lat., and 87 6 45&quot; E. long., stands on an elevation on the left bank of the Paver Dhalkisor. It has a bazar, a spacious building for the accommodation of travellers, and the district courts, school, jail, post-office, ifcc. In 1872 the population amounted to 16,794.  BANN, a considerable river of Ireland, which rises in the Mourne Mountains, County Down, and falls into Lough Neagh. From this it emerges as the Lower Bann, and, flowing between the counties of Antrim and Londonderry, falls into the Atlantic, four miles S.TV. of Portrush. The Upper Bann is navigable for vessels of 50 tons to its junc tion with the Newry canal, a little above Portadown. The Lower Bann flows in a northerly direction; it is navigable up to Coleraine for vessels of 200 tons, but the bar at its mouth renders it difficult of access in rough weather, and its course is broken by a fall of 1 3 feet about a mile above Coleraine. The salmon and eel fisheries are of considerable value. Measured in a direct line, the Upper Bann is about 35 miles long, and the Lower 30 miles.  BANNERETS. In the early ages of chivalry there were two kinds of knights, called respectively s and Bannerets. The former carried pennons terminating in a point or points ; the latter, banners, that is to say, pennons rendered square by having the points cut off. This process of converting the pennon into the banner was done by the sovereign himself on the field of battle, standing beneath his own royal standard displayed. The distinction, awarded for peculiar gallantry, was a very high one ; and those who 