Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/174

* BLACK RIVEB FALLS. 146 BLACKSNAKE. extensive watcr-jjowcr, and in the vicinity are iron-mines and deposits of kaolin, which are utilized in the manufacture of firebrick. The city has also Hour and lumber mills, plow and wagon and jiatent medicine fac-tories, brewery, foundry and machine-shops, and nurseries; and is the commercial centre for a large agricultural district. Population, in 1800, -^261 ; in 1900, 1038. BLACK ROCK, Conn. See Bridgeport. BLACK ROD, Usher of the (so called from the staff he carries). An officer of the House of Lords. He is chief gentleman usher to the sovereign, and belongs to the Order of the Garter. His principal duty is to summon the House of Commons to the Lords when the royal assent is given to bills, or when royal speeches are read ; and to take into custody any peer guilty of breach of privilege. The office also exists in the self-governing British common- wealths of Canada, Australia, and Cape Colony. BLACK ROOD OF SCOTLAND {Rood, a representation of Christ crucified, AS. rod. cross, akin to OS. roda, Dutch roede. rod 1. A famous relic brought to Scotland in 1070 by Margaret, wife of King Malcolm. It consisted of a piece of the true Cross, set in an ivory image of the Sav- iour, and was held in the highest veneration by the Scotch kings. It fell into the hands of the English during the invasion of that country by David II. in 134li. BLACK ROT. See Grape. BLACK SALSIFY. See Scorzonera. BLACK SATURDAY. A name given to August 4, lOiil, in Scotland, because of Parlia- ment's favorable legislation regarding Episco- pacy. A fearful storm is said to have been in progress during the session. The name has also been given to September 10, 1547, the day of the battle of Pinkie. BLACK SEA (Lat. Pontus Euxinus, Gk. nii-Tos Ei/^etras, I'ontos E-uxeinos, hospitable sea, originally d^eiras, axeinos, inhospitable; Turk Icura den ;/i,r, black sea). An inland sea lying between eastern Europe and Asia Minor, and connected with the Mediterranean by the Bos- porus, the Sea of Marmora, and the Darda- nelles (Map: Europe, 4). It is bounded on the north by European Russia ; on the east by Caucasia; on the south by Asia Minor; on the west by European Turkey, Bulgaria, Rumania, and Russia. It has a length from cast to west of about 7r)0 miles, a greatest width of 380 miles, and covers an area (not including the Sea of Azov) of about 10.5,000 square miles. The Crimean Peninsila projects into the Black Sea from the north, forming the Sea of Azov and the Oult of Perekop. The former is almost en- tirely cut od' from the Black Sea, and is very shallow. The Black Sea is very deep; the floor of a great l)art of the central basin lies more than fiOOO feet below the surface, and the greatest depths consideralily exceed 7000 feet. The Black Sea receives the drainage of a large ])art of Cen- tral Europe through the Dnieper, Dniester, Bug, and Danube; of a considerable section of ea.stern Russia through the Don (which flows into the Sea of Azov) ; of the western Caucasus region through the Kuban and a niunber of smaller rivers; aM<l of northern .sia Minor through the Tchoruk, the Vcsliil Irmak, the Kizil Irraak, and the Sakaria. Tidal action is scarcely percepti- ble, but the sea-level rises and falls with the in- crease and decrease in volume of the tributary waters. There is a strong surface current set- ting toward the Bosporus, and an undercurrent flowing in an opposite direction from the .Kgean Sea. The latter current is heavy and saline, and to its agency is due the phenomenon that the waters of the Black Sea contain nearly 2 per cent, of salt, although constantly fed by large rivers. The Black .Sea is visited by severe storms of both local and general character. On the north shore the .southerlv winds are most dread- ed, while near the Bosporus the so-called borals from the northeast arc particularly violent. The climate, notwithstanding its southern posi- tion, is marked by considerable severity. In win- ter heavy fogs form, which obscure the sunlight and lend a dark aspect to the waters, thus par- tially justifying its name. The Black Sea is of great economic importance to the Russian Em- pire, as it furnishes an outlet for the extensive agricultural region of the south. Communica- tion is maintained with the Caspian Sea by a railway from Baku to Batum, between which points there is also a pipe-line for the transport of petroleimi. The principal ports on the Black Sea are Odessa, Poti, and Batum, in Russian territory, and Trebizond. in Turkey. There are no islands worthy of mention. BLACK SILVER. A name given, on ac- count of its color, to the mineral stephanite. which is a silver sulphantimonite found in Sax- ony, Mexico, Nevada, and elsewhere, and valued as an ore of silver. BLACKSJSTAKE, or Blue R.cer. A common colubrine serpent (Zamenis [formerly liasca- Ilium] constrictor), prevalent over all parts of the I'nited States and the adjacent borders of Canada. It is slender in form, but rarely if ever exceeds G feet in length. The color of Eastern adults is uniform, lustrous pitch-black above and slate-color beneath, sometimes tinged with greenish white; lower jaw, chin, and some- times edges of the u])pcr-lip plates, white; tongue, black. Siiecimens from the Vest and Southwest exliibit a more or less bright olive- green, with the whole under surface greenish- white to bright yellow; hence the Western names 'blue racer' and 'green racer.' The .voung under about l.S inclies long arc variegated with dark blotches upon dusky olive, with light mar- gins on the scales, especially along the sides. This is one of the most ubiquitous, numerous, and vigorous of American snakes. It is at home on the ground, where it runs with amazing swift- ness; but it is also an exjiert climber, scaling large trees and searching their topmost branches, perhaps 100 feet above the ground, with as great ease as it explores bushes and rocks; it will leap more than its own length from tree to tree when in haste. It is also a swift and powerful swimmer, and seeks much of its food in swamps and along streams. Its food consists mainly of frogs, toads, other snakes, small mammals, birds and their young, and eggs, together with some insects. These are captured by a stealthy ap- proach and swift stroke or chase, and more often by night tlian by day. It is very useful to the farmer in destroying great numbers of moles and mice, but also is the most indefatigable and successful searcher for birds' nests.