Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/756

* BUNT. 674 BCNYAN. the part of the farmers, and particularly by the seloction of dean seed, and the dressing of the seed, before sowing, with some substance which, without injuring its vitality, destroys that of the spores of the fungus. Even washing with water has a good effect, but the best results are secured by treating the seed wheat with solu- tions of copper sulphate, formalin, or the Jensen hot-water method, as recommended for smut (q.v. ). Bunt is believed to be propagated by any contact of sound with unsound grain, by thresh- ing, which causes the bunt spores to ily about, or by manure, in which the straw of infected grain has been mixed. Upon this knowledge the means now adopted for its prevention are founded. A considerable mixture of bunt is not supposed to render flour absolutely unwholesome, at least when made into fermented bread, but the bread is of peculiar flavor and very dark color. BTTNTER, boont'er (shortened from Ger. hiiiitcr Saiulsteiii, variegated sandstone). A series of rocks occurring in Europe, where it constitutes the lowest niennber of the Triassic System. In central England it includes mottled sandstones and conglomerates, with a maximum thickness of about 1700 feet, which rest unconformably on Ferniian and Carboniferous strata. The Bunter attains its greatest development in Germany, particularly in the Black Forest, the Vosges, and in the central and northern parts. Here the pre- vailing rocks are variegated sandstones and con- glomerates, which grade toward the top into limestones and marls, and at the base pass in- sensibly into the Permian sandstone. They are divided into three stages: Lower Bunter — fine- grained, reddish sandstone, several hundred feet thick; Middle Bunter^-coarse sandstone, about 1,000 feet thick: Upper Biniter — red and green marls of variable thickness, inclosing' salt-beds. The Bunter is generally devoid of organic re- mains; footprints of amphibians and animal and plant fossils have been found, however, in both the English and German beds. The plant life in- cluded ferns, cycads, and conifers; the animal life was characterized by the prevalence of batrachi- ans. the most t-pical foniis being the labyrinth- odonts. (See Stegoceph.^i.ia.) Consult G^ikie, Tcdf Boo!: of Gcolo'jn (London, 1893). BTJNDEK SANDSTEIN, boont'er sant'stin. See BuxTEK. BUNTING (origin uncertain). A light, loosely woven woolen material, of which the Hags and signals of ships are usually made, and which is also iiscd for women's dress gooils. BUNTING (origin obscure). One of a group of .seed-eating birds, sometinu's classified as the family Embcrizid;p. intermediate between the finches and the starlings. The most marked char- acteristics are a short, straight, conical bill, an- gvilar gape, and a hard, rounded knob on the in- ner surface of the ui>per mandil)le. The typical sijccies is the British corn-l)untlng (Embci-iza m iliaria ) — a bird considerably larger than a house sparrow, brown, with darker streaks on the upper parts, whitish brown, with spots and lines of dark brown on the under parts, and with a slightly forked tail. It is numerous, particularly in low-cultivated grounds, in most ])arts of Eu- rope, extending ;ilso into Asia, living in jiairs during spring and summer, but in flocks in win- ter and often visiting barnyards at that season. along with chaffinches and sparrows. This bunt- ing often i)asses the night on the ground in stub- ble-fields, and is taken in the nets employed for catching larks, and brought with them to market. It usually builds its nest on or very near the ground. Its notes are harsh and unmusical. The reed-bunting [Emberiza schaiiichis) is com- mon in marshy situations; a very pretty little bird with black head and throat, strikingly contrasted with the white nape and sides of the neck. The cirl bunting ( £,'»i 6eri>(( cirliis, of which the head is olive-green, with black streaks and with patches of bright lemon-yellow on the cheeks and over the eyes, belongs chiefly to the south of Europe and the north of Africa. Other common European species are the yellow-hammer {Emherha citriiwUa) and the ortolan {Emheriza hortulann), elsewhere described. The term is lit- tle used pojiularly in America, but applied in the older books to several more or less related birds, as the snow-bunting (q.v.), the* black- throated bunting (see DiCK-CissEL), the bay- winged bunting (see Vesper-Sp.rrow). the lark- bunting (q.v.), the cow-bird, and bobolink. See Plate of Bu:ntings. BUNTING. The Pied Piper of Hamelin. so named from his variegated attire. BUNT'ING, J.BEZ (1789-1858). An English Wesleyan minister, sometimes called the 'second founder of Jlethodisra.' He was born in Man- chester, and at the age of twenty entered upon ministerial work, in which he was very suc- cessful, holding charges successively in Manches- ter, London, Sheflield, Liverpool, and Leeds. He was president of the conferences of 1820, 1828, 183C, and 1844. In 1835 he was chosen presi- dent of the theological institution belonging to the Wesleyan Methodist body, and for more than twenty years was senior secretary of the mis- sionary society in connection with his denomina- tion. He was the chief authority in all matters relating to the government and policy of Wes- leyan Slethodism. His power became so great that the conference was virtually an embodiment of his will. This was one of the reasons for the formation of the Free Methodist cluirchos. Two volumes of his Hcrmons were published posthu- mously (1801-ti2). BUNTA-BUNTTA, or BUN'YA. See AR.UC Alil.V. BUN'YAN, .Tonx (IC28-88). The author of Tlic rilrjriDi's J'ro'iress. He was born in Elstow. near Bedford, 1028. He was brought up to his fathei-'s trade of tinker, and spent his youth in the practice of that humble craft. It has gen- erally been taken for granted that his early life was very loose and profligate, on the sole ground of his terrible self-accusations in after years, when, from the height of religious fervor and Puritan strictness, he looked back on dancing and bell-ringing as deadly sins. But there is no good reason for believing that he was really a bad character. He served for a short time (probably 1044-46) in the Civil War, and most likely on the side of Parliament: but be- yond his taking some active ])art in the great struggle, nothing is precisely known. In 1(548 or early the next year, he married, and through the influence of his wife and her 'godly hooks.' there was brought about a complete reformation in his life. In lfi53 he joined the Nonconformist body of which she was a member, and two years