nard, Sale, and others (10 vols. fol. 1734-1741). It in- cluded a new translation of Bayle, besides a vast quan- tity of fresh matter. In 1742 he published Thurloe's State Papers (7 vols. fol.). He published Livis of Abp. TiUotson and the Hon. Rob. Boyle in a separate form, and edited new editions of their works. He also published and edited a number of works in biography and general history. His biographer remarks that Dr. Birch's habit of early rising alone enabled him to get through so much work. He was killed by a fall from his horse, between London and Hampstead, Jan- uary 9th, 1766. The "General Dictionary" is still a very valuable and useful work. It has been of great service in the compilation of this "Cyclopaedia." — Jones, Christian Biography ; Eng. Cyclopaedia.
Bird. Birds may be defined oviparous vertebrated animals, organized for flight. The common Heb. name 1*BX, tsippor', opvtov, is used of small birds generally, and of the sparrow in particular (as it is rendered in Psa. cii, 7) ; Cji", oph, -kithvov or irrrjvov, of frequent occurrence, usually translated " fowl," properly means flyer ; 13??, a'yit, a bird of prey ('AETO'S, an eagle), rendered " fowls" in Gen. xv, 11 ; Job xxviii, 7 ; and Isa. xviii, 6 ; in Jer. xii, 9, il birds;" and in Isa. xlvi, 11, and Ezek. xxxix, 4, '"ravenous"'' birds. E^S"!?, barburim , denotes fatted gallina- cea; it occurs only in 1 Kings iv, 23 [v, 3], and is there translated " fowls," though it may be questioned whether domestic fowls are mentioned in any part of the Hebrew Bible. See Cock. Gesenius applies the word to geese. See Fowl ; Fledgling.
In the Mosaic law birds were distinguished as clean and unclean : the first being allowed for the table, be- cause they fed on grain, seeds, and vegetables; and the second forbidden, because they subsisted on flesh and carrion. Clean birds were offered in sacrifice on many occasions (Lev. i, 14-17; v, 7-10; xiv, 4-7). TI13 birds most anciently used in sacrifice were, it seems, turtle-doves and pigeons. Birds, however, were not ordinarily deemed valuable enough for Jew- ish sacrifices ; but the substitution of turtle-doves and pigeons was permitted to the poor, and in the sacrifice for purification. The way of offering them is detailed in Lev. i, 15-17, and v, 8 ; and it is worthy of notice that the practice of not dividing them, which was tho case in other victims, was of high antiquity (Gen. xv, 10). See Harbaugh, Birds of the Bible (Phil. 1854) ; Anon. Birds mentioned in the Bibl', (Lond. 1858).
The abundance of birds in the East has been men- tioned by many travellers. In Curzon's Monasteries of the Levant, and in Stanley's Sinai and l'n'< stine, this abundance is noticed ; by the latter in connection with his illustration of the parable of the sower (Matt, xiii, 4). (Comp. Rosenmiiller, Morgenl. v, 59.) They arc often represented on the Egyptian monuments (sea Wilkinson's Anc. Eg. i, 231, 232, abridgm., where fig- ures are given of many of them). The following is a list of all the birds (including the bat, but excluding all insects) named in Scripture, in the alphabetical order of their true English names (so far as can be judged of their identity), with the Hebrew or Greek term in italics (see Kitto, Pict. Bible, on Lev. 1. c.) :
Clean. Cock, A Icktor.
lien, Ornift.
Peacocks <'/), Tvkfa'yim. Poultry, Barburim. Quail, Selav.
*p— {SSL.
Doubtful.
Stork, Chasidah.
Unclean. Bat, Allalleph (animal). Bittern (?), Kippod. Cormorant, Shalek. Crane (?), Yanslmph.
CXesher\ (general i?„„i„ ' Actus ( term). h*SlB-)A znimhC Pea-eagle*
[Pm^crossifrage). Gull (?), Shochaph.
fXct.i (general term),
I Avah (falcon). Hawk -l, Daa h )
| r/ta</i] Hkite).
iDayah ) Heron (?), A naphali.
BIRDSEYE
I'm i.i:an.
816
BIRTH
u i-„„„ f Kanth. U-"an,TlnshemethO).
Swallow {^r. Vulture, liachanu
Lapwing, T)nkij>liah. Night-hawk^), Tachmas.
, )'.( n (male). Ostrich- Vaanah (female).
I /,'- natiah (?).
Unl (A/y.
Birds are mentioned as articles of food in Deut. xiv, 11, "20. the intermediate verses containing a list of un- clean birds, which were not to he eaten. There is a similar list in Lev. xi, 13-19. From Job vi, G; Luke xi, 12, we find that the eggs of birds were also eaten. Quails and pigeons are edible birds mentioned in the O. T. Our Saviour's mention of the hen gathering her chickens under her wing implies that the domestic fowl was known in Palestine. The art of snaring wild birds is referred to in Psa. exxiv, 7; Prov. i, 17; vii, 23; Amos iii, 5; Ilos. v, 1; vii, 12. See Fowling. The cage full of birds in Jer. v, 27, was a trap in which decoy-birds were placed to entice others, and furnish- ed with a trap-door which could be dropped by a fowl- er watching at a distance. See Cage. This practice is mentioned in Ecclus. xi, 30 (lrtpSiK Qi]ptvT>)g iv KapraWqi; comp. Arist. Hist. Anim. ix, 8). In Deut. xxii, 6, it is commanded that an Israelite, finding a bird's nest in his path, might take the young or the eggs, but must let the hen-bird go. By this means the extirpation of any species was guarded against (comp. Phocvl. Citrm. p. 80 sq.). The nests of birds were readily allowed by the Orientals to remain in their temples and sanctuaries, as though they had placed themselves under the protection of God (comp. Herod, i, 159 ; .Elian, V. II. v, 17). There is probably an allusion to this in Psa. lxxxiv, 3. See Nest. The seasons of migration observed by birds are noticed in •ler. viii, 7. Birds of song are mentioned in Psa. civ, 12; Eccl. xii, 4. See Zoology.