The head of the barbel is smooth, the nostrils are near the eyes; it has a leather mouth, which is placed below; on each corner is a single beard, and another on each side of the nose; the shape is long, round, and handsome; the dorsal fin is armed with a remarkably strong spine, sharply serrated; with which it can inflict a severe wound on the uncautious handler, and do much damage to the net. The side fin is straight; the scales are not large, and of a pale gold colour, edged with black; the belly white, the tail is a little bifurcated, and of a deep purple. It is sometimes found three feet in length, and weighing eighteen pounds. According to the accounts in the Elements of Natural History, it is met with from two to fifteen feet long, grows quickly, is very tenacious of life, and lives to a great age. If there be any difference in the taste of their flesh, they are most in season the latter end of the summer; but in fact they are not worth noticing, except for the sport the angler derives from the catching of them, and which, from their being so strong and determined a fish when hooked, is very great.—_Daniel._ BARGE, _s._ A boat for pleasure; a boat for burthen. BARGER, _s._ A river-keeper; the manager of a barge. BARK, _s._ The rind or covering of a tree; a small ship. BARK, _v._ To strip trees of their bark; to make the noise which a dog makes. BARK, PERUVIAN, or CINCHONA, _s._ A tonic and febrifuge medicine. Its effects upon the horse are trifling; it is useful chiefly in diabetes. There are three qualities, pale, red, and yellow. The first is best. BARK, OAK, _s._ An excellent substitute for Peruvian. BARLEY, _s._ A grain of which malt is made. BARM, _s._ Yeast; the ferment put into drink to make it work. BARN, _s._ A place or house for laying up any sort of grain, hay, or straw. BARNACLE, _s._ A kind of shellfish which attaches itself to timber floating at sea; a bird, _vide_ BERNACLE. BAROMETER, _s._ A machine for measuring the weight of the atmosphere, and the variations in it, in order chiefly to determine the changes of the weather. _Barometer._—There is no instrument now more generally used for ascertaining the coming weather than the barometer. It may however be remarked, that it is more from its rising or falling, than from its height or lowness that we are to infer fair or foul weather. Generally speaking, the rising of the mercury presages clear fair weather, and its falling, foul weather; as rain, snow, high winds, and storms. In very hot weather, the falling of the mercury indicates thunder. In winter the rising indicates frost, and in frosty weather, if the mercury fall three or four divisions, there will follow a thaw; but in a continued frost, if the mercury rise, it will snow.