Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

BUZZARD-BYLES. 353
roost upon a kitchen chimney. At length 1777, he was denounced, in town-meeting,
he one day joined a flock which was as an enemy to his country, and aftersoaring over his residence, and never wards was tried before a special court.
after returned.-The turkey-buzzard is The charges against him were, that he
two feet and a half long, and his wings remained in the town during the siege,
are six feet two inches from tip to tip. that he prayed for the king, and received
The head and neck, for an inch and a the visits of the British officers. HIe was
half below the ears, are furnished with a sentenced to confinement, with his fiamreddish, wrinkled skin, beset with short, ily, on board a guard-ship, and to be sent
black hairs, which also cover the bill, as to England with them. On being brought
far as the anterior angle of the nostrils, before the board of war, he was treatwhich are oval. The plumage is black, ed with respect, and was ordered to be
the neck feathered equally all round, and confined to his own house for a short
the wings not reaching beyond the tail. time. He possessed, in a remarkable deThe tail is rounded. There is no obvi- gree, a ready and powerful wit, which he
ous difference between the male and fe- sometimes exerted where good nature
male. would have refrained, and left a lastin.g
BuzZARD's BAY; a bay on the south sting by a transient jest. He exhibited
coast of Massachusetts, opposite Barnsta- this love of ridicule in various ways. On
ble bay. It runs up between Seakonnet one occasion, when sentenced, under sIuspoint on the west, and Chatahunk, one picion of toryism, to be confined to his
of the Elizabeth islands, on the east; is 35 own house, with a sentinel over him, he
or 40 miles long, and 7 wide. It ap- persuaded this sentinel to go on an errand
proaches within 3} miles of Barnstable for him, promising to take his place.
bay. It has been contemplated to unite The sentinel consented to the arrangethese bays by a canal. Lon. 70~ 33/ to ment, and, to the great amusement of all
71~ 10' W.; lat. 41~ 25' to 410 42' N. who passed, B. was seen very gravely
BY-LAW is a particular law made by a marching before his own door, the Inuscorporation, or by any other distinct por- ket on his shoulder, keeping guard over
tion of the community, for the regulation himself. During his confinement in his
of the affairs of its menibers in such of own house, a guard was placed over him,
their relations as are not reached by the and then removed. On some further colngeneral law of the land. Such private plaint, a sentinel was again placed over
laws may legally be made by all incor- him. He was soon freed, and no further
porated bodies, as civic corporations, trad- noticed. In speaking of these transacing companies, &c., and even by the body tions, he said, "he had been guarded,
of the inhabitants of a town or parish, reguarded, and disregarded." Directly
provided they involve the infraction of opposite to his house there was a very
no public laws, but are merely calculated bad slough in wet weather. It happened
to supply their want of application in the one day, that two of the select-men, who
particular instance. These private laws had the care of the streets, stuck fast in
are binding only on the members of the this hole, and were obliged to get out in
body for which they are framed, and will the mud to extricate their vehicle. B.
not be recognised as valid unless they came out, and, making them a respectful
appear to be intended for the general bow, said:-" Gentlemen, I have often
good of that body, and not for the mere complained to you of this nuisance, withfirtherance of private or personal inter- out any attention being paid to it, and I
ests. am very glad to see you stirring in this
BYLES, doctor Mather, was born in matter now." A ship from London
Boston in 1706, and educated at Cam- brought out 300 street lamps for the town
bridge. After completing his studies in of Boston. It chanced that, on the same
theology, he was ordained the first pastor day, a female neighbor, who was a news
of the church in Hollis street, Boston. B. light, with a weak mind and a whining
contributed many essays to the New Eng- manner, called to see him. WTishing to
land Weekly Journal, and several occa- get rid of the visitor, he soon asked, with
sional poems, some of which were col- a tone calculated to excite curiosity, if
lected in a volume. He corresponded she had heard the news. "O0, no! dear
with Pope, Lansdowne and Watts. In doctor, what news?" "Why, 300 new
1776, his connexion with his congregation lights have come over in the ship that
was dissolved, on account of his toryism, arrived this morning from London, and
for any disaffection to the cause of the the select-men have wisely ordered them
colonies could no longierbetolerated. In to be put in irons immediately." His
30 X