688 BLAIR 1808. During some years, in concert with the German naturalist Oppel, he gave great atten- tion to the study of reptiles and to myology. He also became an assistant to Cuvier. He was appointed to the chair of anatomy and zoology in the faculty of sciences in 1812, when he produced his celebrated thesis on the ornitho- rhynchus. In 1825 De Blainville was elected successor to Lacdpede as a member of the acad- emy of sciences. At the death of Lamarck, Dec. 18, 1829, the chair of natural history at the jardin des plantes was divided into several professorships, and De Blainville was appointed to the department of mollusca, zoophytes, and worms; and in 1832 he succeeded Cuvier in the chair of comparative anatomy. He con- tinued the work of Cuvier on the fossils of extinct species ; but while the latter had only consulted the skeletons of living species as a means of comparison with fossil species, De Blainville attempted to treat the osteology of all types of organism, living as well as extinct, under the title of Osteographie, ou description iconograpliique compares du squelette et du sys- teme dentaire des cinq classes ffanimaiix ter- tebres recente et fossiles. He died, however, before the completion of the work. In his Prodrome d'wne nownelle distribution metlio- dique du regne animal (Paris, 1816), he pointed out several modifications in the classification of animals which have since been generally accepted. In his Dictionnaire d'histoire natu- relle he published a remarkable treatise on worms, which marks an epoch in the progress of that branch of science. He also published a work entitled Faune francaise (Paris, 1821, 1830), Manuel demalacologie et de conchyliolo- gie (Strasburg, 1825-'7), Cours de physiologic ffenerale et comparee, professe A la faculte des sciences de Paris (1833), and Histoire des sci- ences naturelles au moyen Age (Paris, 1845). In the classification of animals De Blainville was of opinion that the external form should be the leading characteristic in forming groups and families of allied species; while other nat- uralists maintain that the internal structure is of more importance in pointing out affinities and similarities. BLAIR, a S. central county of Pennsylvania, drained by Clover creek, the Little Jnniata, and one of its branches ; area, 650 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 38,051. The surface is very rugged, and nearly half of the land is unfit for cul- tivation. The Allegheny mountains form the western boundary ; Dunning's and Brush mountains traverse the interior; and in the eastern part of the county rises Tussey's moun- tain. Between these ridges lie fertile and highly cultivated valleys. Bituminous coal and iron are found. The Pennsylvania Central railroad and branches and the Pennsylvania canal traverse the county. The chief produc- tions in 1870 were 259,619 bushels of wheat, 64,839 of rye, 339,922 of Indian corn, 266,348 of oats, 20,677 tons of hay, and 294,879 Ibs. of butter. There were 4,322 horses, 4,242 milch cows, 6,006 other cattle, 8,372 sheep, and 6,781 swine. Capital, Hollidaysburg. BLAIR. I. Francis Preston, an American jour- nalist, born at Abingdon, Washington county, Va., April 12, 1791. He was educated at Transylvania university, Kentucky, and studied law, but never practised. He early took part in politics, and in 1824 supported Henry Clay for the presidency, but dissented from his views, especially in relation to the United States bank. When in 1829 the nullification movement was developed in South Carolina, Mr. Blair publish- ed an article against it in a Kentucky news- paper, which attracted the attention of Gen. Jackson, who invited the writer to become the editor of the " Globe," a democratic journal about to be established in Washington. The journal was commenced in November, 1830, and became the organ of the successive demo- cratic administrations, Mr. Blair retaining the control of it till 1845, when President Polk thought it necessary for the harmony of the party that the organ should be placed in other hands, offering Mr. Blair the position of minis- ter to Spain, which was declined. He then retired to his estate of Silver Springs, Mont- gomery county, Md. In 1848 he withdrew from the regular democratic party, and sup- ported Mr. Van Buren for the presidency. After the repeal of the Missouri compromise he took an active part in the organization of the republican party. II. Montgomery, son of the preceding, born in Franklin county, Ky., May 10, 1813. He was educated at West Point, graduating in 1835, and served in the Seminole war. In 1836 he resigned his com- mission in the army, and entered upon the practice of law in St. Louis; was appointed United States district attorney for Missouri in 1839; and from 1843 to 1849 was a judge of the court of common pleas. In 1852 he re- moved to Maryland, and in 1855 was appointed solicitor of the United States in the court of claims. Previous to the repeal of the Missouri compromise he had been a democrat ; after- ward he became a member of the republican party, and was in consequence removed from his office by President Buchanan in 1858. In 1857 he acted as counsel for the plaintiff in the Dred Scott case. In 1860 he presided over the republican convention of Maryland, and in 1861 was appointed by President Lin- coln postmaster general, which post he held till 1864. Since that time he has acted with the opponents of the republican party. III. Frauds Preston, jr., brother of the preceding, born at Lexington, Ky., Feb. 19, 1821. He graduated at the college of New Jersey in 1841, and began the practice of law in St. Louis. In 1845, his health having become im- paired, he made ajourney to the Rocky moun- tains in company with a party of trappers. Being in New Mexico when hostilities with Mexico broke out, he entered the army as a pri- vate and served till 1847, when he returned to St. Louis and resumed his profession. In 1848
