BOWER BIRDS 139 BOWSPRIT to the family vesiculariidx. B. imbricata is found abundantly on the chains of vessels. BOWER BIRDS, the name given to certain birds of the genera ptilono- rhynchus and chlamydodera, which are ranked under the family stiimidx (star- lings). They are found in Australia. The English name is given because these birds are in the habit of building bow- ers as well as nests. The best known species is ptilonorhynchus holosericeus. BOWERY, THE, a New York street. It begins at Chatham Square and ter- minates at Cooper Union. It was long famous for the resorts located along its length, but now resembles any other populous city street. BOWIE, JAMES, an American fron- tiersman, born in Burke co., Ga., about 1790. He took part in the revolt of Texas against Mexico, and fell in the Alamo massacre, March 6, 1836. He gave his name to the bowie knife. BOWLES, FRANCIS TIFFANY, an American naval constructor, born in Springfield, Mass., Oct. 7, 1858. He was graduated at the United States Naval Academy in 1879, and has ever since been prominent in the work of naval construc- tion, with special reference to the re- habilitated United States navy. He was chief constructor of the navy (1901- 1903), and then engaged in shipbuilding in Massachusetts. Member of the Lon- don Society of Naval Architects. BOWLES, SAMUEL, an American journalist, born in Springfield, Mass., Feb. 9, 1826. He was editor and pro- prietor of the Springfield "Republican" and a prominent factor in public affairs. He wrote "Across the Continent" and "The Switzerland of America." He died at Springfield, Mass., Jan. 16, 1878. BOWLING GREEN, a city of Ken- tucky, the county-seat of Warren co. It is on the Louisville and Nashville rail- road and on the Barren river. The city is the center of an important agricultural region producing grain, vegetables, and tobacco. It also has important trade in live-stock and horses. The city has two handsome parks. It is the seat of the Western Kentucky Normal School, Co- lumba's Academy, and other educational institutions. Pop. (1910) 9,173; (1920) 9,6o8. BOWLS, an ancient British game, still extremely popular. It is played on a smooth, level piece of greensward, gen- erally about 40 yards long, and sur- rounded by a trench or ditch about six inches in depth. A small white ball called the jack is placed at one end of the green, and the object of the players, who range themselves in sides at the other, is so to roll their bowls that they may lie as near as possible to the jack. Each bowl is biassed by being made slightly conical so as to take a curvilinear direction; and, in making the proper allowance for this bias, and so regulating the cast of the • ball, consist the skill and attraction of the game. The side which owns the greatest number of bowls next the jack, each bowl so placed constituting a point, carries off the victory. BOWRING, SIR JOHN, an English linguist, author and diplomat, born in Exeter, Oct. 17, 1792 ; was a great trav- eler and a close student; and boasted that he knew 200 languages and could speak 100. In 1825 he became editor of the "Westminster Review," in which he ad- vocated free trade by repeal of the Corn Laws in advance of Bright and Cobden. He was a member of Parliament in 1835- 1837 and 1841-1847; was appointed on various commissions, to France, Switzer- land, Italy, Syria, etc. In 1849 he was British consul at Hong-Kong, where he became governor in 1853. He was knighted in 1854. Among his works are "Specimens of the Russian Poets" (Lon- don, 1821-1823); "Ancient Poetry and Romances of Spain" (1824) ; "Specimens of the Polish Poets" (1827); "Serbian Popular Poetry" (1827) ; "Poetry of the Magyars" (1830); "The Flowery Scroll: a Chinese Novel" (1868) ; and two impor- tant volumes of travel, "The Kingdom and People of Siam" (1857), and "A Visit to the Philippine Islands" (1859). He edited, with a biography (22 vols., London, 1838), the works of Jeremy Bentham. He was also the author of some well known hymns. He died in Exeter, Nov. 23, 1872. BOWSPRIT, a spar projecting for- ward from the bows of a vessel. It sup- ports the jibboom and flying jibboom, and to the bowsprit and these spars the fore- stay, foretopmast stay, etc., are secured. It is tied down by the bobstays and by the gammoning. It is stayed laterally by the bowsprit shrouds. It rests unon the stem and the apron. The part which rests on the stem is the bed; the inner part from that point is the housing; the inner end is the heel; the outer end the head or bees seating. The gammoning is the lashing by which the bowsprit is se- cured to the knee of the head. The martingale is a spar depending from the bowsprit end, and is used for reeving the stays. The heel chain is for holding out the jibboom, and the crupper chain for
