he made his way into hitherto unknown regions. So savage were the native tribes at that period that, shortly before the traveller's arrival at Tawranga, a band from Roturoa had seized a number of people and cooked them absolutely in sight of the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. Bidwill explored the shores of Lake Taupo; amongst other discoveries made, he found in the vicinity of Roturoa a species of eugenia, identified as the Earina mucronata. In the mountains of the Arrohaw he met with the organtic tree fern, the Mummuke. He next investigated the great plain of the Thames or Waiho.
Bidwill fell a victim to the spirit of investigation. While engaged in marking out a new road he was accidentally separated from his party, and lost himself, without his compass, in the bush. He struggled to extricate himself, remaining on one occasion eight days without food. In cutting his way with a pocket-hook through the scrub, he brought on internal inflammation, of which he eventually died. Bidwill was an ardent botanist. He contributed to the 'Gardener's Chronicle' many interesting papers upon horticultural subjects, but more especially on hybridising, in which he was an adept. 'To him,' says Professor Lindley, 'we owe the discovery of the famous Bunya-Bunya tree, subsequently named after him Araucaria Bidwilli, and of the Nymphæa gigantca, that Australian rival of the Victoria. By his friends, of whom he had more than most men, his loss will be found to be irreparable, and the colony in which he died could ill afford to lose him.' Bidwill, who died at Tinana, Maryborough, in March 1853, was commissioner of crown lands and chairman of the bench of magistrates for the district of Wide Bay, New South Wales.
[Bidwell's Rambles in New Zealand, 1841; Gardener's Chronicle, March 1853; Gent. Mag. 1863.]
BIFFIN or BEFFIN, SARAH (1784–1800), miniature painter, was born at East Quantoxhead, near Bridgwater, Somerset, in 1784. Her parents were apparently of very humble station. She was born without arms, hands, or legs (Handbill in British Museum, 1881 a 2, where her name is printed Beffin). Her height never exceeded thirty-seven inches; but by indomitable perseverance she contrived, by means of her mouth, to use the pen, the pencil, and paint-brush, and even the scissors and needle. Her first instructor was a Mr. Dukes (Gent. Mag. xxxiv. new series, 668), to whom she bound herself, and with whom she stayed sixteen years. In 1812 she was carried round the country to exhibit her powers and ingenuity, and was at Swaffham in October, the race week (Handbill). A commodious booth was hired there for her: the pit seats were 1s., the gallery seats 6d. Miss Biffin wrote her autograph for her visitors, drew landscapes before them, and painted miniatures (the charge for which, on ivory, was three guineas); and her 'conductor,' probably Mr. Dukes, promised to give a thousand guineas if she were not found to produce all he described. It is complained that Miss Biffin received only 5l per annum from Mr. Dukes (Gent. Mag.) The Earl of Morton, becoming acquainted with Miss Biffin's talents, had further instruction given to her in painting by Mr. Craig, then popular for his portraits and 'Keepsake' illustrations (Redgrave, Dictionary of Artists). The poor little artist was patronised by the royal family, and she managed to support herself by her art, receiving a medal from the Society of Artists in 1821. She finally retired to Liverpool. There age overtook her, exertions of her extraordinary kind grew very painful, and she fell into poverty, which was only lightened by the benevolence of Mr. Richard Rathbone, who organised a subscription for her benefit. She died 2 Oct. 1860, aged sixty-six years.
[Chambers's Book of Days, vol. ii. p. 404; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists of British School; Handbill to the Nobility, Ladies, and Gentlemen, No. 1881 a 2, Brit. Mus.; Gent. Mag. vol. xxxiv. new series, 1850, p. 668.]
BIFIELD, NICHOLAS. [See Byfield.] BIGG, JOHN STANYAN (1828–1865), poet and journalist, was born at Ulverston 14 July 1828. He was educated at the old Town Bank School in that town, and at an early age began to exhibit strong literary predilections. It is said that the 'Arabian Nights' Entertainments' first fired him with imaginative ardour. He would recite the oriental stories to his companions, and as the latter recompensed him for so doing, young Bigg was able to indulge the love of books, and became possessed of the works of the best English poets. At thirteen he was sent bv his father to a boarding school in Warwickshire. On his return to his native town, he assisted his father in the conduct of his business. Soon afterwards the family removed to the beautiful vicinitv of Penny Bridge. His poetical enthusiasm was here stirred into action, and he penned many attractive lyrics.
Returning to Uverston, he published in 1848 his first work, 'The Sea King,' a metri-
