Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/385

BASILOSAURUS BASKET 365 ridged, and black bands across the back ; the general color is the same, with the exception of dark brown spots on the head, chest, and limbs, and 6 or 7 black bands extending across the back to the ventral surface. This species was considered by Kaup as belonging to a different genus, which he called corytJiteolus ; it formed the genua adieorypJiut of Wagler. Notwithstanding its forbidding appearance, the basilisk is a perfectly harmless animal ; it feeds on insects, and lives principally on trees, which it climbs with great dexterity ; it is supposed that the dorsal crest may serve to steady its motions as it springs from tree to tree. The ancient poets imagined an animal, which they called basilisk, whose breath poisoned the air, whose glance was death, and whose presence was fatal to all other creatures, including man ; they supposed it to have the form of a snake, and to be produced from the egg of a cock brooded upon by a serpent. The (ziphoni of the Hebrew Bible is a true snake, improperly called basilisk in the Greek version, and in the English translation cockatrice, an animal as fabulous as the ancient basilisk. It SII.OSAI III S. See ZETOLODOX. It ISKKKYILLK, John, an English printer and type founder, born in 1706, died in Birming- ham, Jan. 8, 1775. Previous to becoming a type founder he was a writing master, a tomb- stone cutter, and a successful japanner. He greatly improved type founding and the qual- ity of printing ink. His printing has a rich purple-black hue, supposed to be made by sub- jecting each sheet as it came from the press to pressure between heated copper plates. He retired in 1765, but his press continued to be highly esteemed in Birmingham until the Priestley riots of 1791, when the mob destroyed the printing office. His remains were removed in 1821 to Christ church. BASKET, a vessel made by interweaving twigs or reeds, grasses, leaves, metal or glass wire, whalebone, or any similar material. Baskets differ greatly in their forms, sizes, and the uses to which they are applied, from the rudest utensils of necessity to the most deli- cately wrought articles of luxury and taste. A breastwork on the parapet of a trench is sometimes formed of what is called baskets of earth (corbeils), which are so placed as to allow the soldiers to fire between them, shel- tered from the fire of the enemy. Basket making is one of the simplest and most ancient of the arts. The Romans found wicker boats covered with skins in use among the ancient natives of Britain. Round boats of wicker- work covered with bitumen or skins were used on the Tigris and Euphrates in the times of Herodotus ; and similar boats, about 7 ft. in diameter, are still used there. In India boats of a similar form and construction are still in use in crossing the less rapid rivers ; they are made of bamboo and skins, requiring only a few hours' labor; they are about 12 ft. in diameter and 4 deep, are navigated with oars or poles, or towed by oxen or men, and are sometimes used to transport large armies and heavy artillery. The ancient Britons manufac- tured wicker vessels with extraordinary skill and ingenuity ; their costly and elegant baskets are mentioned by Juvenal in speaking of the extravagance of the Romans in his time. The natives of South America make baskets of rushes so closely woven as to hold liquids; their manufacture and sale throughout the Spanish countries is very extensive. The na- tives of Tasmania wove similar water-tight vessels of leaves. The Caffres and Hottentots possess equal skill in weaving the roots of cer- tain plants. Shields in ancient times were constructed of wickerwork, plain or covered with hides; they are still thus made among savage tribes. Wickerwork is now largely used for the bodies of light carriages. On the continent of Europe Holstein wagons, carriages drawn by two horses and carrying several persons, are made almost entirely of wicker- work. In different parts of the world, houses, huts, gates, fences, sledges, and shoes, and other articles of use and ornament, are formed by this ancient and universal art. In making baskets, the twigs or rods, being assorted ac- cording to their size and use, and being left considerably longer than the work to be woven, are arranged on the floor in pairs parallel to each other and at small intervals apart, and in the direction of the longer diameter of the basket. Then two large rods are laid across the parallel ones, with their thick ends toward the workman, who is to put his foot on them, thereby holding them firm, and weave them one at a time alternately over and under those first laid down, confining them in their places. This forms the foundation of the basket, and is technically called the slat or slate. Then the long end of one of these two rods is woven over and under the pairs of short ends, all around the bottom, till the whole is woven in. The same is done with the other rod, and then additional long ones are woven in, till the bot- tom of the basket is of sufficient size. The sides are formed by sharpening the large ends of enough stout rods to form the ribs, and plait- ing or forcing the sharpened ends into the bot- tom of the basket, from the circumference to- ward the centre ; then raising the rods in the direction the sides of the basket are to have, and weaving other rods between them till the basket is of the required depth. The brim is formed by bending down and fastening the perpendicular sides of the ribs, whereby the whole is firmly and compactly united. A handle is fitted to the basket by forcing two or three sharpened rods of the right length down the weaving of the sides, close to each other, and pinning them fast about two inches below the brim, so that the handle may retain its position when completed. The ends of the rods are then bound or plaited in any way the workman chooses. This is a basket of the ru- dest kind. Others will vary according to the