abundant springs within the bor. itself, the water being
forced, by pumping, into reservoirs built on the heights
of the town. Its chief industries are shipbuilding and
machinery mfr. Communication with Liverpool is kept
up by fine large steamboats plying from each side of the
river every 10 minutes, and has been further improved
by the Mersey Tunnel By. (The shipping statistics
are included in those of the port of Liverpool.)
Birkenhead was made a pari. bor. in 1861, and
a mun. bor. in 1877. It returns 1 member to Parlia-
ment.

BirKcnshaw, eccl. dist. and hamlet with ry. sta.,
Birstall par., E. div. AVest-Riding Yorkshire, 44 miles
SE. of Bradford, pop. 4136; P.O., T.O.; adjacent to
coal and ironstone mines.

Birkensliaw, estate, Lanarksh., 2 m. S. of Larkhall.

Birkensfde, place, 9 m. SE. of Hexham, S. Northumb.

Birkenside, hill with traces of ancient Caledonian
camp, Legerwood par., SAV. Berwickshire, alt. 923 ft.

Birker and Ansthwaite, township, Millon par., AV.
Cumberland, 64 miles NE. of Ravenglass, 8243 ac.,
pop. 107.

Birk-Fell, hill, on E. side of Ullswater, AVestmor-
land; a streamlet descends its N. side to the lake,
forming a cascade called Scales Force.

Birkliall, royal seat, AV. Aberdeenshire, 2£ miles
SAV. of Ballater; was purchased by the Prince Consort
from the Abergeldie family.

Blrkbill.—mountain pass, between Selkirkshire and
Dumfriesshire, 10 miles NE. of Moffat, alt. 1100 ft.—2.
Birkbill, seat, N. Fifeshire, 2 miles SAV. of Balmerino.

Blrkbill Feus, vil., Liff and Benvie par., Forfarshire,
44 miles NAV. of Dundee, pop. 177.

Birkin, par. and township, E. div. AVest-Riding
Yorkshire, on river Aire, 74 miles SAV. of Selby—par.,
5904 ac., pop. 727 ; township, 2160 ac., pop. 180; P.O.

Birk Bigg, hill, 3 miles E. of Dalton, N. Lancashire ;
commands extensive panoramic view.

Birk Riggs, hamlet, High Abbotside township, Ays-
garth par., North-Riding Yorkshire, lm. NE. of Hawes.

Birks and Colsterdale, hamlet, East AVilton par.,
North-Riding Yorkshire, 3J miles SE. of Middleham.

Birkwitli, hamlet, Horton-in-Ribblesdale par., N.
div. AVest-Riding Yorkshire, 74 miles N. of Settle.

Birkwood, hamlet, Crofton par., S. div. AVest-
Riding Yorkshire, 3J miles SE. of AVakefield.

Birkwood, seat, Lesmahagow par., Lanarkshire.

Birlcy, par., mid. Herefordshire, 4 miles NE. of
AVeobley, 1004 ac., pop. 159.

Birlcy Carr, hamlet, Ecclesfield township and par.,
S. div. AVest-Riding Yorkshire, 44 miles N. of Sheffield.

Birley Vale, vil., Handsworth par., S. div. AVest-
Riding Yorkshire, near Sheffield.

Birling.—par., mid. Kent, near river Medway, 6
miles NAV. of Maidstone, 1884 ac., pop. 884; P.O.—2.
Birling, coast township, AVarkworth par., N. North-
umberland, 64 miles SE. of Alnwick, 849 ac., pop. 83.

Birling Gap, depression and artificial cut, in high
coast of E. Sussex, 14 mile AV. of Beachy Head; made
to afford means of escape to shipwrecked mariners.

Birlingbaiu, par., E. AVorcestershire, on river Avon,
24 miles SAV. of Pershore, 1210 ac., pop. 352; P.O.

Birmingham, pari, and mun. bor. and par., on
NAV. border of AVarwickshire, 88 miles SE. of Liverpool
and 113 NAV. of London by rail—par., 2955 ac., pop.
246,353; mun. bor. (comprising also Edgbaston par.
and part of Aston par.), 8400 ac., pop. 400,774;
pari, bor., pop. 437,076. Birmingham is situated
on the verge of a great coal and iron dist., nearly in
the centre of England, and built on a rising ground,
the workshops and warehouses being in the lower parts
of the city. Among the principal public buildings
are the Town Hall, erected for public meetings and
festivals as well as municipal purposes, and containing
one of the largest and finest organs in the world ; the
County Court Buildings (1883); the Institute ; the Ex-
change ; the Post Office ; and Corporation buildings; a
new public gallery of art; a free library, which, with its
branches, possesses over 70,000 vols.; Queen’s College,
for the study of theology, medicine, and arts; the
Royal College, for medicine, arts, engineering, and law;
Springhill College, for the education of clergymen of
the Independents ; theAVesleyan College, opened 1881;