BERNSTORFF, Joitaxx HARTWIG EILNST, Count, 1712-72; a Danish statesman who was the representative of the government at the diet of Ratisbon; minister to France, secretary and councilor of state, and member of the privy council in charge of foreign affairs. Frederick the Great styled B. the " Oracle of Denmark." Struensee put him out of office in 1770, but he was recalled two years later,. just before his death.
BE'BoE, a genus of acalepha (q.v.), of a division distinguished as ciliograde, i.e., mov• ing by means of cilia (q.v.), very different from the medusa, and of higher organization. Thisgenus is now the type of a family characterized by a nearly globular or oval body, of a delicate klly-like substance, with an alimentary canal passing through its axis. which is vertical as the animal floats in the water; the body strengthened by bands of somewhat firmer texture, " which run like meridian lines from pole to pole." These
bands are covered with rows of large cilia, the motion of which is extremely rapid, and is evidently controlled by the will of the animal, so that it swims with rapidity, and easily changes its course. The motion of the cilia causes a beautiful iridescence: the animals also are phosphorescent by night. B. (or cydippe) pileits (figured in the article ACALEPH,E) is a beautiful little creature, very abundant in the sea on many parts of the British coasts. It is provided with two very long and slender tentacula, which proceed from the sides of the body, and are covered with a great number of still finer filaments. These organs are probably employed for seizing food. This, and other kinds of B., form a great part of the food of whales.