BICANE'RE, capital of the protected state of the same name (see BraANrn) in Raj pootana, India, lies in a desolate tract, 1175 m. to the n.w. of Calcutta, in lat. 28° n., and loog. 73° 22' east. Pop. about 60,000. It is surrounded by a battlemented wall of 3f m. in circuit; and from a distance presents a magnificent appearance, but inside, the people are found to be extremely filthy. Iinmediately to the n.e. is a detached citadel. of which the rajah's residence occupies the greater part.—nie state of which B. is the capital, Iles in lat. 27° 30' to 29' 55' n., and long. 72° 30' to 75° 40' thus meastirinn.. in its extremes, 160 ni. by 200. It contains 17,676 sq.m., with an estimated population of 540,000. The Rajpoots are the predominant race; but the Jauts form the great body of the inhabitants. Though the people find their principal resource in pasturage. yet water appears to be remarkably scarce. In the whole territory, there is not one peren nial stream; while wells, as precarious and scanty as they are brackish and unwhole sonic, average perhaps 250 ft. In depth; even the lakes or sirris, which the periodical rains leave behind them, are generally saline, yielding. in fact, at the close of the dry season, a thick crust of salt. In 1868-69. nearly the half of the population wa
destroyed by drought. The temperature varies greatly: in the beginning of ice is formed on the ponds; and in the beginning of May, the thermometer stands at 123^ F. in the shade. Again, in the beginning of Nov., according to Elphinstone's experience. each period of 24 hours, according as the sun was above or below the horizon, presented such extremes of heat and cold as often to be fatal to life.
BICE (Ger. beis, Ital. biadetto), the name of two pigments of a blue and green color respectively, known to artists from the earliest times—blue 13. as mountain. blue, ongaro. azzuro di terra, etc.; and green 13. as chrysocolla, Ilungarina green, rerde de Miniera.rerde de Spagiw, rerdetto, etc. Green B. is now usually called malachite green and mountain, green. Both are native carbonates of copper, but are also prepared artificially. In its native state, however, B. is more durable. and in the ease of mountain green especially, much more brilliant. Artificial blue II. is known as Ilambro* blue, mineral blue, etc.: artificial green 13., as mountain green, Paul Veronese green, and emerald green.