BURGH is a descriptive name of towns and cities in Scotland, corresponding to the English word borough (q. v.). There were burghs of barony, free burghs, burghs of regality, and royal burghs. Since 1832, there have been what are called parliamentary burghs— that is, towns or burghs not being royal burghs, but sending or contributing to send representatives to parliament, under the act 2 and 3 Will. IV. c. 65. By the general police act for Scotland, the word B. was declared to mean also any populous place, the boudaries of which are fixed by the act. Among parliamentary burghs are Paisley, Greenock, Leith, Kilmarnock, Falkirk, Hamilton, Peterhead, etc. ; and by the 3 and 4 Will. IV. c. 77, 15 and 16 Vict. c. 82, 16 and 17 Vict. c. 26, 31 and 32 Viet. c. 108, 33 and 34 Vict. c. 92, 35 and 86 Viet. c. 33, a code is given for the election of their magistrates and councilors, and for the appointment of other officers; the election being with the persons qualified to vote for a member of parliament—to be concluded in Paisley, Green ock, Leith, and 'Kilmarnock, by open poll in one day, the polling-books to be summed up. and the result declared by the provo'-t: in Falkirk, Hamilton, Musselburgh, Airdrie,
Port-Glasgow, Peterhead, Portobello, Cromarty, and Oban, to be by signed lists: a third of -the council to go out, and others to be elected every year; and the provost and magistrates to be chosen by the council from their own number.
The police of burghs, and everything regarding their draining, cleaning, lighting, are regulated by the police (Scotland) act, 20 and 21 Vict. c. 72, and the public health (Scotland) act, 30 and 31 Viet. c.'101.