_Q. J. M. S._ (vol. xlii. p.
223, 1899); J. P. Hill, "The Enteropneusta of Funafuti," _Mem. Austral.
Mus._ (iii., 1897-1898); M. Caullery and F. Mesnil, "Balanoglossus
Kochleri, n. sp. English Channel," _C. R. Soc. Biol._ lii. p. 256 (1900).

(A. W.*)

BALARD, ANTOINE JEROME (1802-1876), French chemist, was born at Montpellier
on the 30th of September 1802. He started as an apothecary, but taking up
teaching he acted as chemical assistant at the faculty of sciences of his
native town, and then became professor of chemistry at the royal college
and school of pharmacy and at the faculty of sciences. In 1826 he
discovered in sea-water a substance which he recognized as a previously
unknown element and named _bromine_. The reputation brought him by this
achievement secured his election as successor to L. J. Thenard in the chair
of chemistry at the faculty of sciences in Paris, and in 1851 he was
appointed professor of chemistry at the College de France, where he had
M. P. E. Berthelot first as pupil, then as assistant and finally as
colleague. He died in Paris on the 30th of April 1876. While the discovery
of bromine and the preparation of many of its compounds was his most
conspicuous piece of work, Balard was an industrious chemist on both the
pure and applied sides. In his researches on the bleaching compounds of
chlorine he was the first to advance the view that bleaching-powder is a
double compound of calcium chloride and hypochlorite; and he devoted much
time to the problem of economically obtaining soda and potash from
sea-water, though here his efforts were nullified by the discovery of the
much richer sources of supply afforded by the Stassfurt deposits. In
organic chemistry he published papers on the decomposition of ammonium
oxalate, with formation of oxamic acid, on amyl alcohol, on the cyanides,
and on the difference in constitution between nitric and sulphuric ether.

BALA SERIES, in geology, a series of dark slates and sandstones with beds
of limestone which occurs in the neighbourhood of Bala, Merionethshire,
North Wales. It was first described by A. Sedgwick, who considered it to be
the upper part of his Cambrian System. The series is now placed at the top
of the Ordovician System, above the Llandeilo beds. The Bala limestone is
from 20 to 40 ft. thick, and is recognizable over most of North Wales; it
is regarded as the equivalent of the Coniston limestone of the Lake
District. The series in the type area