the history of insects, a style, or oblong body, ending in a protuberance or head, found under each wing of the two-winged flies; these serve to poise the body of the fly.

Balancing, among seamen, the contracting a sail into a narrower compass, in a storm, by retrenching, or folding up a part of it at one corner: this method is used in contradistinction to reefing, which is common to all the principal sails; whereas balancing is peculiar to few, such as the mizen of a ship, and the main-sail of those vessels wherein it is extended by a boom. See Boom and Reef.—The balance of the mizen is thus performed: the mizen yard is lowered a little, then a small portion of the sail is rolled up at the peak or upper corner, and fastened to the yard about one fifth inward from the outer end or yard arm toward the mast. See Mizen.—A boom main-sail is balanced, after all its reefs are taken in, by rolling up a similar portion of the hindmolt or aftmost lower corner called the clue, and fastening it strongly to the boom, having previously wrapped a piece of old canvas round the part (which is done in both cases) to prevent the sail from being fretted by the cord which fastens it.