Bretons. Natives of Brittany, descended from a short, round-headed, dark race, generally called Celtic, but perhaps pre-Aryan.
Bribris. South American Indians of Costa Rica.
Britons. (1) The ancient Britons were a Celtic race, whose remnants are still to be found in the [Welsh] (q.v.). They attained a considerable degree of civilisation under the Roman conquerors, and adopted Christianity. The Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain drove most of them back into Wales, Cornwall, and other outlying portions of the island, whilst the remainder were either destroyed or assimilated. (2) In the wide modern sense, Britons are the white citizens of the British Empire.
Bugis or Buginese. Natives of Boni in Celebes; a primitive Malay race.
Bulalas. See [LAKE CHAD GROUP].
Bulgars. A branch of the [Finns] (q.v.), who were originally settled on the banks of the Volga. In the sixth century they crossed the Danube and conquered the modern Bulgaria, then occupied by the Slavonic [Slovenians] (q.v.). A speedy fusion took place between the Slovenians and the Bulgars, who adopted the language and customs of the former, and rose to greatness as a Slav power. In the ninth and tenth centuries they ruled the greater part of the Balkan Peninsula, and warred successfully with the Byzantine Empire, which, however, subjected them in 1019 under Basil II., “the slayer of the Bulgarians.” Later they passed under the Turkish rule, and ceased to have an independent national existence down to the nineteenth century.
Bulgarians. Inhabitants of the modern Balkan state of Bulgaria, descended from the [Bulgars] (q.v.) with considerable admixtures of Greek and Turkish blood.
Bulloms. See [TEMNÉ GROUP].
Burgundians. An ancient people of Teutonic race (High German), who were originally settled between the Oder and Vistula. In the fifth century they invaded Gaul, where they formed the first kingdom of Burgundy, between the Aar and the Rhone. There were many later Burgundian kingdoms and duchies, of which the last and most famous was that of Charles the Bold, annexed to France in 1477. The Burgundians are now French subjects, but still show traces of their Teutonic origin.
Buriats. The Western or Siberian branch of the Mongol stock of the Northern Mongolic family. They occupy the vicinity of Lake Baikal The majority are nomad pastors, but some have taken to agriculture. A peace-loving, but lazy and drunken people; they include various tribes, such as the Barguzins, Selengese, Idinese, Kudaras and Olkhonese.