HUBER, François (1750-1831), an eminent Swiss naturalist, especially distinguished by the originality and reach of his researches into the life history of the honey-bee, was born at Geneva, July 2,1750. He belonged to a family which had already made its mark in the literary and scientific world: his great-aunt, Marie Huber (1695-1753), was known as a voluminous writer on religious and theological subjects, and as the translator andepitomizer of The Spectator (Redaction du Spectateur Anglais à ce qu'il renferme de meilleur, Amst., 3 vols. 1753); and his father Jean Huber (1721-1786), who had served for many years as a soldier, was a prominent member of the coterie at Ferney, distinguishing himself both by the rare skill with which he could reproduce the likeness of Voltaire by clipping paper and by other unpromising devices, and by the publication of a valuable series of Observations sur le vol des oiseaux (Geneva, 1784). From an early age François Huber displayed a dangerous ardour for study; and he was only fifteen years old when he began, in consequence of his ill-judged assiduity, to suffer from an affection of the eyes which gradually resulted in total blindness. Happily at once for his comfort and his fame he had secured the affection of Marie Aimée Lullin. Having patiently waited till she was legally of age, she married the husband of her choice, and ministered to his wants till her death with such unceasing devotion that it was only, he said, when he lost her that he really felt he was blind. For many years her efforts were seconded by François Bumens, a servant, whom Huber had inspired with something of his own love of nature. The results of the investigations which were conducted by this happily assorted trio, at once surprised and delighted the world. So ...

HUBERT or Hugubrecht, “the Bright-witted ”), St, bishop of Liège, was son of Bertrand, duke of Guienne, and held a prominent place in the court of the Frankish king Theodoric, and afterwards in that of Pippin of Heristal. He was passionately fond of the chase, but with the death of his wife Floribane all his taste for mundane enjoyments disappeared, and following the counsels of his friend and teacher, Bishop Lambert of Maestricht, he retired to the monastery of Stavelot, whence he afterwards undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, on occasion of which he was by pope Sergius I. appointed bishop of Tongern. In 708 he succeeded Lambert in the see of Maestricht and Liege, to whose memory he erected a cathedral in the latter city. His death occurred in 727, and in 825 his remains (which, it is alleged, suffered no decay for many years) were removed to a Benedictine cloister in the Ardennes, which thenceforth bore his name, and ultimately became a considerable resort of pilgrims. St Hubert’s day is November 3, but the date and circumstances of his canonization are not stated. His conversion, represented as having been brought about, while he was hunting on Good Friday, by a miraculous appearance of a stag bearing between his horns a beaming cross or crucifix, has frequently been made the subject of artistic treatment. He is the patron of hunters, and is also invoked in cases of hydrophobia and demoniac possession. Several orders of knighthood have been under his protection; among these may be mentioned the Bavarian, the Bohemian, and that of the electorate of Cologne....

HUBLI, a town in Dhârwâr district, Bombay, 15° 20' N. lat., 75° 12' E. long., situated 13 miles south-east of Dhârwâr, on the main road from Poona to Harihar; it is 230 miles south-east from Poona, 142 miles from Bellâri (Bellary), 90 miles from Kârwar, and 97 miles from Kumpta (Coompta). Population (1872) 37,961. Situated on the main lines of communication to Harihar, Kârwâr, and Kumpta, the town has become the centre of the cotton trade of the southern Marhattâ country. Besides raw cotton and silk fabrics, a general trade in copper vessels, grain, salt, and other commodities is conducted on a large scale. Hubli was formerly the seat of an English factory, which in 1673, with the rest of the town, was plundered by Sivaji, the Marhattâ leader.