Wiktionary
n. A transparent scale covering the eye of a snake, shed as part of the old skin during moulting.
Wikipedia
The brille (also called the ocular scale, eye cap or spectacle) is the layer of transparent, immovable disc-shaped skin or scale covering the eyes of some animals for protection, especially in animals without eyelids. The brille has evolved from a fusion of the upper and lower eyelids. Brille means "spectacles" or " glasses" in German, Norwegian and Danish and "shine" in French and Spanish.
In snakes, there are no eyelids and the brille is clear and cannot be distinguished, except when the animal is becoming ready for ecdysis. At that time, it becomes cloudy and is visible as a cover over the eye. When the snake moults, the brille is also shed as part of its skin. The brilles protect their eyes from dust and dirt and give them a "glassy-eyed" blank appearance.
Snakes, flap-footed lizards, night lizards, and some skinks have brilles. All geckos except those in the subfamily Eublepharinae (eyelid geckos) possess brilles.
Some groups of bony fish have a transparent eyelids known as the adipose eyelid. Some reptiles, mammals and birds have a translucent third eyelid that moves horizontally across the eye called the nictitating membrane.
Usage examples of "brille".
Sitting at a small table, with a white cloth, among the half-dozen American soldiers who, having long finished their lunch, were playing cards and dominoes, they ordered bread-soup, an omelette, white wine, brille cheese and their own ration of bully beef which they had brought in tins to be fried with onions.
The butter round the omelette was bubbling in the dish, the brille had had its red rind removed and replaced by fried breadcrumbs, the white wine was light and sweet, and with the coffee afterwards they were given as much sugar as they wished.
Flushing and the Brille, with the Castle of Rammekins, should, in the mean time, be consigned into her hands by way of security.
Flushing, the Brille, and Rammekins, as pledges for the money due to her.
Richterstuhl einer achten, unbefangenen, nicht durch die Brille einer philosophischen oder dogmatischen Schule stehenden Wissenschaft als wahr bewahrt, kann zur Erbauung, Belehrung und Warnung tuchtig seyn.
Noch ein paar solcher Übungen, und er mußte sich Ohrenschützer und dunkle Brille aufsetzen, wenn er nicht schwerhörig werden wollte.