  Major-axis long-slit stellar kinematics was obtained for 30 edge-on spiral
galaxies, 24 with a boxy/peanut-shaped (B/PS) bulge. B/PS bulges are present in
>45% of highly inclined systems and much work suggests that they are the
edge-on projection of thick bars. Profiles of the mean stellar velocity V, the
velocity dispersion sigma, and the asymmetric (h3) and symmetric (h4)
deviations from a Gaussian are presented. Comparing those with N-body bar
diagnostics, we find bar signatures in 80% of our sample. B/PS bulge galaxies
typically show a double-hump rotation curve with an intermediate dip or
plateau. They often show a flat central velocity dispersion profile accompanied
by a secondary peak or plateau and >=40% have a local central sigma minimum.
The h3 profiles display up to 3 slope reversals and h3 is normally correlated
with V over the presumed bar length, contrary to expectations from axisymmetric
disks. Those characteristic bar signatures strengthen the case for a close link
between B/PS bulges and bars. h3 is anti-correlated with V in the very center
of most galaxies, indicating that they additionally harbor cold and dense
decoupled nearly axisymmetric central stellar disks. These coincide with
previously identified star-forming ionized-gas disks in the gas-rich systems,
and we argue that they formed out of gas inflow driven by the bar. As suggested
by N-body models, h3 appears to be a reliable tracer of asymmetries in disks,
allowing to discriminate between axisymmetric and barred disks seen in
projection. B/PS bulges (and thus a large fraction of all bulges) appear to be
made-up mostly of disk material which has acquired a large vertical extent
through bar-driven vertical instabilities. Their formation is thus probably
dominated by secular evolution processes rather than merging. [Abridged]
