^ BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Pectoral — Near to or pertaining to the breast. The fins on the 

 side of the fish near the gills are called pectoral fins. 



Pectinated — Resembling the teeth of a comb. 



Peduncle — A stem or stalk. 



Petromyzon — A stone sucker ; from petros stone, and muzo to suck. 

 The Lamprey Eel has received this generic name from the fact of 

 its having an apparatus on its lip whereby it attaches itself to 

 rocks and stones. 



Pharyngeals — Belonging to the pharynx. Bones belonging to the 

 pharynx or throat offish are called pharyngeals. 



Pharyngonathi — The name of the third order of fishes in some 

 systems and refers to the union of the bones of the inferior pha- 

 ryngeal bones into one. 



Pharynx — The upper part of the oesophagus or gullet. The cav- 

 ity back of the tongue and above the oesophagus and wind pipe. 



Placoid — Plate like. The first order of fishes in Agassiz system is 

 called Placoids, from their having plate like scales often elevated 

 in the middle, and sometimes a point or spine as in the shark, 

 rays, &c. 



Plagiostomi — Oblique mouth or transverse mouth ; from plagios 

 oblique or transverse, and stoma a mouth, the ninth order of 

 fishes. 



Plectognatht — Solid or soldered jaws ; from plectos woven, and 

 gnaihos cheek or jaw. The fifth order of fishes. The outside 

 bone is united to the main jaw immovably. 



Pleuronectes — Broad swimmers, as the flounders ; from pleuros 

 broad, and nekices swimmer. 



Pluriserial — Made up of many serials. 



PoLYMORpmc — Many forms. 



Premaxillaries — Bones on the outside of the jaws of fishes resemb 

 ling bony lips. {See fig. 2, m.) 



Prehensile — Adapted to seizing or laying hold of. 



Preopercle — Before or forward of the opercle ; the gill lid. {See 

 gill.) 



Pseudobranchh — False branchiai or false gills. 



Pterygoid — Wing shaped. 



Pyloric — Pertaining or belonging to the pylorus. 



Pylorus — The lower orifice of the stomach. 



