[ganong] identity OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS 231 



Pennegoin. — See Penguin. 



Perche. — French name of the European Perch, extended to the American 

 species. Mentioned in Champlain's list of 1632, referring, no doubt, 

 to the Yellow Perch very common in Eastern Canada. 



Perdrix, or Perdreau.— French name for the true Partridge of Europe, trans- 

 ferred to the Ruffed Grouse. Used first by Cartier in 1535, then by Les- 

 carbot as Perdris Uggaré, (that is, the variegated Partridge). Denys 

 distinguished three kinds of Partridges ,the red and the gray, which 

 are simply the two varieties now recognized by ornithologists, and the 

 black, which he says has the head and the eyes of a Pheasant (Fais- 

 ant). His description of the latter makes it perfectly plain that it is the 

 Canada Grouse or Spruce Partridge, and thus incidentally he shows 

 the probable identity of the Faisan, or Pheasant, mentioned by Cartier 

 in 1535. Denys in one place (Vol. I, 174 of his book) mentions also 

 Perdreaux. This would also be the pheasant of the translation of Al- 

 phonse, 1542. Le Clercq distinguished three species, one of which his 

 descriptions show to be the Spruce Partridge, another the Ruffed 

 Grouse, and the third .which was wholly white in winter, was probably 

 the Willow Ptarmigan. Baxter thinks the pheasants mentioned by Al- 

 phonse as occurring in Labrador were also Ptarmigan, though they 

 were more probably Spruce Partridge. See also Gelinote. 



Perroquet de Mer. — French name, meaning Sea-parrots, applied, without 

 doubt, as their distinctive name would indicate, to the common Puffin, 

 also called Sea-parrot by the English. Mentioned by Champlain and 

 others later. Thwaites' Jesuit Relations (VIII, 158) translates the name, 

 very erroneously, as Parrot-fish, whereas the context shows very clearly 

 that a bird was meant. Called by Lescarbot, apparently. Roquette. The 

 name is still used for the Puffin by the Canadian French (fide C. E. 

 Dionne), and by the English, in Labrador (fide C. W. Townsend). 



Persil. — French name for Parsley, transferred to some plant of the Mag- 

 dalens by Cartier in 1534. Champlain also mentions it as persil sauvage. 

 Since no true Parsley occurs in this region, it is altogether probable 

 that Cartier applied the name to a common plant which bears a con- 

 siderable resemblance to the Parsley, namely CntiioseHnum cliiuense, or 

 possibly an Osniorhiza (suggestion of M. L. Fernald). Captain Whit- 

 bourne mentions it in Newfoundland as good for making salads. 



Pible. — Old French name for poplar (Littré), a contraction of plboule. Used 

 by Champlain in 1603, no doubt for the Balsam Poplar. 



Pie. — See Pye. 



Pies grieches. — Mentioned by Champlain among birds of prey in his list of 

 1632. The pie griêche of Europe is the Shrike or Butcher Bird, and, 

 of course, Champlain applied the name to our common American species. 



Pigeon de Mer.— French, meaning Sea Pigeon, the name commonly given to 

 the Black Guillemot. Used by Denys, and still used by the Canadian 

 French for the bird (fide C. E. Dionne), shortened often to Pigeon. 



