AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGY. 149 



Plane, a level ov rectilinear surface, destitute of elevations or 

 depressions ; a curved surface cannot be plane because it is not 

 rectilinear. See equal. 



Planta, the basal joint of the Jarsus of the posterior pairs of feet 

 in Hymenoptera, often dilated or elongated, containing scapula. 

 See palma. 



Pleura, the side of the stethidium, between the thorax and 

 pectus. 



Plicate, plaited ; folded like a fan. 



Plumous, feathered ; with fine hairs on each side so as to resem- 

 ble a feather. See pennaceous . 



Poisers, the halteres, in the Diptera, a capitate moveable filament 

 on each side, substituted for the inferior wings. 



Polliniferous, formed for collecting the pollen of plants, as in 

 many of the Hymenoptera. 



Polymorphous, undergoing a metamorphose; applied to those ar- 

 ticulated animals with feet that undergo a metamorphose, 

 either partial or total. See homotene. 



Polyphagous, eating a variety of food. 



Porcate, marked with raised longitudinal lines. 



Porrect, stretched out ; prominent ; elongated forwards. 



Posterior angle, of the wing, is the junction of the posterior edge 

 with the interior edge ; of the thorax, is the lateral angle near 

 the base of the elytra. 



Posterior edge, the boundary of the poster ior margin. 



Posterior margin, of the wing, extends on the hind jiart of the 

 wings from the apex to the posterior angle. See inner 

 margin. 



Posterior wings, the inferior wings. 



Postpectus, the posterior portion of the stethidium on the infe- 

 rior surface of the body, consisting of several pieces, Avhich in 

 the Coleoptera particularly are the peristaethium, acetabulum, 

 parapleurum, scapula, and maerianum. 



Prasinus, grass-green, without any tinge of blue. 



Premorse, as if bitten off; with a blunt or jagged termination. 



Prismatic, like a prism ; of equal thickness and having several 

 flat sides; differs from cylindrical in being angular. 



Proculiform [poculiform], hollow and cylindrical, with a hemi- 

 spherical base, the sides at top straight and not recurved. 

 See calathiform, cyaihiform. 



