POWEE—PRAIRIE-CHICKEN 739 
Ardeidx—all the Herons and Bitterns possess them in pairs, 
forming large thick patches on the breast, the lower back and 
frequently on the abdomen. ‘These patches are greasy and yellow 
at the base, but the tufts are very fine, grey or blackish, and 
produce a bluish powder. 
Balxniceps—a pair of large patches on the middle of the lower 
back. 
Lhinochetus and Ewrypyga—numerous, forming tracts as well as 
detached spots. 
Mesites—five pairs of patches, the arrangement of which some- 
what resembles the distribution of the powder-downs in the two 
genera last named. 
Accipitres—at present only found in Elanus, Cymindis and 
Circus, as a large united patch on the lower back or as a pair on 
the same part. Nitzsch states that Gypaetus has scattered powder- 
downs during its immaturity, and probably many other Accipitres, 
especially of the Vultwridzx, will on further examination have to be 
included. 
Psittaci— numerous scattered tracts and separate tufts on the 
neck, shoulders and sides of the trunk, in the Cacatuinx, in Chry- 
sotis and in Psittacus. 
Podargus—a pair of extremely developed patches on the lower 
back. 
Leptosoma—resembles the last in the distribution of the patches, 
but Coracias has only scattered powder-downs. 
Passeres—in this enormous group Aztamus is the only genus 
known to possess them. They occur in all the species, in patches 
on the sides of the breast, the thighs and lower back, and have a 
strong barrel, one-third of an inch long. 
(See FEATHERS, PTERYLOSIS.) 
POWEE, commonly applied in the West Indies to Crax alector, 
if not to the CURASSOWS generally, and said in 1769, by Bancroft, 
' who spells the word ‘‘Powese” (Nat. Hist. Guyana, pp. 198-195), 
to be so called “by the natives from their cry, which is similar to 
that name.” Frisch in 1763 (Vorstell. Vog. Deutschl. u. s. w. Haupt- 
Art. ix. Abth. 2, No. iv.) has the word Poes, which Buffon (Hist. 
Nat. Ois. ii. p. 374) misprinted Pocs, while P. L. S. Miiller 
(Natursyst. 11. p. 465) spells it Pawwis. It seems possible that the 
Dutch Paauww (Peacock) may be the origin of the word. 
PRAECOCES, the name given by Sundevall (K. Vet.- Acad. 
Handl. 1836, p. 70), to his second section of the Class Aves, 
in contradistinction to ALTRICES, but subsequently abandoned by 
him. 
PRAIRIE-CHICKEN, PRAIRIE-HEN, names given by the 
