273 



PERDICIN^E. 



PERSEPHONA. 



271 



Smith has named this Asiatic species Hemipoditu Sylcesii, in honour of 

 Colonel Sykes, who has added so much to our knowledge of the 

 zoolofry of India. (' Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.') 



Before we quit this sketch of the Partridges and Quails, we must 

 notice two forms which particularly demand attention, as leading to 

 other types. The first of these, the Sanguine Partridge (Perdix 

 cruenta, PL Col., 332), appears to bear the following generic names : 

 Ithaginit, Wagler, Plectrophonu, 3. E. Gray, and PtUopachu*, Sw. It 

 is described as a pheasant in ' Linn. Trans.,' vol. xiii., and may be con- 

 sidered as uniting the Partridges with the Pheasants and the Poly- 

 plectrons, like tbe latter of which, it has often more than one spur 

 upon the tarsi. The plumage of this bird, which is a native of Nepaul, 

 is brilliant, and the feathers of the head and neck are elongated. 



The P. Lerwa, described by Mr. Hodgson ('Zool. Proc.,' 1833) 

 inhabits, according to that gentleman, the northern region of Nepaul, 

 and forms by its half-plumed tarsi a sort of link between the Par- 

 tridges and the Grouse, the latter of which it resembles in its habits. 

 It is found close to the permanent snows, among rocks and low brush- 

 wood, feeding upon aromatic buds, leaves, and small insects. The 

 plumage is black, lineated transversely with white and chestnut ; the 

 breast is brown. Mr. Hodgson remarks that the great comparative 

 expanse of the wing, the diminution of its rounded form by the second 

 quill-feat her being the longest, the increased length and strength of 

 the tail, and the extent of the feathering of the tarsi, are very 

 remarkable characters, which give to this species a strong interest. 



PERDICINvE. [PERDICIDJ!.] 



PERDIX. [PBBDICIDjB.] 



PERDIX. [ EJTTOMOSTOMATA.] 



PEREGRINE FALCON. 



PERIANTH. [FLOWER.] 



PERIBOLUS. [G'YPRJiiDjO 



PERICARDIUM. [HEART.] 



PERICARP. [FRUIT.] 



PERICEHA. [MAIIDJ5.] 



PERICH/ETIUM is a name given by writers on Mosses to the 

 leaves that surround the bulbous base of the stalk or seta of the seed- 

 vessel, or sporangium. 



PERICLASE, a Mineral, ocouring crystallised in regular octohe- 

 drons. Primary form a cube. Cleavage in three directions parallel to 

 the faces of the cube. Colour obscure green. Hardness equal to 

 felspar. Lustre vitreous. Translucent. Specific gravity 3'78. It is 

 found in the lava of Vesuvius. Its analysis by Damour gives : 



Magnesia 92'57 



Oxide of Iron 6'91 



Insoluble Matter 0'86 



100-34 



PERICRANIUM, the fibrous membrane covering the bones of the 

 skull. It is identical with the periosteum. [Bo.xK.] 



PERIDI'NIUM. [INFUSORIA.] 



PERIDOT. [CHRYSOLITE.] 



PERIEC H O'CRI N US. [ECHISODKRM ATA.] 



PERI'ODUS. [FisH.] 



PERIOSTEUM. [BONE,] 



PERIO'STRACUM. [SHELL.] 



I'ERISTEDION, a genus of Fishes belonging to the A cant/toplerygii 

 with hard cheeks. Tbe body is covered with bony plates, forming a 

 defensive armature. The nasal bone is divided into two points. The 

 mouth has no teeth. 



P. Malarmat, the Mailed Gurnard, was taken, according to Mr. 

 Yarrell,off Plymouth in 1836. It is also a native of the Mediterranean. 

 It is easily known from the other gurnards by its elongated and bifur- 

 cated nasal bones. It frequents deep water over rocky ground, 

 approaching the shallows only at the period of spawning. It swims 

 with great rapidity, occasionally breaking its nose against the rocks. 

 It is fished in the Mediterranean, and as an article of food is in greatest 

 estimation during Lent. 



PERISTERA. [COLUMBIDA] 



PERISTOMIANS. [PALCDIKIDJ!.] 



PERISTO'MIUM, in Mosses, is the ring or fringe of bristles or 

 teeth which are seated immediately below the operculuin, and close up 

 the orifice of the seed-vessel. [Musci.] 



PERITONE'UM is the membrane by which the walls of the abdo- 

 minal cavity are lined, and all tbe abdominal organs are covered. The 

 name is also sometimes applied to the cavity itself. The arrangement 

 of the peritoneum is in every respect similar to that of other serous 

 membranes [MEMBRANE], except that at the extremity of the Fallopian 

 Tube it communicates with the mucous membrane of that tube, and 

 thus is indirectly exposed to the external air. It is the peritoneum, 

 and the epithelium covering it, which gives to all the organs within 

 the abdomen their peculiar shining surfaces, and which by its dupli- 

 caturen forms the mesentery, omentum, and other folds by which those 

 organs are attached to each other and to the wall of the abdomen, and 

 through which their vessels pass. [MMENTERY; OMENTUM.] 



PERIWINKLE. [LiTTORiuiD/i] 

 1'KKIWINKLE, a Plant [ViNCA.] 



PEKLIDvE. [NKUROFTERA.] 



I'KIiMIAN SYSTEM. [MAUNESIAN LIMESTONE.] 



1'KUNA. [MAU.K.\<:KA.] 

 HAT. HIST. liIV. VOI. IV. 



PERNIS. 



PERODICTICUS. [LEMURID.E.] 



PEROPHORA. [CLAVELINID.E.] 



PEROVSKITE, a Mineral. Its primary form the cube. Cleavage 

 parallel to the faces of the cube. Colour gray or iron black. Streak 

 grayish white. Hardness 5'5. Lustre metallic. Opaque. Specific 

 gravity 4'071. It is found at Achmatoosk, near Slatoust in the Ural. 

 Rose states that it consists principally of titanic acid and lime. 



PERSE'A, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order Lauraceiz. 

 P. gratinsima is the Avocado Pear of the West Indies, and receives 

 its name in consequence of the resemblance in form between its fruit 

 and that of a European pear. The plant which bears it is a tree about 

 the size of an apple-tree ; the leaves are oblong, veiny, and the flowers 

 small, and of a greenish-yellow colour. The fruit is the size of a large 

 pear, and is regarded as one of the best produced in the West India 

 Islands. In the inside it is yellow, and contains a kernel inclosed in 

 a soft rind. In taste it is said to resemble the peach, but to be much 

 more agreeable, though not so sweet. It is sometimes eaten with 

 pepper and salt, but more frequently with a little sugar and lime-juice. 

 Three varieties are mentioned, the red, the purple, and the green. 



Avocado Pear (Penea gratissima). 



PERSE'PHONA, Dr. Leach's name for a genus of Brachyurous 

 Crustaceans, placed by M. Milne-Edwards among the tribe of Leuco- 

 sians. [OXYSTOMA.] 



It has the following generic characters : External and internal stems 

 of the exterior jaw-feet gradually lessening from their base, the external 

 stem being very obtuse at the extremity. Carapace rounded, depressed, 

 and dilated on each side; front rather advanced. Great joint of the 

 abdomen of the male composed of three pieces soldered together. First 

 pair of feet much stouter than the others, which have their two last 

 joints compressed. 



P. LatreiUii. Anterior part of the shell gradually and obtusely 

 dilated, covered with granulations; three equal recurved spines at its 

 posterior part ; arms tuberculous. Length two inches and a half. 



Fenephonu LatreiUii. 



