MA. 



Plattpcttrr makalt (AynpMltu, Sw.). Dr. Smith first saw this bird 

 upon a tow on one of the tributaries of the Orange River. The nests 

 ia figure and texture hd many of the characters of thoee of Ploceta, 

 but rwrmbled thos* of wine of the South African Pyrgita in the 

 manner in which they were armed. The wall* of each nest were 

 entirely oompoeed of stalks of grass, the thickest extremities of which 

 wvrs so pboed as to protrude externally for several inches beyond the 

 compact structure destined to contain the eggs. Thus each nest 

 appeared armed with numerous projecting spines, and bore consi- 

 derable resemblance to the body of a porcupine with its spines 

 partially erected. 





; i 



./. Vv. ' 



J& ''" 



^v 



Plortfottfr maheli. (Smith.) 





Meets oT J-lMrpow/r mak,ti. 



Tatar erythrorkynthtu. This bird is also a native of South Africa, 

 and is found in company with herds of buffaloes, from whose hides it 

 obtains supplies of food. 



" This bird, besides being of service to its huge associates by ridding 

 them of many of the insects with which their skins are infested, 

 also performs for them another val.iable service. On observing any 

 unusual appearance in the neighbourhood, its attention is imme- 

 diately directed to it ; and, if alarm is eventually excited, the bird 

 flies up, upon which all the buffaloes instantly raise their heads, and 

 endeavour to discover the cause which had led to the sudden depar- 

 ture of this sentinel. If they are successful in the attempt, and see 

 reason to fear for their own safety, they take to flight in a body, and 

 are accompanied by the birds who forewarned them of their danger. 

 On the herd again halting to feed, the birds return to their avocation, 

 and pursue a course similar to that just described, provided the like 

 circumstances recur. We never found this bird attaching itself to any 

 quadruped but the buffalo, nor did we ever find the latter with any 

 other attendants, though we found in the country in which both 

 exist two other birds in the ha itof feeding upon parasitical animals, 

 namely Supltaga Africana and B. erylkrorhyncha. These restricted 

 their visits exclusively to the Rhinoceros." ('Zoology of South Africa.') 



Tfxlur crythrorhynehtu. 



PLO'CEUS. [PLOCEHME.] 



PLOMBGOMME, a Mineral consisting of Hydratcd Alutuiiiate of 

 Lead. It is found in the French department of Cotes du Nord. 

 PLOTUS. [\'i i 



PLOUGHMAN'S SPIKENARD. [INULA.] 

 PLOVER [CJIARADHIAD.K] 

 PLOVER-QUAILS. [TETRAONID*.] 

 PLUCK. [ABFIDOTHORUS.] 



PLUM. [1'BUKUS.] ' 



PLUMATELLA. [POLYZOA.] 



PLUMBAGINA'CE.*: a natural order of Monopotolous Exogenous 

 Plants, with a compound superior 1-celled 1 -seeded ovary, the ovule 

 in which is supported upon a long curved funiculug, or cord. They 

 are usually plants with a showy flower, herbaceous or under-shrubby, 

 with several styles or stigmata, and a powerful acrid or astringent 

 quality. The principal genus of the order is the Staiicc, whose many 

 specie*, under the name of Sea- Lavenders, inhabit the salt-marshes or 

 cliffs of all the temperate parts of Europe. [STATICK.] The prevail- 

 ing colour of the flowers is blue ; the instances of yellow, or any 

 other colour, being more rare. Garden Thrift, Armcria rulgari*, a 

 plant frequently used for an ornamental bordering in flower-gardens, 

 is said to possess powerful diuretic qualities in its petals. 



PLUMBAGO. [GRAPHITE.] 



PLUMBO-CALC1TE, n Mineral consisting of Calcareous Spar with 

 Lead. [CALCAREOUS SPAR.], 



PLUMBO-HESINITE. (LI 



PLUTONIC, a term applied to rocks of igneous origin and ancient 

 geological date. [GEOLOUT.] 



PLUVIA'LIS. [CBAIIADRIAI..*-! 



PLYCTOI.oriirN.K. I I'M n AC i I>.K.] 



PI.VCTo'l.ol'HfS. (Psm-Ai-n 



PN KUMOBKANCHIATA. (MALACOLOUY.] 



PNKUMODEKMON. [CUONID.K.] 



PNEUSTOl'DEA, Kity.iugcr's name for a family of Saurian?, allied 

 to that of the Chameleons. [CIIANKI.KOMS,] 



POA (the Greek irdo, 'grass'), a genus of Grasses belonging to tho 

 tribe /'alvcinar. This tribe is characterised by very short styles, 

 protruded stigmas, and the glumes ehorter than the lowest flower. 

 The genus Poa has its glumes rather unequal ; the outer palea with 

 3 or S nerves, membranous below, scnrious at the tip, compressed, 



