HERPETOLOGY AND ICHTHYOLOGY: GLOSSARY. 141 



PARACHUTE. From the Greek, para 

 against, and the French chute 

 fall* A machine somewhat in the 

 form of the top of an umbrella 

 used to moderate the descent o 

 those who ascend in balloons, ant 

 guarantee them against the effect 

 of a sudden fall. 



PARI'ETKS. Fiom the Latin, pnries 

 a wall. A name given to part 

 which form the inclosure the 

 limits of different cavities of the 

 body. 



PAROTID. From the Greek, para 

 about, and ows, the ear. A large 

 salivary gland situated near th 

 ear is so called. 



PECTEN. Latin. A comb. A fok 

 or process of the retina, found in 

 some animals, is so called. 



PECTENIFORM. From the Latin, 

 pecten, a comb, and forma, form, 

 shape. Comb-t-haped ; like a comb. 



PECTINATE. Formed like a comb ; 

 having teeth like a comb. 



PEC'TORAL. From the Latin, pecltts, 

 (in the genitive, pectoris,') the chest, 

 the breast. Belonging or relating 

 to the chest. 



f From the Latin, pes, 



PED'ICLE. J (in the genitive, pedis,) 



PED'UNCLE. ] foot. A little foot ; a 

 ^ stem. 



PELA'MYS. Specific name of the 

 Bonita. 



PELVIS. The bony structure at the', 

 lower part of the trunk. 



PERCA. Latin, A Perch. 



PERCOIDES. From the Latin, perca,\ 

 perch, and eidos, resemblance. 

 Systematic name of a family of 

 fishes. 



PERITONEUM. From the Greek, peri, 

 around, and teino, I stretch. A 

 serous membrane which lines the 

 abdominal cavity, and covers, 

 entirely, or in part, all the organs 

 contained in it. 



PETROMYZON. From the Greek petra, 

 rock, and muzo, I suck. Rock- 

 sucker. Systematic name of the 

 lampreys. 



PHARYNGE'AL. Belonging or relating 

 to the pharynx. 



PHARYNGE'AN. Applied to cestain 

 fishes. 



PHARYNX. From the Greek pTiarugx, 

 the pharynx. The swallow. The 

 superior opening of the ce-ophagus 



PHYsio'LOGY.-From the Greek, phnsis, 

 nature, and logos, a discourse. The 

 science which treats of the func- 

 tions of animals or vegetables. 



PITU'ITARY. From the Latin, pituita, 

 phlegm. The lining membrane of 

 the nose is called the pituitary 

 membrane. 



PISCIFORMIS. Latin. Fish - shaped ; 

 formed like a fish. 



PLAS'TRUM. The inferior shell of a 

 tortoise. 



PLATES'SA. From the Greek, platus, 

 broad, flat. Systematic name of the 

 plaice. 



PLATURUS. Generic name of certain 

 ophidians. 



PLECTO'GNATHI. From the Greek, 

 plektos, twined, joined together, 

 and gnathos, jaw, cheek. Syste- 

 matic name of an order of fishes. 



PLESIOSAURUS. From the Gree 1 --, 

 pleisos, most, and saura, a lizard. 

 The systematic name of a fossil 

 saurian. 



PLEURONKCTES. From the Greek, 

 pleura, the side, and nectes, fin. 

 Systematic name of a family of 

 fishes. 



PNEUMOGASTRIC. From the Greek, 

 pneumon, the lung, and paster, the 

 stomach. The n line of a nerve 

 which is distributed chiefly to the 

 organs contained in the chest and 

 abdomen. 



POLYO'DON. From the Greek, polus, 

 many, and odous, (in the genitive, 

 odontos,) tooth. Name of a kind 

 of sturgeon. 



PORTA Latin. A gate. 



POLYGO'NAL. From the GreeJr, polus, 

 many, and gona, angle. Having 

 many sides and many angles. 



PRK'HENSION. From the Latin, pre- 

 hendcre, to lay hold of. The pre- 

 hension of aliments consists in 



