PAS 
trafts where the tyranny of man can he but 
feebly exerted, 
Excluiive of nnigratory birds, which continue 
in different countries a whole winter, or a whole 
fumnner, there are fome others which annually 
appear in particular places, to reap the harveft of 
that food whereof their native climates are defti- 
tute: of this kind are the rice-bird, and the blue 
wing of Carolina. Indeed birds, like men in a 
ftate of nature, purfue their fearches after food, or 
whatever elfe is neceflary or agreeable, through 
diftant climes: when they difcover fome new kind 
of provender, they return to acquaint their com- 
munity with their good fortune; and then, joining 
in numerous flights, make annual excurfions, in 
order tofolace themfelves with this exotic food. 
Since the difcovery of America, feveral forts of 
grain have been introduced there, which were not 
found out nor coveted by birds of this migratory 
kind till a confiderable period of time had elapfed. 
A very beautiful bird of this kind, fome years 
ago, made it's firfl appearance in Virginia: it ar- 
rives annually about the feafon of wheat-harvefl 
fince it firft difcovered that grain ; and hence the 
inhabitants call it the wheat-bird. 
PASSER. A claffical appellation for the 
common plaife. 
PASSKR ARUNDINACEUS, AND ARUN- 
DINACEUS TORQUATUS. Names by 
which naturalifts exprefs the reed-fparrow. 
PASSER ASPER. An appellation for the 
fifh called in Englifh the dab. 
PASSER BRITANNICUS. A name by 
■which fome ichthyologiils exprefs the foal-fifh, 
and others the turbqt. 
PASSER FABER. An appellation given by 
Nieremberg to a bird called alfo turdus chiappse; 
the genus of which is not certainly known. It is 
remarkable for perforating the bark of the pine, 
and lodging it's food there, to which it occafion- 
ally reforts. 
PASSER FLUVIATILIS. A name by 
■which fome naturaliils exprefs the common floun- 
der. 
PASSER INDICUS; the Macrouros Alius 
of Aldrovandus, or the other long-tailed Indian 
fparrow. A beautiful bird vv'ith a black head, a 
blue bill, and the body chiefly of a fine fcarlet 
colour. 
PASSER MOSQUITUS. An appellation 
ufed by fome ornithologifts to fignify the hum- 
ming-bird; called alfo the quainumbi. 
PASSER SOLITARIUS. A bird properly 
cf the merula or blackbird kind, nearly of the 
fame fize with the common blackbird, and not 
very different from it in colour, 
PASSER STULTUS. An appellation given 
by Nieremberg to a fpecies of larus, or fea-gull; 
fo tame and foolifh, that it will fuffer itfelf to be 
taken without refiftance, or endeavouring to ef- 
cape. 
PASSER TROGLODYTES. A name by 
which fome ornithologifts exprefs the wren. 
PASSERES. In the Linnsean diflribution of 
nature, the name of a whole order of birds? the 
diflinguiiliing charafters of which are: that they 
have conic, Iharp-pointed bills; and that their 
noftrils are ovated, v/ide, and naked. 
To this order belong fifteen genera: the co- 
iumbay or pigeon ; the alauda, or lark, compre- 
hending eleven fpecies ; the fturnus, or fl:arling, 
inrlndins; five fpecies j the turdus, including 
Vol. IL 
PAT 
twenty-eight fpecies ; the ampelis, comprehending 
feven fpecies ; the loxia, including forty-eight 
fpecies; the ttanagra, including twenty-four fpe- 
cies; the fringilla, including thirty-nine fpecies; 
the muficapa, or fly-catcher, comprehending 
twenty-one fpecies; the motacilla, or water-wag- 
tail, whofe fpecies amount to forty-nine; the pa- 
rus, or titmoule, comprehending fourteen fpecies j 
the hirundo, or fwallow, including twelve fpecies ; 
and the caprimulgus, goat-fucker, or churn-owl, 
of which there are ufualiy reckoned two fpecies. 
PASTINACA MARINA. A fifh called alfo 
the poifon-flfh, fire-flaire, and fling-ray. It is of 
the fiat, cartilaginous kind, fomewhat refembling 
the common flcate. Artedi diflinguifhes it from 
the other fpecies of the raia, or ray-fifli, by the 
name of the fmooth-bodied ray, without any fins 
on the tail, but with a long bony ferrated fpine in 
their room. It appears to be the trogon of Ari- 
flotle and Oppian. The tail, in which all it's poi- 
fon is faid to be lodged, is long, fmooth, and 
round, with a thorn or dart, about four inches 
long, toothed on each fide like a faw, having the 
teeth flanding upwards^ or towards the head: 
this is placed at the diflance of one-third of the 
length of the tail, which from this place becomes 
very flender, and terminates in a point. This 
fifh fometimes weighs about ten pounds; and, 
after the tail is cut off, it is commonly expofed to 
fale in the Italian markets. 
The more credulous part of mankind believe 
that this creature is capable of communicating a 
very fubtle poifon by a ftroke of it's tail; but 
Pennant affures us, that ao credit is due to the 
generally received opinion of it's venomous qua- 
lities, though even Linnsus himfelf has adopted 
it. The fpine is a weapon of defence, with which 
this fifh is armed; and it is capable of infliding a 
very dangerous wound, particularly when it hap-* 
pens on any tendinous part; but a cure is effedled 
by the ufual mode of treating wounds, without 
having recourfe to the antidotes againft poifon. 
See Torpedo. 
PASTOR PISCIS. A fifh of the mullet 
kind, common in the American feas and rivers, 
the fiefli of which is efleemed very delicate. It 
grows to the fize of the common trout, and in it's 
figure pretty much refembles that fifh. It's fcales 
are large, and of a filvery white colour, ranged 
in a fimilar manner with thofe of the perch, hav- 
ing greyifli lines between the feveral rows. It 
has feven fins, all very large, particularly the 
dorfal one ; the tail is remarkably forked; all the 
fins are white; and the coverings of the gills are 
fcaly, but not bony, as in mofl other fifhes. 
PATA. An appellation ufed by the Portu- 
guefe of Brazil to exprefs a very large and beau- 
tiful fpecies of duck common in that country; 
known among fome by it's Brazilian name 
Ipecati-apoa. 
PATELLA. See Limpet. 
Patella is alfo an appellation given by Lifter, 
and fome others, to a certain little hufk or fhell 
found on the bark of the cherry, plum, and rofe 
trees, enclofing an animal ufeful in colouring, 
Thefe Patella; are of a globular form, except 
v/hen they adhere to the tree ; and, in mofl kinds, 
of a fliining chefnut-colour. The hufk itfelf 
ftrikes a very fine crimfon colour on paper; and 
within it there is found a white maggot, which in 
time hatches into a fmall but beautiful bee. The 
whole fize of this bee is not more than that of 
2 U half 
