PIC 
are two diflinft fpecies of the fame genus. See 
SCOLOPENDRA. 
PHYSETER. A genns of fiftes of the pla- 
guri kind in the Aitedian fyftem, but of the order 
of cete and clafs of mammalia in the Linnaean di- 
ftribution. The diftinguifhing characfters are 
thefe : that the teeth are crooked, and arranged 
only in the lower jaw; that there is one high fin 
or fpine on the back; and a fiftula or pipe in the 
forehead. 
Artedi mentions two fpecies' of this genus; 
namely, the Phyfeter with the upper jaw longer 
than the under, and a long fpine on the back; and 
the Phyfeter with a very high back fin, and the 
tops of the teeth flat. 
The former, which is the Phyfeter Microps of 
Linnsus, and the Blunt-headed Cachalot of 
Pennant, has an exceeding large head, occupying 
flear half the body, and thicker than any part of 
it; the upper jaw extends five feet farther than the 
under one; the eyes are remarkably finall, being 
fcarcely larger than thofe of a haddock; and the 
fiftula or pipe, which is placed a little above the 
centre of the head, is divided into two channels, 
covered with the fame operculum. The teeth are 
forty-four in number, falciform, roundiHi, a little 
flatted, thickeft and moft arched in the middle, 
and terminating at the end in a fliarp-pointed 
cone. 
The latter fpecies, the Phyfeter Turfio of Lin- 
n?Eus, has alfo a very large head, in the middle of 
which is fituated the fiftula or pipe ; and the dorfal 
fin fiands fo high, that it has fometimes been com- 
pared to the mizen-maft of a Ihip. 
Befides thefe two fpecies, Linnaeus mentions 
two others; the Catodon, without a dorfal fin, 
and with the fpout-hole at the extremity of the 
nofe; and the Phyfeter Macrocepalus or Catodon 
without a back fin, and the fpout-hole in the 
Head. 
The term Phyfeter being of Greek origin, is 
derived from the verb Phufao, to Blow : a name 
■which the animal received from a quality it pof- 
feflTes of admitting a great quantity of water, and 
ejefting it again with confiderable violence. 
PHYSTA. An appellation given by Gefner, 
and fome others, to the filh called by the Greeks 
and moderns Ballerus. Artedi denies it's claim 
to any generical name; ranking it as a genus of 
the cyprini, to which it evidently belongs; and 
diftinguifhing it from others of that numerous 
tribe by the fpecific name of the very broad and 
thin cyprinus, with forty rays in the pinna ani. 
PIABA. A fmall frefli-water fifli caught in 
the Brazils, and fome other parts of America. It 
is about the fize of the common minnow; and it's 
fiefii is extremely delicate. 
PIABUCU. An American fifti, about fix in- 
ches long, and one inch and a half broad. The 
belly is a little prominent; the irides are filvery; 
the tail is bifid ; and the fcales are of a filvery co- 
lour, with a broad white line running along the 
fides, above which the back is olivaceous, mixed 
with a fliining green. 
This fifti is extremely ravenous; and fo fond of 
blood, that if a man enters the water with any ex- 
coriation or wound in his hcfh, it will eagerly ad- 
vance and fuck it. 
PICA. A clafTical appellation for the magpye. 
Pica is alfo a name by which fome authors ex- 
prefs the lanius or butcher-bird. 
PICA MARINA, the Sea-pie; called alfo the 
Vol. II. 
P I c 
Hsmatopus. It is about the fize of the common 
magpie: the beak is long, ftraight, and reddifliv. 
ending in a point, and feemingly well adapted for 
removing fliell-fifli from the rocks, it's ordinary 
food. The legs are red ; the toes are in part con- 
nefted by a mt-mbrane ; the head, neck, back, 
throat, and half the breaft, together with the 
rump, are black ; and the tail and wirigs are half 
black and half white. 
This bird is common on the weftern fliores of 
England, and on the coafts of Wales, 
PiCA Marina is alfo ufed by Gefner, though 
improperly, to exprefs the bird commonly known 
by the name of Anas Arftica Clufii. See Puffin. 
PICACUROBA. A Brazilian fpecies of pi- 
geon, of a greyifli colour, variegated with a red- 
difh brown, and with very red legs and feet. 
PICiE, Pyes. In the Linnsan fyftem of na- 
ture, a whole order of birds ; the general charadter 
of which is, that the beak is convex, and flatted 
above. To this order belong twentv-two genera, 
and two hundred and forty-three fpecies. See 
Parrot, Toucan, Crow, Bird of ParadisEj 
Oriole, Cuckow, King's Fisher, Hoopoe, 
Creeper, &c. 
Under this clafs of birds may be arranged all 
that noify, reftlefs, chattering, teazing tribe, which, 
from the raven down to the fmaller genera, flutter 
round our habitations ; and, rather with the fpirit 
of pilferers than of robbers, make free with the 
fruits of human induftry. 
Of all the other clafTes, this feems to be that 
which the leaft. contributes to furnifli out the 
pleafures, or fupply the neceflities of man. The 
falcon hunts for him; the poultry tribe fupplies 
him with luxurious food; the little fparrow race 
delight him with the melody of their warbling; 
the crane kind conftitutes a ftudied variety in his 
entertainments; and the clafs of anferes are not 
only delicate in their flefh, but many of them ex- 
tremely ufeful on account of their feathers. But, 
among the Pye kind, there are few, except the pi- 
geon, that are in any refpeft ufeful; they tend ra- 
ther to teaze man than to afilft or amufe him t 
like faithlefs fervants, they arc attached to his 
neighbourhood, becaufe they derive their chief 
fuftenance from his labours; but their principal 
flrudy is what they can plunder in his abfence, 
while the forfeiture of their lives makes him no 
atonement for their depredations. 
But though, with refpe6t to man, this whole 
clafs is rather noxious than beneficial; though he 
may juftly confider them in the light of falfe^ 
noify, troublefome neighbours ; yet, with refpedr 
to each other, no clafs of birds are fo ingenious, 
fo active, or fo well adapted for fociety. Could 
we fuppofe a kind of morality among birds, we 
Ihould find that thefe are by far the moft induf- 
trious, the moft faithful, the moft conftant, and 
the moft connubial. The rapacious kinds drive 
out their young before they are fit to ftruggle with 
adverfity, or procure their food with eafe; but the 
Pye kind cherifli their offspring to the laft. The 
poultry clafs are faithlefs, and promifcuous in 
their amours; but thefe live in pairs, and their at- 
tachments are wholly confined to each other. The 
fparrow kind frequently overleap the bounds of 
nature, and form illicit varieties ; but thefe keep 
within the moft rigid bounds: they live in har- 
mony with each other ; every fpecies is true to it's 
kind; and tranfmits an unpolluted, unmixed race, 
to pofterity. As other birds generally build 
