PSE 
tnlnntenefs of It's wings renders it's fLri)i5lure 
fcarcely perceptible; and hence it is difficult to 
determine whet'ner it has four wings, or only two 
cafes and two v/ings. This little fly is extremely 
common on rof:;-trees: it's wings are yellowifh; 
it's body is white; and it polTcfles the power of 
hopping as well as flying. During the fummer 
feafoD, there is fcarcely a rofe-tree that is not 
loaded with thefc infecls, though they feem to be 
particularly attached to the extremities of the 
young branches. 
PROGALL INSECT. A creature nearly 
refembling the gall infcd ciafsj but differing from 
in in feveral refpefts. 
Animals of this clafs fpend a great portion of 
their lives in the fame manner as the gall infers, 
faftened to the bark of trees, where they remain 
motionlefb. Some of them alfo, like the gall in- 
fects, cover their young brood with their bodies ; 
but they are eafily difcinguiiiTable as animals in 
every fbage of their lives, while the gall infe(5i:s 
are not : in particular, the annular depreffions of 
their bodies may be dillinguifhed in every ftate, 
efpecially with the help of a mignifying glafsj 
whereas this mark difappears in the gali clafs. 
The gall infefts are valuable, and worthy of 
obfervation, on feveral accounts; nor are the Pro- 
gall Infetls of lefs confequence, the cochineal be- 
longing to them being very much efLcemed as a 
dye and a drug. 
The mofh common and obvious fpecies of the 
Progall Infe6l, in this country, is that of the elm. 
PROSCARx\Bz^US. An appellation by 
which fome authors denominate the meloe, a ge- 
nus of four-winged flies. 
PROTIPULx'-l. A name by which naturallfls 
diftinguifh a fpecies of fly refembling the tipula, 
or long legs; but differing with refpeil to the ef- 
fential chara6ler, namely, that the Protipula is 
defiiituce of the t.vo beards growing on the ante- 
rior part of the head, occafionaily falling over the 
mouth, and clofing it's aperture in the tipula. 
PROX. An Ariftotelian appellation for the 
cervus platyceros, or broad-horned fi:ag. 
PS'.'.TA. A name by which Athensus ex- 
prefTes the fifli called alfo paflTer tevls and platelTaj 
in En zlifh, the plaife. 
PSEQDO PULEX ARBOREUS. A ge- 
nus of infefts defcribed by Reaumur; fomcwhit 
approaching in lliape to the Pulex Arboreus, but 
having their wings covered v.'ith a fquamofe cafe, 
and having broader and flatter bodies than the 
latter. 
This infe£t is found principally on the box 
and the fig-tree. It undergoes a kind of mcta- 
morphofis; and appears a hopping fly, luppofcd 
by fome of the nature of the gralfiopper, though 
without juft reafon, as the one has cafes to it's 
wings, and the other has none. 
PSEUDO THIC A. A fpecies of two-winged 
fiy, refembling the common wafp, but deuitute of 
a iling. It feems to be more properly denomi- 
nated the wafn-fly. 
PSEUDOItINEA. a remarkable infe^ de- 
fcribed by Reaumur, approaching to the nature of 
the Tinea, or cloth-moth, whWc in the worm flrate; 
but not differing in the form and fubflance of it's 
artificial covering. 
Thefe creatures are a genuine fpecies of the 
caterpillar kind, having iixteen legs, which is a 
number commop to that tribe. They feed on 
v/ax, forcibly enterlns; bee-hivi^s, and engaging 
Vol. II. 
the bees with fuch refolution and fucccfs, that 
they frequently drive them from their habitations, 
and comipel them to feek new ones. 
All ancient authors who have treated exprefsly 
on bees, have complained of thefe defcruftive 
creatures. The bees, which are a match for mod 
other infects, find themfelves unable to oppofe 
this race, whofe impervious armour defies their 
moft animiated afl^aults. This armour is com- 
pofed of a double matter. Tiie firfc, which im- 
mediately covers the body, is a fpecies of filk of 
the animal's own fpinning; the exterior is of bees 
wax: this lafl: is laid on pretty thick; and the 
creature, jufl: thrufl:ing out it's head in order to 
feed, proceeds to devour the cells without molef- 
tation, while a whole army of bees in vain buzz 
around it, and attempt to wound it with their 
fl:ings, but without effe6t. 
When the transformation of this creature ap- 
proaches, it contrafts it's body within it's double 
covering, and thus pafl^es into the nymph fl:ate; 
whence, after a proper feafon, it comes forth in 
the form of a moth, with granulated horns and a 
crooked probofcis. The bees polfefs inflind 
enough to recognize their defliruflive enemv in 
this new form; and, as it is now incapable of de- 
fence, they difpatch all they can meet with. 
Flovv'ever, they are feldom fortunate enough to 
deftroy the whole race as foon as produced j and 
if only a few efcape, they eventually prove fufii- 
cient to revenge themfeves for the death of their 
kind. 
The moth produced from this nymph flies but 
little ; yet it becomes very nimble and fwift when 
any danger feems to threaten it. 
Some fpecies of thefe Pfeudo Tines infeft the 
fubterraneous hives of wafps, and other infefls 
which manufadure wax; fome feed on wool; and 
others on leather: all of them forming themfelves 
coverings from the fubftances on v/hich they fub- 
fift. But whatever be their original food or ha- 
bitation, they finally become phalens or moths j 
and may be dillingulflied, in this ftate, from the 
other Ipecles, by having granulated horns of a re- 
markable ftru61ure, and a probofcis always in fome 
degree incurvated. 
PSITTACUS. The claffical name for t'ne 
parrot. See Parrot. 
PSOPHIA. A genus of grails: the charac- 
ters of which are; that the beak is cylindric, co- 
nic, convex, and fharp, v/Ith the upper mandible 
longer than the lower; that the noftrils are ovated 
and wide; and that the feet are furniilied v/ith five 
divided toes. There Is only one known fpecies. 
PSORAS. A name by which fome iclithyo- 
loglfts exprefs a fifii of the turdus kind, remark- 
able for the beauty and variety of it's fpots; more 
ufually denominated the lepras. 
P3YLON. An Ariftotelian name for the cv- 
prinus niger of naturalifts; in Englifh, the tench. 
PTARMIGAN ; the Tetrao Lagopus of Lin- 
nasus. This bird, called alfo the white-game, 
and erroneoufly the white partridge, (a different 
bird) is of a pale brown or afh colour, elegantly 
croffcd or mottled with fmall dufky fpots and 
bars; the head and neck v/ith broad bars of black, 
ruft -colour, and white. In the male, the grey 
colour predominates, except on the head and 
neck, v»'hcre there is a great mixture of red, with 
bars of v/hite ; but the whole plumage of this bird 
is extremely elegant. The females and young 
birds have a great portion of rufli-colour. Both 
3 F fexes 
