P u c 
fexes agree in their winter drefs, being entirely 
white; exept that, in the male, a black line occurs 
between the bill and the eyes; and the fhafts of 
the feven firft quill-feathers are black. The tail 
confifts of fixteen feathers, the two middlemoftof 
which are afh-coloured, mottled with black, and 
tipt with white; the two fucceeding ones are 
nightly marked with white at their extremities, 
the reft being wholly black ; and the feathers in- 
cumbent on the tail, and almoft covering it, are 
white. 
Pliny denominates thefe birds Lagopi, becaufe 
their feet are cloathed with feathers to the claws, 
as thofc of hares are with fur, which ferves to 
guard them from the rigours of winter. Their 
nails are long, broad and hollow, fcooped off at 
the end exaftly like a writing-pen without the 
flit ; and this enables them to form a lodgment 
under the fnow, where they lie in heaps, in order 
to prote6t themfelves from the cold. 
The length of one of thefe birds is near fifteen 
inches, the expanfion of the wings twenty-three, 
and the weight about nineteen ounces. They are 
found in the Britifh ifles only, on the fummits of 
the higheft hills in the Highlands of Scotland, 
and of the Hebrides; though a few have been dif- 
covered on the lofty hills near Kefwick in Cum- 
berland. They reiemble the grous in tafte ; and, 
like them, keep in fmall companies; but never 
take fhelter in the heath, preferring the loofe 
ftones which their mountainous fituations ufually 
afford. 
Thefe birds obtain the appellation of willow- 
partridges in Hudfon's Bay, from their affembling 
in large flocks about the beginning of Odtober, 
and harbouring among the willows, the tops of 
which are their principal food: they then aflume 
their winter drefs; change again in March; and 
acquire their compleat fummcr plumage by the 
latter end of June. They form their nefts on the 
ground, in dry ridges ; and are fo very numerous 
in that part of America, that many thoufands of 
them have been killed during one winter. 
PTER ARIA. A term under which Dr. Hill 
defcribes a particular clafs of infedls. 
PTEROPHCENICUS INDIARUM. An 
appellation given by Nieremberg to an American 
bird, called by the Spaniards commendadoza, re- 
markable for the beautiful red plumage on the 
upper part of it's wings. It is about the fhape 
and fize of the ftarling ; and not much unlike that 
bird in colour, except for the fingularity of the 
upper part of the wings, which in one part of it's 
life is yellowifh or orange, and in the other red. 
Thefe birds are caged, and taught to imitate 
the human voice. They feed on vegetables, par- 
ticularly Indian corn ; and are found in the colder 
as well as hotter climates, flying in large flocks, 
and often confiderably damaging the fruits of the 
earth. 
PTINUS. In the Linn^an fyftem of nature, 
a genus of infecfts of the coleoptera order, with 
filiform antennas, and a roundifh thorax; compre- 
hending fix fpecies. 
PUCELAGE. An appellation by which 
feme of the French naturaliits exprefs the porce- 
lain -(hell. 
PUCERON; the Podura of Linnsus. A 
ciafs of inlefts of a peculiar nature; frequently 
found in fuch numbers on the branches of trees 
and leaves of plants, as almoft entirely to cover 
PU C 
The Puceron is a fmall infedl, but conftituting 
feveral genera, and a variety of fpecies ; infomuch, 
that Reaumur hasobferved there is fcarcely a ve- 
getable to be found that does not afford fubfift- 
ence to it's peculiar fpecies of Puceron. 
Thefe animals are all viviparous, and that after 
a very Angular manner: each has fix legs, ex- 
tremely fmall and flender, and which, when the 
animal has acquired it's full growth, feem unable 
for it's fupport. Some of the fpecies arrive at a 
fufficient fize to be diftinguifhable by the naked 
eye; but the greater number can only be feen by 
the affiftance of glaffes. Among thefe infe6ts, 
many are furniflied with wings, turning to a fore 
of little flies ; and thefe have been denominated 
alated Pucerons. Thofe fpecies which never be- 
come winged, bear no refemblance to the cater- 
pillar tribe, approaching neareft to the figure of 
flies with their wings amputated. All the various 
fpecies have antennae, or horns; but vary in diffe- 
rent kinds, fome being very fliort, and others re- 
markably long. Befides thefe antennae, the greater 
part of thefe infefts have tv/o other horns or fpines 
placed in a very fingular manner behind them, 
near the tail : thefe are much thicker and fliorter 
than the antenns; and, among the various kinds, 
fome are found which entirely want thefe appen- 
dages. 
The Pucerons differ much in colour : the greater 
number are green ; but many are brown, fome yel- 
low, and others black. In Auguft, rofe-trees af- 
ford a vaft number of pale red ones; but, in fome 
other months of the year, thefe trees afford green 
Pucerons. The fycamore, and feveral other 
trees, are covered with green ones in fummer, and 
red ones in November: hence it feems indifput- 
able, that the fame individual animals change 
their colour, the leaves and juices of the plant 
not being able to afford them one uniform kind of 
nouriftiment. Thofe of the willow and the poppy, 
and fome other plants, are of a woolly appear- 
ance ; and fome refemble velvet. Thofe of the 
apricot are fliining: fome appear of the colour 
of bronze metal which has received it's higheft 
polifli ; fuch are thofe of the tanfy, and fome other 
plants. The largeft Pucerons are found on the 
oak. The fpecies are commonly all of one co- 
lour, but fome are fpotted : thofe of the worm- 
wood are prettily fpeckled with black and brown ; 
thofe of the forrel are green in the middle, and 
black at each extremity; and there are feveral 
others which are variegated with thefe two co- 
lours. 
However, naturalifts have not been able to de- 
termine whether all the fpecies are peculiar to the 
plants on which they are found; for it has been 
obferved, that when a plant of the common worm- 
wood has been covered with them, they have all 
accidentally deferred it, and taken up their refi- 
dence on ibme neigbouring plant whofe juices 
were more palateable. 
Thefe creatures always live in fociety; they are 
never found fingly, and feldom but in myriads. 
In plants, they faften themfelves on every part; 
but in trees, they adhere only to the leaves and 
young flioots, which they ufually cover entirely. 
The elder-tree feems to be their favourite abode j 
and on it they may be obferved, in their feveral 
ftages, with the greateft accuracy and facility. 
They often cover the thick green roots of this 
tree for many inches together, and fometimes for 
many feet : thefe are of a greenifli black colour. 
