GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS. 
101 
Pin'nate, ) (L. pinna'tus), a. Having wing-like tufts of elongated 
Pin'nated, f feathers on the side of the neck. 
Pin/niform (L. pinnifor'mis), a. Fin-like, as a Penguin's wing. 
Pin'tailed, a. Having the central tail-feathers elongated and narrowly 
acuminate, as in the male Pin-tail Duck (Dafila acuta). 
Pisciv'orous (L. piscivorus), a. Feeding upon fish. 
Pla'ga (L.), n. A stripe. 
Plan/ta (L.), n. The posterior face of the tarsus. 
Plan'tar, a. Pertaining to the planta. 
Plantigrade, a. Walking on the back of the tarsus. 
Plas'tic, a. Capable of being moulded ; easily modified. 
Plum Pur'ple, n. A rich dark violet-purple. (Madder carmine + 
intense blue.) (Plate VIII. fig. 4.) 
Plu'ma (L.), n. A feather. 
Plu'mage (L. indumen'tum), n. The feathering in general. 
Plum'beous (L. plum'beus) ,n. A deep bluish gray color, like tarnished lead • 
lead-color. (Lamp-black -f- intense blue -f- white.) (Plate II. fig. 15.) 
Plum'iped (L. plum'ipes), a. Having the feet feathered. 
Plu'mose (L. plumo'sus), a. Feathered. 
Plu'mula (L.), n. A down-feather. 
Plumula'ceous (L. plumula'ceus), a. Downy; bearing down. 
Po'dium (L.), n. The foot. 
Podothe'ca (L.), n. The whole envelope of the legs and feet. 
Pogo'nium (L. ; pi. pogo'nia), n. The web of a feather. 
Pollex (L.), n. The thumb. In birds, the joint (homologous with the 
index-finger of man) which bears the alula, or bastard-wing. 
Polyg'amous, a. Mating with many females, as the domestic cock. 
Polymorph'ic, a. Many-formed ; containing or consisting of many 
forms, or different types. In Ornithology, a species is " polymorphic " 
when it presents several distinct phases of coloration in the same 
locality or within a restricted geographical area. Thus, some of the 
hawks (e. g. Buteo swainsoni) are polymorphic in this sense. 
Polymyo'dae, n. The name of a natural group of passerine birds, 
characterized by highly specialized vocal organs. (Synonymous with 
Oscines.) 
Polyno'mial, a. or n. Consisting of several words, as the polynomial 
nomenclature, by which a species was designated by a descriptive 
phrase. This system of nomenclature preceded the establishment of 
the binomial system, established by Linnaeus. A name consisting of 
several words. 
Polyto'kous, a. Producing many eggs, or young. (Synonymous with 
multiparous.) 
Pomegran'ate Pur'ple (L. puni'ceo-purpu'reus ; puni'ceus; phozni'ceus), n. 
A dull reddish-purple color, like the pulp of some varieties of the 
pomegranate {Punica granatum). (Madder carmine + violet madder.) 
(Plate VIII. fig. 12.) 
