420 
P H Y 
PHY 
serving as a kind of prop or stay, preventing 
the case or tube from slipping too forwards 
during the time the animal is feeding* 
Of the European phryganese, one of the 
largest is the phryganea grandis of Linnaeus, 
usually measuring somewhat more than an 
inch iii length, and having very much the ge- 
neral aspect of a phalaena: the upper wings 
are grey, marked by various darker and 
lighter streaks and specks, and the under 
wings yellowish-brown and semitransparent. 
The larva, which measures near an inch and 
three quarters in length, is of a flesh-coloured 
grey, with brown head and legs, and inhabits 
a tube composed of pieces' of bark, small 
fragments of grass-stalks, or other substances. 
Like other larvae of this genus, it is known by 
the name of cadew-worm, or cad-bait, and is 
frequently used by anglers as a bait. When 
arrived at full growth^ it fastens the case or 
tube by several silken filaments to the stem of 
some water-plant, or other convenient sub- 
stance, in such a manner as to project a little 
above the surface of the water ; and casting its 
skin, changes to a chrysalis of a lengthened 
shape, and displaying the-immature limbs of 
the future phryganea, which in the space of 
about fourteen days emerges from its confine- 
ment. 
Phrygania rhombica is a smaller species 
than the former, and is of a yellowish-brown 
colour, with two obliquely transverse rhom- 
boid semitransparent white spots on each up- 
per wing; the lower wings being whitish, 
with a tinge of yellow-brown towards the up- 
per edge. The larva forms its case of small 
pieces of the slender stems of water-grasses or 
other plants, curiously disposed in an oblique- 
ly transverse direction. It is of a greenish- 
brown colour, and like the former, is found in 
rivulets and stagnant waters. The larvae of 
the phryganeae in general feed not only on the 
smaller water-insects, but on the spawn of 
fishes, and even on the young fry itself. 
There are twenty-four species. 
PHRYMA, a genus of the didynamia 
gymnospermia class and order. The essen- 
tial character is, seed one. There are two 
species, herbs of North America and the 
Cape. 
PHRYNIUM, 
monogynia class 
three-leaved; petals three, equal ; nectarine ; 
tube filiform; border four-parted; capsule 
three-celled; nuts three. There is one spe- 
cies, a plant of Malabar. 
PHTHISIS. See Medicine. 
PHY GETHLON, in surgery, a broad, 
but not much elevated tumour, of the same 
nature with the bubo. See the article Bubo, 
PHYLACTERY, in antiquity, a charm 
or amulet, which being worn, was supposed 
to preserve people from certain evils, dis- 
eases, and dangers. The Jews were remark- 
able for wearing phylacteries 'of parchment, 
in the form of slips or rolls, wherein were 
written certain passages of the law: these 
they wore upon their foreheads, and upon 
the wrists of their left arms. The modern 
Jews think themselves under no obligation to 
this practice, which they observe only at 
morning prayers. 
PHYLACH.NE, a genus of the dioecia 
mouandria class and order. The calyx is 
three-leaved, superior ; corolla funnel-form ; 
fern, stigma four-cornered; capsule inferior, 
many-seeded. There is one species, a small 
snpssy plant of South A merica* 
a genus of the monandria 
and order. The calyx is 
PHYLICA, bastard alatemus, a genus 
of the monogynia order, in the pentandria 
class of plants ; the perianthium five-parted, 
turbinate; petals none; capsule tricoccous. 
There are twenty species, of which three are 
commonly kept in the gardens of this ccun 
try; but being natives of warm climates, 
they require to be kept in pots, and housed 
in winter. T hey are all shrubby plants, 
rising from three to five or six feet high, and 
adorned with beautiful clusters of white flow- 
ers. They are propagated by cuttings. 
PHY LLAN 1 HUS, sea-side laurel ; a ge- 
nus of the triandria order, in the monoecia 
class of plants. The male calyx is six-parted, 
bell-shaped ; no corolla ; female calyx six- 
parted ; styles three, bifid ; capsules three- 
celled; seeds solitary, roundish. There are 
eleven species, all of them natives of warm 
climates; and rise from twelve or fourteen 
feet to the height of middling trees. They 
are tender, and cannot be propagated in this 
country without artificial heat. 
PHYLLIS, a genus of the pentandria di- 
gynia class and order. The stigmas are his- 
pid, fructifications scattered; cal. two-leaved, 
obsolete; corolla five-petalled ; seeds two. 
There is one species, a herb of the Ca- 
naries. 
PH YS ALTS, the winter cherry, a genus 
of the monogynia order, in the pentandria 
class of plants. The corolla is wheel-shaped ; 
stamina converging; berry within an inflated 
calyx, two-celled. There are seventeen spe- 
cies, of which the most remarkable is the al- 
kekengi, or common winter-cherry. This 
grows naturally in Spain and Italy. The 
flowers are produced from the wings, standing 
upon slender footstalks ; they are of a white 
colour, and have but one petal. They are 
succeeded by round berries about the size of 
small cherries, inclosed in an inflated blad- 
der, which turns red in autumn ; when the top 
opens and discloses the red berry, which is 
soft, pulpy, and filled with flat kidney-shaped 
seeds. The plant is easily propagated, either 
by seeds, or parting the roots ; and is very 
hardy. 
PIIYSETER, Cachalot, a genus of 
fishes of the order cete. The generic charac- 
ter is, teeth visible in the lower jaw only ; 
spiracle on the head or snout. 1 . Physeter 
macrocephalus, blunt-headed cachalot. This 
whale, which is one of the largest species, is 
scarcely inferior in size to the great mysticete, 
often measuring sixty feet or more in length. 
The head is of erwmuous size, constituting 
more than a third of the whole animal; the 
mouth wide; the upper lip rounded, thick or 
high, and much broader than the lower ; 
which is of a somewhat sharpish form, fitting, 
in a manner, into a longitudinal bed or 
groove in the upper. The teeth, at least the 
visible ones, as mentioned in the generic cha- 
racter, are situated only in the lower jaw ; and 
when the mouth is dosed, are received into 
so many corresponding holes or cavities in 
the upper: they are pretty numerous, rather 
blunt, and of a somewhat conic form, with a 
very slight bend or inclination inwards. There 
are also, according to Fabricius, small, curv- 
ed, flatfish, concave, and sharp-pointed 
teeth, lying almost horizontally along the 
upper jaw ; though, from their peculiar situa- 
tion and size, they are not visible like those 
of the lower ; being imbedded in the fleshy 
interstices of the holes which receive the 
THY 
lower teeth, and presenting only their internal 
concave surfaces to meet the latter when the 
mouth is closed. The front of the head U 
very abrupt, descending perpendicularly 
downwards ; and on its top, which has been 
improperly termed the neck by some authors, 
is an elevation or angular prominence con- 
taining the spiracle, winch appears externally 
simple, but is double within. The head is 
distinguished or separated from the body by 
a transverse furrow or wrinkle. The eyes 
are small and bla. k ; and the ears or auditory 
passages extremely small. About the mid- 
dle of the back is a kind of spurious fin, or 
dorsal tubercle, of a callous nature, not move- 
able, and somewhat abrupt or cut off be- 
hind. The tongue is of the shape of the 
lower jaw, clay-coioured externally, and of 
a dull red within. The throat is but small in 
proportion to the animal. The body is cy- 
lindrical beyond the pectoral tins, growing 
narrower towards the tail. The colom of 
the whole animal is black, but when advanced 
in age grows whitish beneath. It swims 
swiftly, and is said to he a violent enemy to 
the squalus carcharias, or white shark, which is 
sometimes driven ashore in its endeavours to 
escape, and according to Fabricius, will not 
venture to approach its enemy, even when 
dead, though fond of preying on other dead 
whales. This whale also*clevours the cyclop- 
terus lumpus, or lump-fish, and many others.' 
The Greenlanders use the flesh, skin, oil, 
tendons, &c. in the same manner as those of 
the narwhal. It is reckoned very difficult to 
take, being very tenacious of life,’ and surviv- 
ing for several’ days the wounds it receives 
from its pursuers. 
It is in a vast cavity within the upper part 
of the head of this whale, that the substance 
called spermaceti is found, which, while fresh 
and in its natural receptacle, is nearly fluid ; 
but when exposed to the air, concretes into 
opake masses: this substance being so uni- 
versally known, it becomes unnecessary to, 
describe it farther. 
A more curious and valuable production, 
the origin of which had long eluded the inves- 
tigation of naturalists, is obtained from this 
animal, v.z. the celebrated perfume called 
ambergris, which is found in large masses in 
the intestines, being in reality no other than 
the feces. 
2. Physeter catodon, small cachalot. This 
species is of far inferior size to the former, 
measuring about twenty-five feet in length* 
In its general structure, it is allied to the 
preceding, but has a smaller mouth in pror 
portion, and is without any visible protube- 
rance on the back. It is found in the north- 
ern seas. 
3. Physeter microps, small-eyed cacha- 
lot. This is of equal, and sometimes even 
superior size to the first-described species, and 
is a native of the northern seas. The head is 
very large, and nearly half the length of the 
body: the e)es extremely small, and the 
snout slightly obtuse: on the buck is a long 
and somewhat upright narrow and pointed 
fin. This species swims swiftly, and is said 
to be a great enemy to the porpoise, which it 
pursues and preys upon. Its colour is black- 
ish above, and whitish beneath. Some of 
the supposed varieties of this whale are said 
to grow to the length of eighty or a hundred 
feet. The teeth are of a more curved form 
than the rest of the genus. 
