PAL 
history, a genus of birds of the order 
Grails. Generic character: bill conic, the 
upper mandible hooked ; nostrils oval ; toes 
divided nearly to their origin with a small, 
membrane between the bottoms of each. 
There are two species. The horned screamer 
is abotit as large as a common turkey, and 
has on the crown of its head a slight horn, 
rising perpendicularly about three inches in 
length. It feeds on herbs and seeds, and, 
some add, on reptiles. It is found in Guiana, 
and other neighbouring territories of South 
America, principally in the low and marshy 
grounds. These birds are neveh observed 
but in pairs, and so faithful, tender, and 
constant is their attaciimcnt, that the death 
of one is generally attended with a degree 
of distress and grief which destroys the 
other. They are eaten by the natives while 
young; but their flesh is very darkly co- 
loured, though not ill tasted. The, crested 
screamer inhabits Brazil, and is about as 
large as a heron, and feeds on the same sub- 
stances as that bird. It is esteemed good 
for the table. 
PALATE, in anatomy, the flesh that 
composes the roof, or the upper and inner 
part of the mouth. See Anatomy. 
PAL'AVIA, in botany, so named in ho- 
hour of Don Antonio Palau, an eminent 
botanist, a genus of the Monadelphia Poly- 
andria class and Ol der. Natural order of 
Coliimniferae. Malvaceae, Jussieu. E.ssential 
character; calyxhalf, five-cleft; style many- 
cleft ; capsule many-celled ; cells in a ball 
on the raised central receptacle. There 
are two species; viz. P. malvifolia, and P. 
Tiioschata: these are both annuals, and 
natives of Linia in Pern, where they were 
discovered by Dombey. 
PALE, a Utile pointed stake or piece of 
wood, used in making inclosures, separa- 
tions, &c. The pale was an instrument of 
punishment, and execution, among the an- 
cient Romans, and still continues so among 
the Turks. Hence, empaling, the passing 
a sharp pale up the fundament through the 
body. 
Pai.e, in heraldry, one of the honourable 
ordinaries of an escutcheon ; being the re- 
presentation of a pale or stake placed up- 
tight, and comprehending the whole height 
of the coat from the top of the chief to the 
point. When the pale is single, it is to 
contain one-tliird of the breadth of the 
shield. When there are several, more pro- 
perly called pallets, they are proportioned 
so as that two take up two-fifths of the 
shield, and three take up three-sevenths; 
PAL 
and in those cases the number of pieces are 
specified, as M'ell as that of those they are 
charged witljal, &c. Pales are borne va- 
rious ways, as wavy, indented, ingiailed, 
inverted, &c. There are also cometed ami 
flaming pales, which are pointed, sometimes 
waved, &c. 
PALISADE, or Palisado, in fortifica- 
tion, an inclosnre of stakes or piles driven 
into the ground, each six or seven inches 
square, and eiglit feet long, three whereof 
are hidden under ground. Palisadoes are ge- 
nerally Used to fortify the avenues of open 
forts, gorges, half-moons, the bottoms of 
ditches, the parapets of covert ways, and in 
general all posts liable to surprize, and to 
which the access is easy. Palisadoes are 
usually planted perpendicularly, though 
some make an angle inclining towards the 
ground next the enemy, that the ropes east 
ovei’ to tear them up may slip. 
Pai.isade, in gardening, denotes a sort of 
ornament ; being a row of trees which bear 
branches and leaves from the bottom, cut 
and spread in maimer of a wall along the 
side of an alley, or the like, so as to appear 
like a wall covered with leaves. 
PALISSE, in heraldry, a bearing like a 
range of palisades before a fortification, re- 
presented on a fesse, rising up a consider- 
able height, and pointed a-top, with the 
field appearing between them. 
PALLADIUM, in chemistry, a metal 
discovered by Dr. Wollaston in the native 
platina ; it is of a greyish colour, and, when 
polished, of considerable lustre : it is very 
ductile and very malleable ; so that by the 
flatting mill it can be reduced into thin 
slips, which are flexible, but not very elas- 
tic. Its fracture is fibrous, and in diverging 
striae, shewing a kind of cryslaline arrange- 
ment. In hardness it is superior to wrought 
iron. Its specific gravity varies according 
to its perfect fusion, and, as it is more or 
less porous, from hammering or flatting, 
from 10.9 to 11.8. It is a less perfect con- 
ductor of caloric tlian the other metals, and 
is also less expansible. When exposed to a 
strong heat, its surface tarnishes a little, 
and becomes blue, but, by increasing the 
heat, it again becomes bright By a very 
great heat it is fused. It is not oxided by 
heat; its oxides formed by the action of 
acids are reduced by means of a high tem- 
perature. It is acted upon by a number of 
the acids ; and the solutions formed by 
them may be decomposed by the alkalies 
and earths ; precipitates being thrown down, 
which are generally of a beautiful orange 
