to thfe bar engross a great share of business. 
Their habits bring them closely Connected 
with attornies. 
PLEASURE and Pain, says Mr. Locke, 
are simple ideas, which we receive both 
from sensation and reflection ; there being 
thoughts of the mind, as well as sensations, 
accompanied with plffasnre or pain. 
PLECTRANTHUS, in botany, a genus 
of the Didynamia Gymnospermia class and 
order. Natural order of Verticillatae. La- 
biat®, Jussieu. Essential character: calyx 
upper segment larger ; corolla resupine, 
gibbous or spurred at the base filaments 
simple. There are five species, natives of 
Africa and Arabia Felix. 
PLECTRONIA, in botany, a genus of 
the Pentandria Monogynia class and order. 
Naturaf order of Contort®. Rhamni, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character : petals five, in- 
serted into the throat of the calyx ; berry 
two-seeded, inferior. There is but one 
species, viz. P. ventosa, a native of the 
Cape of Good Hope. 
PLEIADES, in astronomy, an assemblage 
of seven stars in the neck of the constella- 
tion Taurus, the bull 5 although there are 
now only six of them visible to the naked 
eye. The largest is of the third magnitude, 
called “ lucido pleiadnm.” 
PLENUM, in physics, denotes, accord- 
ing to the Cartesians, that state of things 
wherein every part of space is supposed 
to be full of matter ; in opposition to a 
vacuum. 
PLENUS flos, in botany, a full flower ; 
a terra expressive of the highest degree of 
luxuriance in flowers. The petals in full 
flowers are so multiplied as to exclude all 
the stamina, and frequently to choak up the 
female organ, so that such flowers, though 
delightful to the eye, are vegetable mon- 
sters. Flowers with more than one petal 
are most liable to this ; such are the ranun- 
culus, anemony, poppy, myrtle, &c. &b. 
Flowers with one petal only are but seldom 
subject to this fulness ? these, however, are 
not totally exempt, as may be seen in the 
double polyanthus, hyacinth, crocus, &c. 
In flowers with one petal, the mode of 
luxuriance, or impletion, is by a multipli- 
cation of the divisions of the limb, or up- 
per part. In flowers with more than one 
petal by a multiplication of the petals or 
iiectariura. 
PLEURISY, in medicine, a violent pain 
in the side, attended with an acute fever, a 
cough, and a difficulty of breathing. 
PLEURONECTES, tlm flounder, in na- 
VOL. V. 
tural history, a genus of fishes of the order 
I’horacici. Generic character: the eyes 
spherical, and both on the same side of 
the head ; mouth arched ; body compressed, 
one side representing the back, and the 
other the abdomen. In this genus are com- 
prehended all that are commonly denomi- 
nated flat fish. They swim obliquely, and 
are observed generally at the bottom of 
the water, being destitute of the air blad- 
der. They often ingulph themselves in 
sands as far as the head, and thus elude the 
attacks of many enemies. Tlie eyes of 
some of this genus are towards the right 
when the fish presents its abdomen to the 
spectator, and those of others towards the 
left. This difference constitutes the prin- 
cipal division of this genus. 
P. hippoglossus, or the holibut, is one of 
the largest of fishes, being sometimes found 
of four hundred pounds weight. It sub- 
sists on smaller fishes, and on various kinds 
of crabs and shell fish. It is considered as 
rather coarse for the fable when particu- 
larly large, and the paft nearest the fins is 
thought by far prefesable to any other. It 
is found in the European and North Ame- 
rican seas. 
The P. platessa, or plaise, is distinguish- 
able from the other species, by being marked 
on the body and fins by numerous orange 
coloured spots. This fish inhabits the same 
seas as the former, and is sometimes taken 
of the weight of fifteen pounds, though one 
of eight is considered in this island as very 
large. The best of tliese fishes abound on 
the Sussex coast. They are in consider- 
able estimation, and are thought preferable 
when of a moderate size. They subsist on 
the same food as the former. 
The P. limanda, or dab, inhabits the same 
seas, but is far less common; It is much 
smaller than the last, but thought far more 
delicate for the table. It is in the greatest 
perfection in the spring months. 
P. flesus, or the flounder, is formed 
much like the plaise, but is smaller, and 
destitute of the orange spots; it inhabits 
the same seas, and abounds on the British 
coasts, and frequently ascends the rivers 
to a considerable height. 
P. solea, or the sole, is found in the Eu- 
ropean and American seas, and is some- 
times two feet long, and eight pounds in 
weight; but in general very considerably 
smaller. Its scales may be distinguished 
by the microscope for their peculiar ele- 
gance of structure. Soles are fond of ly. 
ing at the bottom of the waters which they 
D d 
