626 OHIO BIRDS. 
Palearctic. Indigenous to the northern parts of the Kastern Hemisphere. 
Paleogean. Indigenous to tle Hastern Hemisphere, or ‘‘ Old World.” 
Palatal, Palatine. Pertaining to the palate; palatine is said especially of certain bones. 
Palate. Roof of mouth. 
Palmate, Palmated, Palmiped. Web-footed; having ths anterior toes full-webbed. 
Palpebral. Pertaining to the eyelids. 
Papilla. Smaill fleshy, nipple-like prominences. 
Papillate, Papiilose. Having papilla. 
Paragnathous. Having both mandibles of equal length, their tips meeting. 
Parasitic. HUabitually makiog use of other birds’ nests. 
Parotid. Pertaining to the ear. Especially a salivary gland situated near the ear. 
Passeres. A group of birds including sparrows and ali the higher birds. 
Pectinate. Having tooth-like projections like those of a comb. 
Pectoral. Pertaining to the breast. 
Perforate. Pierced through (especially of the nostrils when without a septum). 
Pervious. Open. Used synonymous with perforate in respect of the nostrils, but better 
restricted to the opposite of impervious or closed (as to an external opening), 
Phalanx, pl. phalanges. Commonly any bone of a finger or toe. 
Pinnated. Having little wing-like tufts of feathers on the neck. 
Polygamous. Mating with more than one female, like the domestic cock. 
Postorbital. Situate behind the eye. 
Powder-down Feathers. Peculiar imperfect feathers, in a matted patch, which grow con- 
tinually, and as constantly break down, with a scurfy exfoliation, and pervaded with 
a greasy substance; they are especially conspicuous in the heron tribe but are found 
elsewhere. 
Prececes. An obsolete group of birds, able to run about and feed themselves at birth. 
Primary, pl. primaries. Any one of the (usually ten, often nine, rarely eleven) large stiff 
quills growing upon the pinion or hand-bone, as distinguished from the secondaries 
which grow upon the forearm. They form the tip of the wing and much of its 
suriace. i 
Protractile, Protrusile. Susceptible of being thrust forward or out, as the tongue of most 
woodpeckers. 
Psilopedes. A group of psilopexdic birds, distinguished by being born weak and helpless, 
fed and reared in the nest. 
Psilopedic. Having down growing only from the future ptery]e, as the precursor of the 
future plumage, to which it is subsequently affixed for a while and then falls off. 
Pterylosis. Plumage, considered with reference to its distribution on the skin. 
Piilopedic. Clothed at birth with floccus. 
Punctate. Dotted; pitted; studded with points. 
Pygopodes. A group of birds distinguished by the far backward position, and deep 
burial, in common integument, of the legs. 
R 
Recurved. Bent regularly and gradually upward. 
Reflected. Turned backwards. 
Reflection. Play of color changing in different lights. 
Remiges. Quills of the wing. 
