Search the Dictionary

all medicated bougie. Pencil case, a holder for pencil lead. -- Pencil flower (Bot.), an American perennial leguminous herb (Stylosanthes elatior). -- Pencil lead, a slender rod of black lead, or the like, adapted for insertion in a holder.

An aromatic herb (Mentha Pulegium) of Europe; also, a North American plant (Hedeoma pulegioides) resembling it in flavor. Bastard pennyroyal (Bot.) See Blue curls, under Blue.

A day laborer; a servant; especially, in some of the Spanish American countries, debtor held by his creditor in a form of qualified servitude, to work out a debt.

A North American tree (Nyssa multiflora) with very tough wood, handsome oval polished leaves, and very acid berries, -- the sour gum, or common tupelo. See Tupelo. [Written also piperidge and pipperidge.] Pepperidge bush (Bot.), the barberry.

f the genus Perca and of several other allied genera of the family Percidæ, as the common American or yellow perch (Perca flavescens, or Americana), and the European perch (P. fluviatilis).

a), in Europe extensively used as food, has recently become naturalized abundantly on the American coast. See Littorina.

An American tree (Diospyros Virginiana) and its fruit, found from New York southward. The fruit is like a plum in appearance, but is very harsh and astringent until it has been exposed to frost, when it becomes palatable and nutritious. Japanese persimmon, Diospyros Kaki and its red or yellow edible fruit, which outwar…

A common American tyrant flycatcher (Sayornis phoebe, or S. fuscus). Called also pewit, and phoebe.

A handsome American butterfly (Euphydryas, or Melitæa, Phaëton). The upper side of the wings is black, with orange-red spots and marginal crescents, and several rows of cream-colored spots; -- called also Baltimore.

A South American opossum (Didelphys philander).

A genus of American herbs, having showy red, white, or purple flowers. Phlox worm (Zoöl.), the larva of an American moth (Heliothis phloxiphaga). It is destructive to phloxes. -- Phlox subulata, the moss pink. See under Moss.

A South American butterfly (Ithonia phono) having nearly transparent wings.

A physician. [R.] Shak. Physic nut (Bot.), a small tropical American euphorbiaceous tree (Jatropha Curcas), and its seeds, which are well flavored, but contain a drastic oil which renders them dangerous if eaten in large quantities.

A genus of South American palm trees, the seeds of which furnish the substance called vegetable ivory.

so. The Spanish piaster (commonly called peso, or peso duro) is of about the value of the American dollar. The Italian piaster, or scudo, was worth from 80 to 100 cents. The Turkish and Egyptian piasters are now worth about four and a half cents.

genus of coniferous trees of the northen hemisphere, including the Norway spruce and the American black and white spruces. These trees have pendent cones, which do not readily fall to pieces, in this and other respects differing from the firs.

A small, burrowing, South American edentate (Chlamyphorus truncatus), allied to the armadillos. The shell is attached only along the back. [Written also pichyciego.]

A genus of woodpeckers, including some of the common American and European species.

seeds are eagerly eaten by pigeons and other birds. -- Pigeon hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) A small American falcon (Falco columbarius). The adult male is dark slate-blue above, streaked with black on the back; beneath, whitish or buff, streaked with brown. The tail is banded. (b) The American sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter velox…

crest covering the pileus, or whole top of the head. Pileated woodpecker (Zoöl.), a large American woodpecker (Ceophloeus pileatus). It is black, with a bright red pointed crest. Called also logcock, and woodcock.