THE sixteenth letter of the English alphabet, was in Hebrew called Pe, i.e., mouth, most probably from its original form. P is the thin letter of the labial series (p, b, v), and is interchangeable with the other letters of the series. P, in Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin, is replaced 'by/ in the Teutonic tongues. See F. Words beginning with p in English, and its kindred Teutonic tongues, are almost all of foreign origin (Slavic, Celtic, Latin), as pain (Fr. peine, Lat. pe•no), plough (Pol. plug), pit (Lat. pukes, a well). The Greek prep. Apo (Sans. apa) became in Lat. ab ; Gr. burn, Lat. sub; Sans. upa. Lat. oh; but before sharp letters, as t and s, the original p was retained in pronunciation, as is shown by inscriptions (apstulit, There arc remarkable interchanges of p with the sharp guttural k or q. Thus, for Lit. gm's, (plod, quoin, the Oman dialect had pis, pod, pam; Lat. equus, C0q710. corresponded to Gr. hippos (jEol. lakkos), repo; similarly, Gaelic mac (son), cent/lair (Lat. quatuor. four), coig (Lit. quinque, five), correspond to Welsh snap, pedwar (Gr. pettora), pump (Gr. pente or pempe). In Gr. p is sometimes replaced by t, as tis, tegRa•eg, for pis, pettores. in such words as redemption, consumption, p has been introduced as an intermediary between the incompatible sounds m and t. The initial p of Latin words has for the most part passed into French unaltered; in other positions, p has become v; thus, Fr. l!r(lque, davit, deeeroir, pan rre, from Lat. episeopus„ deeipere, pauper.
PA'CA, £beiogenys, a genus of rodent quadrupeds, allied to the agoutis, envies, and capybara, and inhabiting Brazil, Guiana, and some of the West India islands. The
dentition very nearly resembles that of the agoutis. The cheek-bones are prodigiously developed, in :1 way of which no example exists in any other mammalian animal, so that the zygomatie arches inclose a large hollow space, whilst the bone also-descends to an unusual depth from the arch, even below the lower jaw-bone. Within this structure, which gives an extraordinary breadth and peculiar aspect to the face, is a sac in each cheek. opening in front, and lined with a fold of the skin of the face. The whole of this seem: to be intended to preserve the true cheek-pouches from external shocks. The eheek-pouches open from the initial' in the usual way, and are capable of very great distention. The lip is cloven; the ears are small; the eyes are large and full; the neck is short; the tail is a mere tubercle; the feet have each live toes; the legs are thick; the back is rounded. The form and gait arc clumsy, yet the pica (C. paw) is very quick and active. It lives in moist grounds, burrowing like the rabbit, hut not so deeply• its bur row, however, is always provided with three openings. It feeds on vegetable sulmances, and often does great demage to plantations of sugar-cane. It is one of the largest rodents, being about two ft. long. it is generally of a dark brown color. with four rows of white spots along the sides, the throat and belly white. A lighter-colored species has been described, but is perhaps a mere variety. 'rife flesh of the plea is much esteemed, and is very fat.