Percussion Cap

See Explosives, vol. vii., p. 39.

Perdido

Perdido, a small river and bay, which form the W. boundary of Florida, separating Escambia co. in that state from Baldwin co. in Alabama. Perdido bay is more properly a lake, into which the river expands near its mouth. It is landlocked, and its outlet into the gulf of Mexico is so small, and enters at so acute an angle with the line of coast, as to be almost undistinguishable from the sea, whence the river probably derived its Spanish name Perdido, or " lost." There are generally but 4 or 5 ft. of water on the bar at its mouth. The Perdido was the boundary between the French and Spanish colonies of Louisiana.and Florida.

Pere Duchesne

See Hebert, Jacques Rene.

Pere Hyacinthe

See Loyson, Charles.

Peregrine Falcon

See Falcon.

Peregrine White

Peregrine White, the first child born in New England of English parents, born on board the Mayflower, in the harbor of Cape Cod. about Dec. 10 (O. S.), 1620, died in Marshfield, July 20, 1704. He was the son of William and Susannah White, and received on account of his birth 200 acres of land from the general court. He filled various civil and military offices.

Pereira De Soiza

See Caldas Pereira De Souza.

Peri

See Fairies.

Pericarditis

See Heart, Diseases of the, vol. viii., p. 560.

Perigee

Perigee (Gr. , about, and earth), the opposite of apogee, and, as commonly understood, that point of the orbit of the moon where she is nearest the earth. The term is also sometimes used to denote that point of the orbit of the earth where it is nearest the sun; the sun is then said to be in perigee. It is also used in old treatises on astronomy to signify the least distance of a planetary body from the earth.

Perigord

Perigord, an ancient division of S. "W". France, in Guienne, mainly included in the modern department of Dordogne. It was divided into Upper and Lower Perigord, of which Perigueux and Sarlat were the capitals. It became a county in the 8th century, and was united to the crown by Henry IV.

Perigueux

Perigueux (anc. Vesunna), a town of France, capital of the department of Dordogne, and formerly of the county of Perigord, on the right bank of the Isle, which is here crossed by a magnificent bridge, 67 m. E. N". E. of Bordeaux; pop. in 1872, 21,864. It is composed of the old town and Le Puy St. Front, which until 1240 was a separate town. It is the seat of a bishop, of a civil and commercial tribunal, and of a society of agriculture and fine arts. It has four churches, four religious communities of men and six of women, a primary normal school, a communal college, a museum for antiquities and mineralogy, and a library of about 16,000 volumes. There are manufactures of cutlery and nails, woollens, and leather, and a brisk trade in wood, iron, paper, and liqueurs. - The ancient Vesunna was originally the capital of the Gallic tribe of Petrocorii, from which the modern name is derived. There are numerous and remarkable Roman remains.