Pint

3740

Pipe.

composed innumerable pianoforte pieces.

Pint. See Weights and Measures.

Pintail or Sprig tail Duck, or Sea-pheas-
ant (Dafila acuta), a duck readily recognized
by the elongation of the central tail feathers
in the male. It is a frequent winter visitor to
all parts of the United States, and breeds on
inland waters Jrorn Maine and the Great
Lakes northward.

Pintle, a vertical projecting pin like that
often placed at the top: of crane posts, and
over which the holding rings at the tops of
the wooden guys fit; also a pin such as is
used for the hinges of rudders or of window
shutters to turn round on.

Pinto, Fernao Mendez (c. 1510-83), Por-
tuguese traveler, born at Montemor, near
Coimbra; sailed for India (15,57), and as
captain-general of Malacca did marvellous
deeds in the East Indies, China, Japan,
and Siam. He returned to Portugal in 1558,
and wrote his Voyages and Adventures.

Pinturicchio, Bernardino (1454-1513),
the name commonly applied to Bernado di
Betto, Italian artist, born at Perugia. His
chief work is a series of frescoes representing
the History oj Pope Pins II., for the library
at Siena. He was also engaged to paint a
Nativity for the monastery of St. Francis
at Siena.

Pinzon, Martin Alonso (c. 1441-93),
Spanish navigator and explorer, born at
Palos, Spain. Pinzon and his brother took an
active part in equipping Columbus's three
caravels—the Pinta, the Nina, and the Santa
Maria. On Columbus's first voyage Martin
Pinzon commanded the Pinta.

Pinzon, Vicente Yanez (c. I46o-c. 1324),
Spanish navigator and explorer, brother of
Martin Pinzon, born at Palos. During Colum-
bus's first voyage of discovery (1492-3) he
commanded the Nina. About 1500 Pinzon,
in association with Juan Diaz de Solis and
accompanied by Amerigo Vespucius, made
an important voyage, during which he visited
the coast of Honduras and parts of the coasts
of Mexico and Florida and circumnavigated
Cuba. In another voyage he discovered the
mouth of the Amazon river.

Piombino, formerly an independent princi-
ipality, with an area of 138 sq. m.; now part
of the Italian province of Pisa. Napoleon i,
bestowed it on his sister EHsa, wife of Prince
Bacciocchi, in 1805, She retained it for ten
years, when it was joined to Tuscany,

Pioneers, the first explorers of a country.
In a military movement, pioneers are those

who clear a passage through woods or other
obstructions.

Piolrkow, or Petrokov. It is one of Po-
land's oldest towns, and numerous thriving
industries are carried on; p.41,113.

Piozzi, Hester Lynch (1741-1821), Welsh
author, better known as Mrs. Thrale, the
friend of Dr. Johnson, who for eighteen
years from 1764 visited at the Thrale's house
at Streatham. On Thrale's death (1781) his
widow married Piozzi (1784), who died in
1809. Her Anecdotes give a lively descrip-
tion of Dr. Johnson.

Pipe, an artificial channel for the convey-
ance of watery fluids, aeriform fluids, or
sound. For the purpose of removing rain
water from buildings, galvanized iron, tin,
zinc, copper and lead pipes arc used.

Pipeclay, a variety of fine white plastic
clay, used in the manufacture of tobacco
pipes and certain classes of pottery. It re-
sembles kaolin, but contains a large per-
centage of silica. Pipeclay is found in the
west of England.

Pipefish, a small marine fish belonging to
the same family (Syngnathidae) as the sea-
horse (See HIPPOCAMPUS), from which it
differs in having a non-prehensile tail fur-
nished with a caudal fin. The body is 6 to
ro inches long and slender. Like the .sea-
horses, it is a littoral form.

Pipelines arc used to convey crude oil or
natural gas from sources of supply to centers
of distribution. The main fountain heads of
the great oil-pipe network of the U. S. are in
or near the oil-producing States of Tex., La.,
Okla. and Pa. In World War II a comprehen-
sive pipeline program was undertaken. A new
24-in. pipeline from E. Texas to Norris City,
111. was completed in 1943.

Piperaceee, a natural order of herbs and
shrubs of wide geographical distribution.
They bear small flowers, usually without per-
ianth, followed by small capsular or baccate
fruit. Pepper and betel are among the pro-
duct of members of this order.

Piperidine, CcHuN, a secondary amine
occurring in combination with pipcric acid in
pepper.

Pipes, Tobacco. The earliest pipes, made
of day and known as 'elfins,' were very
similar to those of the present time only
much smaller. Modern clay pipes are formed
of pipeclay. The *briar-root' is a popular
form. The earliest forms of pipes were those
of the North American Indians. The best
known was the calumet, or pipe of peace,