Pochard

3766

Poe

whom she went to England in 1616. She
left one son, and a branch of the Randolphs
and several other Virginia families claim de-
scent from her.

Pochard (Nyrocu jcrina), a European duck
belonging to the same genus as the American
Canvasback and Redhead Ducks, and Jike
those species, much prized for the table.

Pocket Mice, Pocket Gophers, are
names given to various burrowing rodents of
the interior plains and prairies of Nortli
America. They are provided with pocket-
like cavities in the cheeks external to the
mouth, where they stow quantities of food,
which is then carried to some place of con-
cealment, emptied out, and eaten at leisure.

Pocono Mountain, a ridge in Monroe and
Carbon counties, Pennsylvania; 2,000 feet.

Pod, the capsule or seed vessel of any dry
and several-seeded dehiscent fruit, especially
the legumes.

Podagra signifies gout in the foot.

Podargidae, a family of birds nearly allied
to the true Goatsuckers or Nightjars. They
are at home in New Guinea and Australia,
are arboreal and nocturnal in their habits,
and feed on large insects, which are mostly
caught about trees.

Podiebrad, George Boczko of (1420-
71), Bohemian king, was born of a noble
family at Podiebrad, and became an adher-
ent of the moderate party of the Hussites.
He was made regent (1451) during the
minority of Ladislas and on the death of
Ladislas was chosen his successor, and was
crowned early in 1458. Paul ir., promulgated
against him the ban of excommunication and
deposition in 1466, and Matthias Corvinus of
Hungary took the field to enforce it. The
hostilities which ensued were brought to an
end by Podiebrad's death.

Podocarpus, a large genus of evergreen
trees of the pine family (Conifera), chiefly
natives of tropical countries, with succulent
leaves and fruit.

Podophthalmata, a term sometimes used
for a division of Crustacea in place of
Thoracostraca. See CRUSTACEA,

Podophyllum, a genus of hardy herba-
ceous perennial plants belonging to the order
Berberidaceac. P. pellatum is a perennial
plant, common in North America, growing
in moist woods and on the shady banks of
streams, and is known as May Apple, also
Hog Apple> Wild Lemon, and Mandrake.
The root is used in medicine. The leaves
,ire drastic and poisonous.

Poe, Edgar Allan (1809-49), American

poet, romancer, and critic, one of the most
picturesque characters in American literature,
was born in Boston, Mass., on J:m. IQ, 1809.
Orphaned at Richmond in his third year,
Edgar was adopted by John Allan, a wealthy
and childless merchant of Richmond, Va.,
who educated him as his own son. Early in
7827 Poe parted from Mr. Allan and went
to Boston. Here he published his first vol-
ume, Tamerlane and Other Poems, by a Bos-
tonian, a pamphli'l of 40 pages. His second
volume, Al Aaraaj, Tamerlane, and Minor
Poems, appeared under his name at Balti-
more, 1829, 71 pages.

Edgar Allan Poe.

During his stay in Baltimore Poe had
lived with his aunU Mrs. Clcmm, whose
young daughter, Virginia, he married on May
16, 1836. Her sweet and gentle nature was
the one controlling power over Poo's restless
spirit, and he loved her devotedly. He es-
tablished himself in Philadelphia in the sum-
mer of 18^8. For a year (1841-2) he edited
Graliam's Magazine, then in ihe forefront of
American literature. His wife's dangerous
illness, caused by the rupture of a blood ves-
sel while singing, disheartened him, and
weakened his always slight power of self-
direction. A second prize of $100, won in
1843 by his wonderful story The Cold Bug,
saved the little household from starvation
or near it. In April, 1844, Poe removed to
New York, and from October to March fol-
lowing assisted Willis on The Evening Mir~
ror. Here The Raven appeared (Jan, 39,
1845), and won immediate fame. In 1845
he published a volume of Tales, and The
Raven and Other Poems, In the spring of
1846 he occupied the cottage at Fordham
(now a part of New York City) which is