The English word palmer-irorm is provincially used for the hairy muff-like caterpillar of the great tiger- moth {Arctia caja). This is a very indiscriminate and voracious feeder, but we never heard of its attacking cultivated plants in such numbers as to produce the slightest alarm. Indeed, we much doubt whether any
Pahner-worm Moth {Plusia oavima), with its Caterpillar.
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single species would devour indiscriminately plants with qualities so different as the olive, the tig, the vine, and the fruits of an Oriental "garden." There are other varieties of the larger moths, however, which are verv destructive to vegetables, especially that very common one in the latter part of summer, called the fjamma moth {Plusia fjumimi), easily recognised by its bearing on each wing a Greek y, in silver on a dark brown. Perhaps, therefore, we need not look for any precise species, as represented by the gazdm ; but may understand the word to bear a sense as wide and gen- eral as its Greek or English equivalent ; and to include several species of caterpillars, all having this in com- mon, a greedy devouring of cultivated produce, and a preternatural multiplication of their numbers. — Smith ; Fairbairn. See Locust,
Palmieri, Giuseppe, an Italian painter, was born in 1G74. He studied at Florence, but it is not known under whom. Orlandi extols liim as one of the first painters of his age. Lanzi thinks Orlandi too extrav- agant in his praise. He adds, however, that in the human figure Palmieri is a painter of spirit, and has a magical and beautiful style of color, very harmonious and pleasing when the shades do not predominate. In Palmieri's Resurrection, in the church of St. Domenico at Genoa, and in other works of his carefullj' painted, judges of the art find little to reprove. He died in 17iO. See Spooner, Biur/. Hist, of the Fine A rts, ii, 647.
Palmistry or Chiromancy is a species of divina- tion by interpreting the lines in the palm of the human hand ; often practiced bj' travelling fortune-tellers, es- pecially Gypsies (q. v.). It has even been thought by some to be alluded to in Job xxxvii, 7 (see Walter, Nam eo chiromantea probari queat, Rint. 1729). See Divination.
Palm - Sunday (Lat. Dominica Palmarum, or Dom. in Pcdmis) is the name usually given to the last Sunday of Lent, after the custom of blessing branches of the palm-tree, or of other trees substituted in those countries in which palm cannot be procured, and of carrying the blessed branches in procession, in com- memoration of Christ's triumphal entrv into Jerusalem (John xii, 12 -IG; Matt, xii, 1-11; Mark xi, 1-11). Palms and the branches of palms were used in this important historic entry because they were then re- garded as an emblem of victory, and the carrying and waving of its branches was emblematic of success and in honor of royalty. At the time of this triumphal entry a psalm of rejoicing was chanted by the thou- sands who recognised the royalty of Christ. No sooner did he enter the city than he proceeded to the Temple, and wrought several miracles for the relief of both maimed and blind who came to him. These things were done Tin the day when the lamb was separated and devoted for the Paschal service, and other prepara- tions were made for the Passover.
The date of the first observance of Palm-Sunday b}' the Church is uncertain. The name is as old as the time of Amalarius. In the Greek Church Palm-Sun- day was apparently observed as early as the 4th cen- tury. The writings of the Greek fathers contain al- lusions to the celebration of this daj'. In the Western Church there are no signs of the observance of it during the first six centuries. The tirst writer in the AVest who expressly refers to it is St. Ambrose ; but accord- ing to Venerable Bede the usage certainly existed in the 7th century. A special service is found in the Roman missal, and also in the Greek euchologies, for the blessing of "branches of palms and olives;" but in many countries other trees, as in England the yew or the willow, and in Brittany the box, are blessed in- stead. A procession is formed, the members of which issue from the church carrying branches in their hands, and singing a hymn, suited to the occasion, of very ancient origin. In the Greek Church the book of the Gospels is borne in front. In some of the Catholic