693 



SCALD-FISH. 



SCARAB^EID^E. 



691 





Common Wintlc trap (Scalaria co;n>r.unu). 

 a, front ; t, back ; c, operculum ; <I, shell and animal. 



The number of fossil species of Scalaria is also about 100. They 

 ore found from the Coral Rag upwards. 

 SCALD-FISH. [PLECRONECTIDJ!.] ' 



SCALE MOSSES. ["JCNGERMANNIACE*.] 



SCALOPS. [SORECID.B.] 



SCALPELLUM. [CIRRIPEDIA.] 



SCAMMONY. [CONVOLVULUS.] 



SCANDIX, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 Umbellifera. It is known by the margin of its calyx being obsolete 

 or obscurely 5-toothed ; petals obovate, emarginate, and mostly 

 furnished with an indexed point ; fruit with a very long beak, sepa- 

 rable into two parts, each with 5 blunt equal ribs, the furrows without 

 vittas ; seed squarely convex, with a deep furrow in front. This genus 

 ia composed of annual herb?, with square rather striated stems, 

 bi-pinnate leaves, the leaflets divided into linear lobes. The umbels 

 have few rays. The involvcra are wanting or composed of one leaf. 



X. Pccten yenerit, the Common Shepherd's Needle, or Needle Chervil, 

 ia a native of Europe and the North of Africa, and is very plentiful in 

 the cultivated fields of Britain. It is known by its iuvolucels pos- 

 sessing jagged leaves, and its nearly smooth fruit with a bristly- 

 edged beak. It possesses slightly acrid and aromatic qualities, and 

 is supposed to be the S/cai-SiJ of Dioscorides, which was used as a 

 potherb by the Greeks. 



One of the species of this genus, & cerefollum, the Garden Chervil, 

 is now referred to the genus Anthriecu*. [ANTHHISCUS.] It was 

 formerly much cultivated in gardens. It is known by its twice-pinnate 

 leaves, with channelled footstalks, stem slightly hairy at the joint?, 

 umbels sessile, either axillary or opposite the leaves ; fruit somewhat 

 furrowed, not ribbed, smooth. It is a native of the South of 

 Europe. 



SCANSO'RES, Mr. Vigors' name for an order of Birds comprising 

 the families Ramphcutidte, Ptittacidtz, Picidas, Certhiada, and CuciUidce. 

 [RAMPHASTID.E ; PSITTACIDJS ; PICID* ; CERTHIAD.E ; CUCULID.E.] 



SCAPHIDURI'NjE. [STURNID*.] 



SCAPHITES. [CEPHALOPODA.] 



SCA'PHODUS, a genus of Fossil Fishes. [Fisn.] 



SCAPOLITE, a Mineral, also called Chelmtfordite, Parantkine, and 

 Wernerite. It occurs crystallised and massive. Its primary form is 

 a square prism. Cleavage parallel to the lateral faces and the 

 diagonal planes of the primary form. Fracture uneven, conchoidal. 

 Hardness, easily scratches fluor-spar and sometimes apatet. Colour 

 white, gray, green, reddish, violet. Lustre vitreous; translucent, 

 opaque. Specific gravity from 2'6!2 to 2724. AVheu strongly heated 

 by the blow-pipe it swells up and fuses into a brilliant white enamel. 

 ftcapolite occurs in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and North America. 



The analysis of the mineral from Pargas by Nordenskiold, gives 



Silica 43-83 



Alumina 35'43 



Lime . . 18'96 



Water . . . . 1'03 



99-25 



\ 



ffultalite, Meionile, Dipyre, Gehlenite, Somervillite, and Mettilite are 

 varieties. 



SCAPTEIRA, Fitzinger's name for a genus of Pristidactyle Cailodont 

 Saurians (Lacertian or Autosaur Lizards) of Dumeril and Bibron. 



SCARAB^EID^E, a very extensive group of Coleopterous Insects, 

 forming the chief part of the section Lamellicornes, The Scarabseides 

 of Latreillc were regarded by Linnoms as a genus, but this great 

 naturalist being acquainted with 87 species only, whilst the various 

 collections at the present time contain together about 3000, it is 

 natural that entomologists should have sought for characters among 

 the species of this immense group by which they might be divided 

 into sections ; hence we find in the works of Fabricius (Linnoeus's 

 pupil) the present group raised to the rank of a family, and subdivided 

 into several genera. These genera are however but few in number 

 compared with those instituted by modern entomologists, which 

 amount to nearly 200. 



The Scarabajides (or Scarabceida) are distinguished from the other 

 section of Latnellicorn Beetles (the Lucanida) chiefly by the structure 

 of their autenmc, which are proportionately shorter ; the basal joint 

 being of moderate size, that is, but little longer than those which 

 follow it [COLEOFTERA, vol. ii., col. 64, fig. 9] ; whereas, in the Luca- 

 nidw, the basal joint is usually very long, and often nearly as long 

 as all the other joints taken together [COLEOPTERA, fig. 13], the 

 latter forming in their natural position an angle with the first 

 joint. The club with which the antenna; -terminates also generally 

 differs considerably in form. In the KcarabtKidm it is most usually 

 composed of three leaf-like joints, but sometimes the number ia 

 increased to seven, as in the Common Cockchafer (Mclolontka vutgaris) ; 

 and these joints, when the insect is at rest, are closely applied together, 

 and form either an elongated or rounded knob, which is bent at an 

 angle with the basal joints. In those species which have the club 

 rounded the two outer joints are stouter than the others, and have 

 the external surface convex and the internal concave. In the Lucanidce 

 the terminal joints are produced in front at an angle with the axis, but 

 are less expanded, and generally more distinctly separated and shorter 

 than in the Scarabaidce. The more typical species of the Lucanidrs 

 moreover are remarkable for the great development of the mandibles 

 in the male sex. The Common Stag-Beetle (Lucanus Cervus) affords 

 a familiar example of this family. 



Latreille divides the 8carabaid<s into six sections, to which ho 

 applies the following names : Coprophayi, Arcnicoli, Xilophili, 

 PltyllopJiagi, Ant/tobii, and MelitophUi. 



The Coprophagi have the antenna; generally composed of eight or 

 nine joints, the three last of which form the club ; the labrurn and 

 the mandibles are membranous and hidden, and the lobe with which 

 the maxilla; are terminated is also of the same texture ; it is broad 

 and curved inwards. The terminal joint of the maxillary palpi is 

 always the largest, and either approaches to an oval form, or is nearly 

 cylindrical ; but the terminal joint of the labial palpi is almost always 

 more slender than the preceding joints, and often very small. Behind 

 the last-mentioned palpi is a small membranous protuberance. The 

 mentum is emarginated, and the claws of the tarsi ars always simple. 



To this group belong the Dung-Feeding Xcarabcei, and these arc 

 for the most part of a black colour, or black and brown. Some few 

 species however are adorned with brilliant metallic colours. They 

 are usually of a short and broad form ; in some the body is somnwuat 

 depressed, and approaches to a square form ; the head is large, broad, 

 and flattish, and has numerous notches in front; the fore legs are 

 very broad and deeply notched on the outer side, and are moreover 

 remarkable for the want of tarsi to the anterior pair of legs, and the 

 absence of a scutellum. To this section belongs the Sacred Beetle of 

 the Egyptians, the f<carabaiw sacer of Linnams. It is about one inch 

 long, ..r rather more, and of a black colour. This species is not only 

 found in Egypt, but is met with in the south of France, Spain, and 

 Italy, and, as well as other species of the group to which it belongs, 

 incloses its eggs in a ball of excrement, which it forms by rolling the 

 substance by means of its hind legs. The size of the ball, when com- 

 pleted, is much larger than that of the insect, being sometimes as 

 much as one inch and a half in diameter. 



In other species of the Coprophayi the body is convex, and although 

 short, slightly inclining to a cylindrical form. A great portion of 

 these have the heacl armed with an erect horn in the male sex, and 

 the fore part of the thorax truncated or slightly concave, elevated in 

 the middle, and not unfrequently produced at the sides into short 

 stout pointed horns, as in the genus Cojiris. In a closely-allied genus 

 (Phanaus), the species are usually adorned with brilliant colours. 

 These insects have often a very long horn on the head, or this is some- 

 times replaced by two short horns; the thorax has a concavity in 

 front, and usually has an angular protuberance on each side of the 

 disc. These insects are usually of moderate size, and sometimes large, 

 but there are two extensive groups of Coprophayi the species of which 

 are small ; they constitute the genera Onthopliayus and Aphodiut. 

 In the former the body is short and subdepressed ; the thorax is nearly 

 as large as the elytra, and has a concavity in front, and a protuberance 

 in the middle of the posterior boundary of this cavity; the head is 

 usually armed with a small horn, which is directed backwards and 

 upwards. In the Aphodii the body approaches to a cylindrical form 

 and the head and thorax are destitute of horns. 



