705 



SCINCOID^E. 



SCIURIDJE. 



706 



The south of France, Italy, all the islands of the Mediterranean, 

 Spain, and all the Mediterranean shore of Africa, claim this species as 

 a resident. It is viviparous, and lives upon worms, small terrestrial 

 molluscs, spiders, and, in short, all kinds of insects. 



Acontias, Cuvier. 



A. meleayris. It is a Dative of South Africa ; very common near 

 the Cape of Good Hope. [MELEAGBIS ; BLIKDWOKM ; SEPSIDJ:.] 



b 



Head of Aconltas. 



a, seen from above ; l>, profile ; r, the eame view, with the mouth open to 

 thow the tongue. 



SCIXCOID.E, SCINCOIDEA, SCINCOIDE.E, SCINCOIDIANS. 



SCINK, or SKINK. [ScrHciD.E.] 



SCIRPUS, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order Cypera- 

 eea and the tribe Scirpea. It has fertile nearly equal glumes ; the 

 lower ones are perhaps the largest, and one or two of them empty. 

 The bristles are either absent, or about 6 in number. The nut is 

 plano-convex, or trigonous, tipped with the filiform not dilated baso 

 of the style. 



S. marilimuf has stalked or sessile spikes in a dense terminal 

 cluster, several foliaceous bracts, bifid glumes, with an intermediate 

 point ; acute segments and a trigonous smooth nut. The stem is from 

 1 to 3 feet high, and leafy. It is found in salt-marshes in Great 

 Britain, and is much relished by cattle. Withering says that the 

 roots of this species are esculent, and have been ground down and 

 used instead of flour in times of scarcity. 



S. laautrii, Bullrusb, has a round stem from 4 to 6 feet high, naked, 

 with one or two long sheath* at the base, the spikes in a terminal 

 twice compound panicle ; the glumes are emarginate, mucronate, 

 glabrous, and fringed. The nut obtusely trigonous and obovate ; 

 stigmas 3. The panicle is not lateral, although the bract closely 

 resembles a continuation of the stem. It is found in rivers and ponds 

 in England. The root is astringent and diuretic, and was once used 

 in medicine. The leaves are employed for making matting, chair 

 bottoms, and many other domestic purposes. 



S. triqueter has a stem acutely triquetrous throughout, flat or con- 

 cave between the angles, with one or two long sheaths at the base, 

 the upper one terminating in a very broad triquetrous leaf. The 

 spikes are in a small cymose panicle, the glumes emarginate, mucro- 

 nate, glabrous, and fringed ; the lobes rounded-obtuse, and the nut 

 roundish-obovate, plano-convex, and smooth. This species is found 

 on the muddy banks of the Thames, near London, and the Arun, near 

 Amberly, Sussex. 



S. Holoichftnut is the 'OA<f<rx<""os of Theophrastus. 



8. tuberoiut is the Pi-Tsi, or Water-Chestnut, of the Chinese, and is 

 cultivated by them for food in largo tanks, which are regularly 

 manured and the water at intervals drawn off. The tubers are eaten 

 both raw and cooked, and are esteemed both as food and medicine. 

 There are 14 British species of Kcirpus, none of which however are 

 worth description on account of any qualities they possess. 



(Babington, Manual of British Botany ; Lindley, Veyelat/le King- 

 dom ; Burnett, Outlines of Botany.) 



SCISSUKELLA. [TURBINACEJE.] 



SCITAMINACEJi, a natural order of Plants embracing the Maran- 

 tacece, with 1 anther-valve, and the Zingiberacea with 2 anther-valves. 

 The separation of these orders is now generally recognised. [MARAN- 



TACE.E ; ZlNOIBEUACE^,.] 



SCIURID^'E, a family of Animals belonging to the order Rodentia 

 [KODE.NTIA], and embracing the various forms of Squirrels. It has the 

 following characters : Molar teeth simple, with tuberculous crowns, 

 five above, four below, on each side ; the lower incisors very much 

 compressed. Toes long, armed with sharp claws, four on the anterior 

 nnd five on the posterior feet ; anterior thumb very short. Tail long 

 and tufted. Cheek-pouches in some. In others the skin of the sides 

 extended between the anterior and posterior limbs. 



The geographic range of the Squirrels is very wide both in the Old 

 nd New World. None appear to have been discovered in Australia. 



The fduridce have been divided into two principal groups : 

 A. Squirrels with free limbs. 



Genera. Tamiat, Kciwnu, Macroxui, and Anisonyx. 

 NAT. BBT. DIT. VOL. IT. 



B. Squirrels with their limbs invested in the skin of the sides. 

 Genera. Pteromys and Sciuropterus. 



The following dentition is given by M. F. Cuvier for Tamias, 

 Sciurus, Macroms, and Sciwopterui : 



Incisors, - ; Molars, =22. 

 2 44 



Teeth of Tamias, Sciuriu, Macroxus, and Sciuroptena. 



The same author has published the following modification as 

 characteristic of Pteromys, the numbers of the teeth being the same 

 with those of the genera above-mentioned. 



Teeth of Ptcrnmys. 



Tamias (Grouud Squirrels). Skull presenting a uniform curved 

 line on its upper part when viewed in profile, and offering, when seen 

 below, a very slender condition of all the anterior parts. Cerebral 

 cavity but little extended, and advancing only to one half of the 

 skull. The species are found in Europe, Asia, and North America. 



T. ilnatus. 'Upper part of the body yellow-browu, with five brown 

 longitudinal stripes and two white ones on the upper parts; white 

 beneath ; lumbar region rusty, as well as the tail, which is blackish 

 above, and bordered with black below. Length rather more than 9 

 inches, including the tail, which measures about 3 inches. 



Pallas states that this Ground-Squirrel burrows in woody districts, 

 in small hillocks, or near the roots of trees ; but never makes its 

 nest in the trunks or branches of trees, like the Common Squirrels, 

 although, when frightened from its hole, it climbs with ease, speedily 

 making its way from branch to branch. The nest is reached by a 

 winding tunnel, and there are generally two or three lateral chambers, 

 for the stowage of winter food. It is allied in its habits to the 

 Hamster and Citillun (Xpennoplulwi), is connected with the latter by 

 the convexity of its nose, and has cheek-pouches; but differs altogether 

 in its manners from the Tree-Squirrels. 



Si 



