Ml 



SCLERANTHACE^E. 



SCOLOPACID^ 



711 



catching bold of bough* with its tail, and that which state* it* differ 

 enee in use. The first i given on the authority of Sir Edward 

 Miehelbooroe'* voyage, in Purchat'i 'Pilgrims,' and should be received 

 with caution. The second would lead to the conclusion that more 

 than one apecie* bad been included under the name of the animal 

 now under discunsion. 



We accordingly find that Dr. Horsficld, in his valuable 'Zoological 

 Researches in Java,' describe* two Fly ing Squirrel* (Ptenmyt genibarbit 

 and /'. leptdui), both nocturnal in their habits, nearly approaching to 

 . Sagiita. He describe* the first at living on fruit* ; the second a* 

 found in the closest Javanese forest*, where the height of the trees 

 and the luxuriance of the foliage effectually conceal it Some have 

 thought them two were only one specie*. In the work hut above 

 referred to, Dr. Horsfield has given a ' General Enumeration of Indian 

 S;iuri,' well worthy of the attention of the zoologist. He enumerates 

 16 specie* of .Scinri. 4 of which were first described by himself. These 

 do not include the Flying Squirrels. 



8CLEIUNTHACE.K, Mtranttu, a natural order of Ficoidal 

 Exogenous Plant*, consisting of small inconspicuous herbs. Leaves 

 opposite, without stipule*. Flowers minute, axillary, and sessile; 

 calyx 4-5-toothed, with a stiff tube ; stamens 1-10, inserted into the 

 orifice of the tube; ovary simple, superior, 1 -seeded; style* 1-2, 

 emarginate at the apex ; ovules 1-2, ampbitropal, hanging down from 

 the point of a slender cord, which rises from the base of the ovary. 

 This order teems to be allied to Ckenopodiacta. The species occur in 

 barren places in various part* of the world. They are all uninteresting 

 weed* of no known use. 



SCLEUAXTHt'S (from mtX^j, hard, and S*flos, a flower, in 

 reference to the dry juiceless calyx), a genus of Plants belonging to 

 the natural order Scleranlkacar. It has a permanent 5-cleft calyx, 

 with an urceolnte tube contracted at the mouth with a glandular ring; 

 the petal* are absent ; the stamens inserted in the throat of the calyx. 

 The fruit membranous, 1 -seeded, indehiscent, included in the hardened 

 calyx. The species are small herbs, with opposite linear leaves, which 

 are rather connate at the base. The flowers are small, greenish-white, 

 and sessile in the axil* of the forks of the branches. 



>'. annum, the Annual Knawel, has subdecandrous flowers ; seg- 

 ment* of the calyx of the fruit patent acuts, with a very membranous 

 margin as long a* their tube ; the styles are longer than the stamens ; 

 the stem green and repeatedly dichotomous. The flower green, often 

 aolitary. It is found in sandy fields in Great Britain. The Swedes 

 and Germans inhale the vapour arising from a decoction of this plant 

 as a cure for the toothache. 



f. perennu has decandrous flowers; the lobes of the calyx of the 

 fruit closed, obtuse, with white and membranous edges ; the styles 

 are usually shorter than the stamens; the stem nearly simple, or 

 irregularly branched, procumbent, and glaucous. The flowers green 

 and white variegated. It is found in sandy places in Europe, the 

 Levant, and in England. The Polish Cochineal (Cocoa Polonicia) is 

 frequently found on the roots and leaves of this plant in the summer 

 month*. 



(lUbington, Manual of Brituh Botany.) 



SCLEKO'CHLOA (from <rXDf>&s, hard, and xXoij, grass), a genus of 

 Onuse* belonging to the tribe FalUfinta. It nas unequal acute mem- 

 branous glume* ; the outer palea with 5 faint but distinct and parallel 

 nerves, meinbranoui, cylindrical below, unarmed, often keeled at the 

 tip or with a very minute mucro ; the styles are terminal. 



& mant ima has a branched panicle ; the lowermost branches in 

 pain or simple ; the branches alternately erect ; the apikeleta linear, 

 ad pressed, 4-8-flowered ; the rachis terete; the outer palea obtuse, 

 apiculate ; the midrib not reaching the apex ; the root stolonifcrou>, 

 fibrous, with rooting or ascending scions. It is found on sea-coaets 

 and damp places in Great Britain. 



>'. 'littant is the Ulyccria. of Smith. It ha* a branched panicle ; the 

 branches elongated, ultimately spreading or deflexed, the lowermost in 

 four* or five* ; the spikelets linear, 3-C-flowered ; the outer palea 

 obtuse; the midrib not reaching to the apex; the root fibrous without 

 rooting scions. It is found on sandy sea-shores in England. 



8. procumbent is known by it* ovate lanceolate compact panicle ; 

 linear-lanceolate ipikelet* of about 4 flower*; the rachis terete, 

 angular; the outer palea obtuse, with an apiculus formed by the 

 extremity of the dorsal nerve ; the root is fibrous ; the flower Urge. 

 It is found in salt-marshes in Great Britain. 



There are 6 British species of this genus. 



8CLEKOI)EKMI, the second family of Pleotognathoua Fishe* (such 

 a* have incomplete and soldered jaws). The telenxUrmi are distin- 

 guished by their conical or pyramidal snouts, ending in a small mouth, 

 with disUnct teeth in each jaw. The skin is rough, or covered with 

 lance bard scale*. 



Tb first division of Plectoynathi is named Oymnodonla. The 

 fishes included in it have no true teeth, but a substitute in a lamel- 

 lated substance resembling ivory, which covers the jaw*. It includes 

 the Tttndon, the Dtodon, the Qrthagvrttcta, or Sun-Fish, and other 

 genera. [ORTHiUORI Jci n. J 



The Mawtermi are mostly tropical finhes, and are remarkable for 

 their brilliant colours. One genus only occurs in the British seas, and 

 that but very rarely; the Balutct, or File-Fish, is the one alluded to. 

 The On radon i* remarkable fur having Its body clothed in an inflexible 



armour of hard plates, the tail-fins, mouth, and gill-openings, passing 

 through holes in its coat of m.iil. 



SCLE'HODUS, a genus of Fossil Fi.be*. [Fun.] 



SCLEKOT1CA. [ET.] 

 fi 



SCO'LIAn.-K, a family of Fossorial Hymenopterons Insects, distin- 

 guished by the following character* combined : Antennae thick in 

 the females, shorter than the head and thorax ; femora bent near the 

 apex, and compressed ; legs short and stout, and densely clothed with 

 spiny hairs ; the thorax u often short, and produced on each side, 



The family Hcoliada is thus subdivided by Latreille : 



I. Palpi always very short. Ligula with three linear divisions. 

 Abdomen of the male terminated by three spines. Stigma replaced 

 by a small cell. Scolia. 



II. Maxillary palpi generally elongated. Ligula broad and expanded 

 at the apex ; a recurved spiue at the apex of the abdomen iu the 

 mule*. Stigma distinct. 



A. Second joint of the antenna; exposed ; two complete cubital 

 cells, or sometimes three, iu which case the central cell is small 

 and petiolated. 



a. Without incomplete cubital cell closed by the posterior border 

 of the wing, Itadial cell either wanting or open in the 

 female*. Tiphia, Fab., and Meria, Illiger. 



6. With an incomplete cubital cell closed by the posterior margin 

 of the wing. Tengyra, Latr. 



Ji. Second joint of the antenna; inclosed in the basal joint. Cubital 

 cells four in number, of which the last is completed by the 

 posterior margin of the wing iu the males ; none of them 

 petiolated. Myiine, Latr. 



SCOLOPA'CIDjE, a family of Birds belonging to the order 

 (imllatorei. 



The genus Scolopax of Linnoms consisted of the following species : 

 (iunrtiuna, Madagascariensit, arquata, Phitopux, fusca, ruxti- 

 cola, Oallinago, Gallinula, fetloa, Gloltii, Calidrit, Tutan'tt, limosa, 

 captwis, Lapponica, JSgocephaia, alba, and Candida. ('Sys. Nat.,' 

 ed. xii.) 



According to Cuvier, this genus comprehends the following sub- 

 genera: Scolopax, I bit, Numeniut, RJtyncheea, Limota, Calidrit (Cur., 

 Tringa, Temm.), Arcnaria (Bechst, CWirfrw, Vig.), Pelidna, Falci- 

 nellui, Machetei, Etirynorhynchtu, Phalaroput, Slrepailat, Tutanut, 

 Lvbipet, and Jlimantoput. (' Hcgne Animal,' ed. 1S29.) 



Mr. G. K. Gray divides the Scolopacida; into the following sub- 

 families and genera : 



I. Jiumcnina. Numenim, Ray ; Limota, Briss. ; Terdcia, Bonap. ; 

 Erolia, Vieill. ; Ibidorhyncha, Vig. 



II. Totanina. Totaniu, Ray ; Glottii, Nils.; Guinetla, Brias. ; Acli- 

 turus, Bonap. ; Catoptrophorut, Bonap. 



III. Jlecurrirotti-itue. Jlccui-cirostra, Linn. ; Cladorhynchut, Gray ; 

 llimantoptu, Brig*. 



IV. Ti-ingin<e. Hemipalama, Bonap.; Hctcropoda, Bonap. ; Tringa, 

 Linn.; Machete*, Cuv. ; Pelidna, Cuv. ; (!) (Cocorli, Cuv. ; 

 Kiirynorhynchut, Nib. ; Ercvmettt, 111.; Calidris, 111. 



V. Xcotopacina. Macroramphut, Lc.ich ; Rhynch<ea,Cuv. ; Scolopax, 

 Linn.; Kutticola, Vieill.; UomaptUura, Gray; Telmatiat, Boid ; Oat- 

 linago, Kay. 



VI. Streptilina.Streptila>, 111. 



VII. Phalaropodina. Stcgannptu, Vieill. ; Phalaroput, I'riss. ; 

 L<,bipet, Cuv. 



We now proceed to illustrate the principal genera of this family : 



Scolopax. Bill long, straight, compressed, soft, the point enlarged ; 

 the two mandibles furrowed for half their length ; point of the upper 

 mandible longer than the lower, the enlarged end forming a blunt 

 hook ; arote elevated at the base, projecting. Nostrils lateral, basal, 

 slit longitudinally near the borders of the mandible, and covered by 

 a membrane. Feet moderate, slender, naked space above the kncu 

 very small ; three toes before entirely divided, the external and middle 

 toe united ; a hind toe. Wings moderate, first quill rather shorter 

 than or of the same length as the second, which is the longest 

 (Temminrk.) 



N. ruilicola, the Woodcock, U the Bocasse of the French ; Beccaccia 

 of the Italians; Waldschnepfe of the Germans; Holt Sneppe of the 

 Danes; Morkulla of the Swedes; Blom-Hokke, Itutte, and Krogquist, 

 of the Norwegians ; and Cyffvlog of the Welsh. It is most probable 

 the SxoAdirof of Aristotle. 



The mole has the upper parts varied with ruddy, yellowish, and 

 ash, and marked by great black spot* ; lower parts yellowish-red, with 

 brown zigzags; quills striped with red and black on their external 

 barbs; tail-feathers terminated above with gray and below with white ; 

 feet livid. Length about 13 inches. 



The female is rather stouter and larger, but her colours are less 

 vivid, and the wing-coverts have many white spots. 



The distribution of this bird is very wide. The species is found in 

 Western Lapland beyond the arctic circle, in Finland, Russia, Siberia, 

 rarely iu Germany, and more rarely in France. A few have been 

 known to breed iu .Switzerland. It is very common in Italy and at 



