590 



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are found either beneath the bark of trees or 

 in flowers. 



SALTATORES, or SALTIGRADES. A 

 tribe of Spiders, so named in consequence of 

 their legs being fitted rather for leaping than 

 for running. Many species of this group 

 construct, amongst leaves, under stones, &c., 

 silken nests, open at each end, into which 

 they retire ; but if menaced with danger, 

 they make a precipitate retreat. One species 

 (Sahicus scenictts) is very commonly seen in 

 summer upon walls and windows exposed to 

 the sun, moving about in short leaps. When 

 it discovers a small fly or a gnat, it cautiously 

 approaches till within leaping distance, when 

 it suddenly darts upon it ; not fearing to 

 take even a perpendicular leap, because it 

 always at the same time suspends itself by a 

 thread, which it winds off as it advances. 

 By this thread it can also suspend itself in 

 the air, and is enabled to mount up again to 

 the spot from which it leaped. 



SALTATORIA. A section of Orthopte- 

 rous resects, corresponding with the Linnsean 

 genus Grylhts, and consisting of all those 

 species which have the four anterior legs 

 simple and short, and the two hind legs long, 

 and formed for leaping. The body is gene- 

 rally compressed; the tarsi vary in the 

 number of their joints, as well as the antennae, 

 which are also greatly variable in length, 

 being in some species several times longer 

 than the body. The males are enabled to 

 make a peculiar shrill noise, which is pro- 

 duced in different ways in different groups ; 

 being in some caused by the friction of the 

 posterior femora against the wing-covers, 

 and in the others by the friction of the strong 

 veins enclosing a talc-like spot at the base of 

 the wing-covers. In general, the females 

 deposit their eggs by the assistance of a horny 

 ovipositor, in the earth; and the species 

 are almost exclusively herbivorous. [See 

 CRICKETS and LOCUSTS.] 



SANDERLING. (Arenana vulgans.^ A 

 small wading bird which frequents many of 

 our shores, and is a pretty general inhabit- 

 ant of the globe. It is about eight inches in 

 length. Its autumnal and winter plumage 

 differs considerably from that which it as- 

 sumes in spring : the face, throat, neck, and 

 the whole of the under parts of the body, 

 being of a pure white in winter ; whereas 

 in spring the face and top of the head are 

 marked with large black spots, and the 

 feathers are bordered with red; and the 

 neck, breast, and upper parts of the sides, 

 are gray- red, with the middle of each feather 

 spotted with black, and their tips whitish : 

 the back and scapulars are deep rufous, 

 with large black spots, and the whole of 

 the feathers edged and tipped with white : 

 beak, irides, and feet, black. It feeds on 

 small marine insects ; breeds in the north ; 

 and is sometimes called the Ox-bird. 



SANDPIPER. (Tetanus.) This name is 

 applied to different species of wading birds 

 of the genus Tringa, but properly restricted 

 to the sub-genus Tetanus. The Sandpipers 

 chiefly frequent saline marshes and the sea- 

 shore ; but they are also found on the banks 



of inland lakes and rivers, and even in 

 damp meadows. They fly in flocks, and 

 perform periodical migrations in large bodies. 

 Their food consists of worms, Crustacea, and 

 small mollusca, and they also occasionally 

 subsist upon small fish and their fry. They 

 have the tip of the beak depressed, and the 

 nasal furrow very long, as in the Godwits, 

 but the mandibles in general are not longer 

 than the head ; their toes are not palmated 

 at the base, and the back toe hardly reaches 

 to the ground. Many of the species are 

 very widely diffused, and several are found, 

 more or less regularly, on the British shores. 



The COMMON SANDPIPER. (Totanus Jiy- 

 poleucos.) This species, which is less than 

 eight inches long, visits England in the 

 spring, and leaves it in the autumn. All 

 the upper parts of the body are brown, 

 glossed with an olive hue, and marked with 

 a blackish ray in the direction of the shafts : 

 the feathers of the wings and back are trans- 

 versely streaked with narrow zigzag dusky 

 bands ; the throat, breast, and under parts 

 are pure white, the sides of the neck and 

 breast being varied with streaks of brown : 

 the middle tail feathers are marked with 

 transverse dusky lines, and the outer one on 

 each side white with brown bars ; legs 

 greenish ash. The nest of this bird is com- 

 posed of moss and dry leaves, and generally 

 placed in a hole on a river's bank ; and the 

 eggs, usually five in number, are of a red- 

 dish-green, with dark spots mostly at the 

 larger end. When disturbed they make a 

 clear piping note, by which they are easily 

 recognized. 



There are several species of these birds, 

 differing but slightly from each other, and 

 we may remark of them, generally, that 

 their legs are destitute of feathers for some 

 distance above the knee, and the toes are 

 short and incapable of grasping ; hence they 

 do not perch, but frequent the borders of 

 ponds, rivers, and marshes, especially in the 

 vicinity of the ocean, and are often seen 

 rapidly coursing along the strand, following 

 the flux and reflux of the waves. Their 

 wings are long, and their flight powerful. 



SAND- WASP. (Ammophila.*) A genus 

 of Hymenopterous insects, which, together 

 with several other genera, form a group that 

 from their peculiar habits are termed Fos- 

 sores, or diggers, and commonly known as 



Sand and Wood Wasps. In general the 

 females excavate cells in the ground, or iu 

 posts, timbers, &c. ; in which they deposit 

 together with their eggs various larvae or 



