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clypeus, long hind legs, clothed with hairs, 

 with the posterior tarsi obliquely inserted ; 

 head and thorax unarmed, and elytra with 

 the margins not sinuated." 



SCARUS. A genus of Acanthopterygious 

 fishes, many species of which are found in 

 the tropical seas. [See PARKOT-FISH.] 



SCLENnX<E. A family of fishes, of which 

 there are several subgenera . The general 

 characters are, the head inflated, and sup- 

 ported by cavernous bones ; the body com- 

 pressed und broad ; only one dorsal fin, but 

 it is bifid, and so deeply divided at the 

 middle that it seems to form two, and the 

 soft part is much longer than the spinous j 

 the anal short, the pre-operculum toothed, 



MAIORB. (8CI.BNA AQDILA.) 



and the opcrculum divided into points at Us 

 extremity ; seven arches in the gills. They 

 resemble the Perches, except that they have 

 no teeth in the palate. The Scicmidce with 

 less than seven gill-rays, and the lateral line 

 interrupted, form several genera of small 

 oval fishes, generally finely coloured, and 

 distinguished by the armature of their heads. 

 The Sciama Aquila, or Maigre, may be given 

 as an example. It has occasionally been 

 found on the English coast. 



SCINQUE, or SKINK. (Scinciu.) The 

 name given to a family of lizard-like rep- 

 tiles, in which there appears to be a gradual 

 transition from the form of the Lizards to 

 that of the Serpents. They are all natives 

 of warm climates ; and one species, common 

 in Arabia, Northern Africa, &c., was long 

 held in repute on account of its supposed 

 medicinal virtues. They are recognized by 

 the shortness of their feet, the non-exten- 

 sibility of the tongue, and the tile-like scales 

 which cover the whole body and tail, pre- 

 senting almost the appearance of a coat of 

 mail. 



SCISSOR- BILL. (Bhynchops.l A genus 

 of palmipede birds closely allied to the Terns, 

 but easily distinguished by the singular bill, 

 which is compressed like a knife, and has 

 the lower mandible longer than the upper, 

 and broken off (as it were) at the tip. At 

 least two species are known ; one of these is 

 peculiar to the New World (.ft. mgra\ while 

 the other (JR. orientalis) is found in the 

 Eastern hemisphere. 



In our article " Rhynchops," we gave some 

 interesting extracts from Wilson's Ornitho- 

 logy respecting the habits of the species found 

 in North America. We may here add a short 

 account of the same birds seen in more south- 

 ern latitudes, by Mr. Darwin, and described 

 by that most accurate and intelligent observer 

 in his ' Journal.' He is in the vicinity of the 



Rio Parana, and thus writes : "I here saw 

 a very extraordinary bird, called the Scissor- 

 beak (Rhynchops nigra). It has short legs, 

 web feet, extremely long pointed wings, and 

 ia of about the size of a tern. The beak is 



80I8BOR-B1I.I/. {RHTNCHOPS NIOBA.) 



flattened laterally, that is, in a plane at 

 right angles to that of a spoonbill or duck. 

 It is as flat and elastic as an ivory paper- 

 cutter, and the lower mandible, differently 

 from every other bird, is an inch and a half 

 longer than the upper. I will here detail 

 all I know of the habits of the Scissor- beak. 

 It is found both on the east and west coasts, 

 between lat. 80 and 45, and frequents either 

 salt or fresh water. The specimen now at 

 the Zoological Society was shot at a lake 

 near Maldonado, from which the water had 

 been nearly drained, and which, in conse- 

 quence, swarmed with small fry. I there 

 saw several of these birds, generally in small 

 flocks, flying backwards and forwards, close 

 to the surface of the lake. They kept their 

 bills wide open, and with the lower mandible 

 half buried in the water. Thus skimming 

 the surface, they ploughed it in their course : 

 the water was quite smooth, and it formed 

 a most curious spectacle to behold a flock, 

 each bird leaving its narrow wake on the 

 mirror- like surface. In their flight they 

 frequently twist about with extreme rapidity, 

 and so dexterously manage, that with their 

 projecting lower mandible they plough up 

 small fish, which are secured by the upper 

 half of their scissor-like bills. This fact I 

 repeatedly saw, as, like swallows, they con- 

 tinued to fly backwards and forwards, close 

 before me. Occasionally when leaving the 

 surface of the water their flight was wild, 

 irregular, and rapid ; they then also uttered 

 loud harsh cries. When these birds are 

 fishing, the length of the primary feathers 

 of the wings is seen to be quite necessary, in 

 order to keep the latter dry. When thus 

 employed, their forms resemble the symbol 

 by which many artists represent marine 

 birds. The tail is much used in steering 

 their irregular course. 



" These birds are common far inland along 

 the course of the Rio Parana ; it is said they 

 remain during the whole year, and breed in 

 the marshes. During the day they rest in 

 flocks on the grassy plains, at some distance 

 from the water. Being at anchor, as I have 

 said, in one of the deep creeks between the 

 islands of the Parana, as the evening drew 

 to a close, one of these Scissor-beaks sud- 



