IDopuIar Mctumarn of 9m'matrtr feature, 603 



vances the latter colour becomes more ex- 

 tensive, showing itself on the upper parts of 

 the body ; but the extremities externally, 

 and the tail, retain their blackness to the 

 last. The hair is long, soft, and silky. There 

 are many species, one of the most famous 

 being the 6'. Kntellug, a species of Monkey 

 venerated by the Hindoo. [See MONKEY.] 



SEPIA : SEPIAD^E. A genus and family 

 of Cephalopods belonging to the Cuttlefish 

 tribe. The best known species is that figured 

 in our article, the Common or officinal Cuttle- 

 fish (Sepia ojficinnUx); the little figure at 

 the side representing the shell, which is often 

 found cast ashore, and is used in medical 

 purposes from the pureness of the calcareous 



ODTTLB-FI8H. 



OFFICIN AI.I8 .) 



matter of which it is composed. In ancient 

 times, and in some part of the Levant even 

 now, as we learn from Forbes and Spratt's 

 Lycia, the Cuttle-fish of different species 

 were used as articles of food ; and we know, 

 from the works of travellers, that in other 

 parts of the world, when cooked, they are 

 esteemed luxuries. Cuttle-fish are furnished 

 with a curious receptacle for a fluid, which 

 they use not only as a direct means of an- 

 noyance, but also for the sake of making 

 the water turbid, and thus eluding pursuit. 

 [See CUTTLE-FISH : CEPHALOPODA.] 



SEPS. The name of a genus of Saurian 

 reptiles, which have a long serpentiform 

 body, and four very short legs, each termi- 

 nated by only three toes. They differ from 

 the Skinks by having the body still more 

 elongated. 



SERICULUS. A genus of birds found 

 in Australia. [See REGENT-BIRD.] 



SERPENTS. (Ophulia.) The general 

 name of the third order of Reptiles, accord- 

 ing to the arrangement of Cuvier. We have 

 described several of the most remarkable of 



these Reptiles in separate articles, [see BOA 

 CO.VSTKICTOR, RATTLESNAKE, &c.] Some 

 observations, however, on their general cha- 

 racter will in this place be necessary. These 

 Kt-ptilus are in general easily distinguished 

 from others by the total absence of external 

 feet, hardly a vestige of which is discoverable 

 on the most minute dissection. Their 

 motion is, notwithstanding, very rapid in 

 some species, and is accomplished by means 

 of the sinuosities or folds which they form 

 with their bodies. When in a state of 

 repose they usually dispose themselves in 

 coils, with the head in the centre ; and many 

 are enabled to spring to a certain distance 

 by the sudden unfolding of these coils. 

 Serpents are destitute of movable eyelids, 

 or distinct tympanums. All have teeth, 

 but they serve only to retain their food, 

 and are not adapted to mastication. The 

 venomous species have the maxillaries very 

 small and movable, and in them are im- 

 planted two teeth much longer than the 

 rest, and traversed by a canal for the pur- 

 pose of transmitting the poison. These 

 fangs are projected forward in the action of 

 biting, but at other times are disposed along 

 the roof of the mouth, in such a manner as 

 hardly to be discoverable at first sight. The 

 jaws of Serpents are united by ligaments so 

 as to admit of great extension, which enables 

 them to swallow animals of much greater 

 diameter than their own bodies. The tongue 

 is remarkably extensible, and terminates in 

 two long cartilaginous points. They have 

 only one lung. The skin in different genera 

 is annulated, coriacious, or granulated, or, 

 most frequently, covered with scales. They 

 feed on quadrupeds, reptiles, insects, or 

 worms, and swallow their prey entire. They 

 do not drink, and the power of digestion is 

 slow, one meal serving them for weeks, or 

 even months ; but when an opportunity 

 otters, they take an enormous quantity of 

 food. The ribs are very numerous, and 

 surround a great portion of the trunk. The 

 muscles, even in the smaller species, are 

 endowed with an astonishing power of con- 

 striction ; and those species which attain 

 the enormous dimensions of thirty feet or 

 more, are enabled to destroy the larger 

 quadrupeds by involving them in their folds. 

 The Serpent tribes are almost universally 

 regarded with feelings of horror and aver- 

 sion, which doubtless originate in the veno- 

 mous qualities of some, and the terrific 

 strength that characterizes others ; and also 

 in the insidious manner in which they usu- 

 ally approach their victims. Natural as these 

 prejudices are, it is certain, however, that 

 by far the greater part are perfectly harmless. 

 In northern climates they pass the winter 

 in a torpid state, and change the epidermis 

 in the spring. The eggs are rounded, and 

 agglutinated in bead-like rows by a mucous 

 substance, and, in the venomous species, 

 hutch before they are excluded from the 

 oviduct, and the young are bom alive. The 

 females often take care of their young for a 

 time, and, on the approach of danger, have 

 been seen to receive the whole family in 

 their throats, and, when it has passed, to 

 restore them again to the open air. More 



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