SAL 
none but long black hair. The glofs vanifhes 
in old furs; and dyed Sables always lofe their 
luftre; though the Chinefe have a certain method 
of dying thenn, which not only affords a pernna- 
nent colour, but preferves the glofs. White Sa- 
bles being extremely rare, are therefore purchafed 
only as curiofities; and fome, which are yellow- 
ifli, are bleached on the fnow during the fpring. 
The common Sables are but little fuperior, in 
their colour and hair, to the marten. The Ame- 
rican fur is more gloffy than the Siberian, and of 
a bright chefnut colour; but of a coarfe quality, 
and therefore little efteemed. 
Sable, Mouse. See Mouse. 
SACA. An appellation by which fome natu- 
ralifts exprefs a beautiful Ipecies of wild cat found 
in Madagafcar. 
SACER. A name by which Gaza, and Ibme 
other ichthyologifts, exprefs that fpeciesof labrus 
diflinguiflied by Artedi under the appellation of 
the red forked- tail labrus, called anthias pifcis 
by the generality of writers. 
SACHET, OR SACHETTUS. A marine 
fifh bearing a ftrong refemblance to the common 
river pearch both in fiiape and colour, and having 
the fame black oblique tranfverfe lines on it's 
fides ; being apparently the fame with the channa- 
della of Beilonius, Rondeletius, and other ich- 
thyologifts. It is found in the Mediterranean; 
and commonly fold in the markets at Rome, 
Venice, and other parts of Italy. It's flefli is 
accounted delicate and well-flavoured. See 
Chane. 
SACRE. A term by which fome crnitholo- 
gifts exprefs a fpecies of falcon. The names in- 
deed of this kind have been multiplied beyond 
the necefTary limits, and it is difficult to afilgn 
the Sacre any certain rank. According to Ray, 
it is a longer bird than the common falcon ; it's 
head is flat, and of a greyifli colour; it's eyes are 
large; and it's beak is blueifh. It's back and 
wings are bt-own; it's breafl: is white variegated 
with brown fpots; it's thighs are white on the in- 
fide; it's tail is variegated with kidney-fhaped 
fpots; and it's wings are very long. 
The young birds of this fpecies, which are called 
fori, difi^er conflderably in their plumage from 
thofe of a more advanced age. See Falcon. 
SAGOUIN. A very beautiful fmall fpecies 
of monkey, defcrlbed by Clufius; apparently the 
fame with the Cagui Minor of Marcgrave, and 
the Simia Jacchus of Linnseus. 
Clufius fays that it is about the fize of a fquir- 
rel; that it's head refembles a lion's; and that it 
is very tender and delicate, and impatient of the 
flightefl: injury. 
SAG REE. An appellation by which fome 
ichthyologills exprefs the galeus fpinax. 
SAL A term fometimes ufed to denote the 
capuchin monkey. 
SAIGA. A name by which fome naturalifts 
denominate the goat. 
SAL-MARINUS. A truttaceous fifli of the 
umbla kind, nearly approaching to that fpecies 
called the reutele; and by fome authors fufpefted 
not to be elTentially different from that fifli. It 
is very fcarce, and much valued for the table. It 
delights in clear flrony rivers of a fliarp current, 
and feeds on fmall fifli. It's weight feldom ex- 
ceeds one pound. It's tail and fins are red ; it's 
fides and belly are alfo reddilli ; and it's back is of 
an orange colour, or a reddifli yellow with fome 
SAL 
yellow fpots. The fcales are moderately large, 
and not eafily removed. ' 
Artedi diftinguiflies the Sal-Marinus by the 
appellation of the fork-tailed Salmon, with a 
yellow back and yellow fpots. 
SALACIA. A genus of infeds of the gym- 
narthria kind; the body of which is ovato-ob- 
long; and the tentacula are numerous, and dif- 
pofed in fi-nall clufliers. Some aurhors call this 
genus priapus marinus, and mentula marina, 
SALACSAE. A Philippine appellation for 
a bird by whofe flight the natives pretend to di- 
vine future events. It is of a fmall fize, varioufly 
coloured, and has a long and large beak. 
SALAMANDER. A name by which natu- 
raliflis exprefs feveral fpecies of the lizard kind; 
but the principal are the Salamandra terreftris^ 
and the Salamandra aquatica. 
Salamander, Land; the Salamandra La- 
certa of Linn^us. This creature has been the 
fubje(5V of much fidlion ; and vulgar prejudices 
have always made a wrong eftimate^of it's j^roper- 
ties. The ancients defcribed a kind of lizard un- 
der this appellation, which they afl"erted was bred 
from heat, could fubfifl: amidfl: fire, and even 
derived it's proper nourifliment from that ele- 
rnent. As they obfcrved every other element, the 
air, the earth, and the water, to be inhabited, 
fancy was fet to work in order to invent an in- 
habitant of fire, that thus every part of nature 
might be peopled. It will be almofl: needlefs to 
affirm, that no fuch creature does exift; and that, 
of all others, the modern Salamander has the leaft 
affinity to fuch an abode. 
It is doubtful whether the animal which now 
goes by the name of the Salamander be the fame 
with that defcribed by Pliny: however, fuffice it 
toobferve, that the Salamander of the moderns is 
an animal of the lizard kind; and that under this 
name is comprehended a large tribe. No lefs 
than feven different forts of thefe creatures have 
been defcribed by Seba; and, in order to form 
fome idea of the peculiarity of their figure, we 
may fuppofe the tail of a lizard applied to the 
body of a frog. The Salamander, like the frog, 
has it's eyes placed towards the back of the head; 
like that animal alfo, it's fnout is round; and 
it's belly is thick and fwollen. The claws of it's 
toes are fliort and feeble; it's flcin is rough; and 
it's tongue, unlike that of the fmallefl: of the li- 
zard kind, is Ihort, and adheres to the under-jaw. 
But it is not in it's external conformation alone 
that this animal differs from the refl: of the lizard 
tribe. In it's nature it is difllmilar, being a heavy, 
torpid creature; whereas the lizard tribe are ac- 
tive, refl:lefs, and vivacious: and it farther diflrrs 
from lizards, in being produced alive from the 
body of it's parent, and compleatly formed the 
moment of it's exclufion. It varies alfo in it's 
general reputation of being venomous, though 
the truth of it's malignity has never yet been af- 
certained. 
Indeed many of the lizard kind have been 
reckoned poifonous .: but it were to be wiflied that 
mankind, for the 'ake of their ovm happinefs,. 
would examine into the foundation of this re- 
proach. Certain it is that their deformity is the 
onlv caufe of off'ence in thofe fpecies which are 
known in this country; and until our prejudices 
are removed refpefting theit .alignity, we de- 
prive ourfelves of that plcafui-^ which might refult 
from a contemplation of creatures which, though 
ufclefs. 
