. S C A 
SCARE-CROW. A bird of the larus or fca- 
gull kind; called by ornithologifts larus niger, 
and by Linn^us Sterna Fifllpes. This bird, which 
Is equal in fize to the blackbird, has very long 
wings; the head, neck, bread, and belly, as far as 
the vent, are black; and, beyond it^ white. The 
male has a white fpot under it's chin; the back 
and wings are of a deep afn-colour; the tail is 
ihort and forked; and the legs are (hort and red. 
It's flefh is reckoned wholefome food. 
Thefe birds frequent frefh waters, breeding on 
the banks of rivers, and laying three fmall eggs 
of a deep olive-col6ur fpctted with black. Dur- 
ing the fpring and funnmer they are very nume- 
rous in the fens of Lincolnfhirc, where they make 
an inceflant noife; and birds of this fpecies are 
alfo fometimes obferved at a confiderable diftance 
from land. 
SCARLET GRAIN. An appellation by 
which fome authors exprefs the kermes; but more 
commonly reftained to an animal found in Po- 
land, about the fize of a pepper-corn, and of a 
roundifli fliape. It's colour is a deep purple, 
tinged with blue; it flicks to the root of the tree 
on which it feeds; and, when gathered for ufe, is 
found in a rough cup, fomewhat refembling that 
of an acorn. 
Thefe grains appear to be excrefcences on the 
root Vv'here they produce their young; which at 
firft are evidently real infcfls, having fmall long- 
ifli flatted bodies confifting of feveral fegm.ents, 
fix fhort flender legs, and two feelers. Thefe are 
of n lighter purple than the parent from which 
they fpring. When they have acquired their full 
fize, they fix themlelves to the root of the plant 
where they remain. The male is a two-winged fly. 
SCARUS. A marine fifli, a fpecies of the 
labrus in the Linnaean fyflem; relpeiting which 
feveral remarkable things have been aflTerted by 
the ancients, fuch as it's pofl^effing the quality of 
rumination like oxen. This Ariflrotle, PJiny, 
Oppian, and others, affirm; but none of them 
from their own perfonal knowledge; they feem 
only to have gathered it from hearlay, or elfe to 
have borrowed it from each other. 
It has alfo been alledged, that this is the only 
fifli which feeds on herbs; and it has likewifebeen 
thought that this is the only one which ever 
fleeps. But all thefe attributes are either exag- 
gerated, or totally defritute of truth; for the Sca- 
rus poffeflTes few Angularities which are not com- 
mon to other fifh. 
The modern ichthyologifl:s have defcribed 
three fpecies of this fifli; the Scarus Onias, the 
Scarus Varius, and the Scarus Bellonii. The two 
former were mentioned by Rondeletius; but the 
latter was noticed by Bellonius, and feems to have 
been the very fiQi which the ancients knew by 
this appellation. 
The Scarus Onias is a marine fifh, found among ■ 
rocks, and near the fhores : it's fcales are large, 
and very thin ; it's back is of a blackifh blue co- 
lour; it's belly is of a fine white, and an oblong 
and rounded fliape; it's teeth are broad, fome- 
what refembling the human ; it's eyes are large ; 
and it's head over the eyes is of a fine flrong and 
clear blue colour. 
The Scarus Varius is of the fhape and propor- 
tions of the former; but it's eyes and belly are of a 
purple colour. It's tail is of a fine clear and . 
ftrong blue ; and the reft of the body is of a green- 
iih or blueifh black. The fcales are fpotted and 
S CH 
j fpeckled with duflcy fpots. The teeth are broad 
in the upper jaw, and fomewhat pointed in thd 
lower; from the head to the tail, along the ridg^ 
of the back, runs a row of fhort fpines, connefted 
at their bottoms by a membrane ; and in the mid- 
dle of the belly there are feveral purple fpots. 
The Scarus Bellonii diflTers from both thefe. 
It's colour is a mixture of blueilh and red; it'^ 
fcales are broad and thin ; and it has two tranfverfe 
protuberances near the fides of the tail. The 
body is rounded, and moderately long; the teeth 
are flrong, obtufe, and well adapted for their of- 
fice, which is that of tearing off the rough fea- 
herbs from the rocks, and chewing them for food i 
and the dorfal fin is fingle and prickly. 
This fifh is efleemed peculiarly delicate when 
eaten with the entrails and their contents; but 
otherwife, it is infipid. The Grecian epicures 
formed a luxurious difli of the liver and flomach, 
difregarding therefl of the body. 
SCAULEZ. An appellation fometimes given 
to a Mediterrranean filh, called alfo hepfetus and 
anguella. 
SCAUP DUCK: the Anas Marila of Lin- 
nasus. A bird of the duck kind, varying confi- 
derably in it's colours; lb that, in a flock of forty 
or fifty, perhaps two exaftly fimilar cannot be 
found. 'Willughby informs us, that this fpecies 
receives it's name from it's feeding on fcaup, or 
broken fhell fifh. See Duck. 
SCARONE. A term by which Salvlan and 
fome others exprefs the picked dog-fifl-i,or hound ; 
the Galeus Spinax of the Latinifts. It is a fpecies 
of fqualus, diftinguifiied by the roundnefs of it's 
body, and by having no pinna ani. 
SCELAZIUS. An appellation given by Dr. 
Hill to a genus of animalcules with vifible legs. 
Thefe creatures are com.mon in ditch-water; and 
their motions are confiderably flower than thofe 
of other animals of the fame kind. 
SCHiENICLOS. A bird defcribed by Bel- 
lonius, which feems to be the fame with the fea- 
lark or flint. 
SCHAFFILT. A name given by fome orni- 
thologifts to a very fmall owl, the nodlua minor 
of authors in general; a bird not larger than the 
thrufli, with bright yellow-coloured eyes, large 
ears, and feet featiiered down to the toes. It is 
a native of the forefts of Germany. 
SCHEAT. An appellation by which fome 
authors exprefs the gentling; a fifh of the chub 
kind, caught in the Danube and other large rivers 
of Germany ; and called by Gefner and Aldro- 
vandus the Capito Csruleus. 
Artedi diftinguifhes it by the name of the Si- 
lurus with four beards atthe mouth. This is the 
eflfential charadler in which it differs from the 
lake, another fifh of this kind, with only one 
beard. 
SCHELLENT. A fpecies of duck which 
frequents the fea-coafts; about the fize of the 
common breed; and differing from the capo rofTo 
in being much larger; as alfo in having yellow 
irides, though their general colours correfpond. 
SCHELLEY. A provincial appellation for 
the fifh more uflially denominated guiniad. It is 
the lavareto and ferra of fome ichthyologifts; and 
is cauo-ht in the lakes of Cumberland, and fome 
other places. See Guiniad. 
SCHILUS. A name by which fome ichthyo- 
logifts exprefs the lucioperca, or pike-fifh. See 
SCHOMBURGERj 
