TAJ 
the maft; and on feeing the Sword-Fifh, direfts 
the rowers towards it. As foon as he thinks they 
are got within reach, he defcends, and taking a 
fpear in his hand, ftrikes it into the fifh, which, 
after wearying itfelf with it's agitation, is feized, 
and dragged into the boat. 
The Sword-Fifh is much efteemed by the Si- 
cilians, who frequently purchafe it at the rate of 
fixpence a pound. It is faid to be extremely vo- 
racious; and a great enemy to the tunny, which, 
according to Bellonius, fliuns it with as much 
terror as a flock of fheep avoid a wolf. 
SYCABIS. An appellation by which fome 
ornithologifts exprcfs the atricapella, or black- 
cap; a fmall bird well known in England. 
SYNAGRIS. A fifh caught in the Archipe- 
lago, and fome other feas ; a fpecies of the fparus 
in the Artedian fyftem, diftinguiflied by that au- 
thor under the appellation of the fparus with a 
fharp back, and four large teeth. Li/inaus alfo 
makes it a fpecies of fparus, with a bifid red tail, 
a pufple body, and feven gold-coloured lines on 
each fide. 
SYNGNATHUS. A genus of fifhes of the 
order of nantes, and clafs of amphibia. The cha- 
rafters are thefe: the coverings of the gills on 
each fide are compofed of a thin and fingie bony 
lamella; the head is oblong and coinpreiTed ; the 
jaws are clofed up at the fides; and the mouth is 
capable of being opened at the extremity of the 
fnout only, which is cylindric, and covered by the 
lower jaw. The body is long, and very fiender; 
the flhape is fomewhat roundilh, but more ufually 
angular; and there are no ventral fins. 
Artedi enumerates four fpecies of this genus j 
and Linn^us feven; among which are the pipe- 
fifb, the hippocampus, ophidion, and typhle. 
SYNODON, OR CYNODON. An appel- 
lation by which feveral ichthyologifts exprefs a 
filh caught in the Mediterranean ; more com- 
monly known by the name of dentex. It is a 
fpecies of the fparus in the Linnsean fyftem. 
TAB ANUS, the Ox-Fly. In the Linnasan 
fyftem of zoology, a genus of the diptera 
order of infe6ts : the charaflersof which are; that 
the mouth has a flefliy probofcis, terminated by 
two lips; and two fubulated palpi, placed fide- 
waySj and parallel to the probofcis. Linnaeus 
enumerates nineteen fpecies. 
TABBY. A variety of the common cat, fo 
called from the beautiful manner in which it is 
ftreaked. 
TACHAS. An appellation by which fome 
naturalifts exprefs the manati, or fea cow. 
TADORNA; the Anas Tadorna ofLinnteus. 
A name by which fome ornithologifts exprefs that 
fpecies of duck known in England by the appel- 
lation of the Iheel-drake, or borough-duck. 
This bird frequents the fea-coafts, where it 
lodges in deferted rabbit-holes. It lays fifteen 
or fixteen white roundifh eggs: and attends to the 
prefervation of it's young with the moft diligent 
care; at the fame time evincing a very confider- 
able degree of fagacity. It's flefii is rank and 
ill-flavoured. See Duck. 
TADPOLE. An appellation by which the 
frog, in it's nafcent ftate, is generally known. See 
Frog. 
TiENIA. A fifli of the anguilliform kind, 
common in the Mediterranean. It is of a pale 
flefli colour, with an admixture of blue; entirely 
deftitute of fcales; and it's flefli fo extremely tranf- 
parent, that the vertebree of the back-bone may 
be eafily counted through it. The body termi- 
nates in a long and very flender tail; the mouth 
is Ikiall, and furniflied with a fingle row of fliarp 
teeth in each jaw; the ventral fin is twice as large 
as the dorfal, and runs fuch a way up towards the 
head, that the anus, which is fituatcd at it's termi- 
nation, is very near the angle of the under jaw; 
and the inteftines are all covered with a filvcry 
peritoneum, which is alfo plainly diftinguiflied 
through the flefli. This fifli is ufually about a 
foot long, and the breadth of a finger. 
T^NiA is alio a genus of the zoophyte order 
of worms, in the Linnasan fyftem ; including four 
fpecies. See Tape-Worm. 
T^NIA CORNUTA. An appellation by 
which many authors exprefs a fpecies of the cobi- 
tis; denominated by Artedi the cobitis with a 
forked prickle placed under each eye. This fifii 
is the Cobitis Taenia of Unn^eus. 
TAJAN DEVIL, A name given by the 
Dutch to a lizard found in the ifland of Formofa: 
but for what reafon it has received this fingular 
appellation, we know not, unlefs from thefliarp- 
ncfs of it's claws. It is about an ell long, and 
twenty inches broad; with fcales like a fifn ; and 
lb extremely harmlefs, that it will fooner die than 
make any refiftance. It feeds on pifinires; and 
avoids the human race with the moft fearful cir- 
cumlpection. 
TAJACU; the Sus Tajacu of Linnreus. An 
American animal, called alfo aper mofchiferus, or 
the muflc-boar, and the pecary. It is ftiaped 
fomewhat like our hog, but is much fmaller, and 
deftitute of a tail. It has a very fingular aperture 
on the ridge of the bade near the rump, from 
which proceeds a ilrong-fmelHng liquid fubftance, 
of a brown iOi yellow colour. 
This creature inliabirs the horteft parts of 
South America, and fome of the Antilles; and fre- 
quents mountains covered with wood, where it 
feeds on fruits, roots, toads and ferpents. It is 
very favage in it's nature; and when wounded 
will turn on the hunters. It's flefli is much 
efteemed; but unlefs the dorfal gland which fup- 
plies the odoriferous liquid is immediately extir- 
pated, the flefli becomes tainted in a few minutes 
after it is killed. See F£CARy. 
TAIIBL 
