714 STE 
5. The term inative character for ing is to 
be expressed likewise by a small circle’, but 
drawn to the left hand ; and its plural ings by 
a dot. 
6. The plural signs is to be added to the 
term inative characters when necessary. 
7. The separated terminations are never 
to be used but in polysyllables, or words of 
more syllables than one. 
These directions duly observed, together 
with a proper attention to the engraved plate, 
and a regard to what has gone before in this 
art, will point out a method as concise and 
elegant as can be desired, for expressing the 
most frequent and longest prepositions and 
terminations in the English languages If it 
should bethought necessary to increase their 
number by the addition of others, it will be 
an easy matter for anv one of the least dis- 
cernment to do so, by proceeding on the 
principles before laid down. 
STEP of the mast and capstan, in a ship, is 
that piece of timber whereon the masts or 
capstans stand at bottom. 
STE PH AN I U M, a genus of the mono- 
gynia order, in the pent audria class of plants, 
and in the natural method ranking under the 
47th order, 'stellate. The calyx is mono- 
phyllous, turbinated, and quinquepartite ; the 
corolla is monopetalous, funnel-shaped, hav- 
ing its tubes curved and ventricose; the pe- 
ricarpium is a bilocular berry, containing two 
seeds, flattened on one side, and round on 
the other. This genus is nearly allied to that 
of psychotria. There is only one species, 
viz. guianense, a native of the warmer parts of 
America. 
STERBEEKT A, a genus of the class and 
order polyandria monogynia ; the calyx is 
three or five valved ; corolla three or live 
petalled ; caps, corticose ; seeds intricate ; 
nothing in pulp. There is one species, a 
shrub of Guiana. 
STERCULIA, a genus of plants belong- 
ing to the class dodecandria, and order of 
monogynia, and in the natural system rank- 
ing under the 38th order, tricocceae. The 
calyx is quinquepartite ; there is no corolla ; 
the nect. is bell-shaped; germ pedicelled; and 
the capsule is quinquelocular, and many- 
seeded. There are eight species, all foreign 
plants. 
STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION. 
See Projection. 
STEREOGRAPHY, the art of drawing 
the forms and figures of the solids upon a 
plane. 
STEREOMETRY, that part of geome- 
try which teaches how to measure solid bo- 
dies, that is, to find the solidity or solid con- 
tent of bodies, as globes, cylinders, cubes, 
vessels, ships, &c. 
STEREOTYPE PRINTING. This is said 
to be an improvement in the art, and was in- 
troduced into this country by Mr. Ged, of 
Edinburgh, who, instead of types or single 
letters, formed a plate for eagh separate page, 
from which the work is printed. With the 
lirst inventor it did not succeed ; though the 
pretensions of Ged, as an inventor, may be 
disputed, for precisely the same principle 
was adopted many hundred years ago by the 
Chinese and Japanese, who first practised the 
art 'of printing by means of wooden blocks. 
STE 
The mode of stereotype printing is, first to set 
up a page, for instance, in the common way, 
and when if is rendered perfectly correct, a , 
cast is taken from it, and in this cast the metal 
for the stereotype plate is poured. This 
method of printing has lately been brought 
info practice by earl Stanhope, who seems to 
have overcome all difficulties, and to have 
rendered the art as perfect as can be expect- 
ed. His lordship intends to make the inven- 
tion public. 
STERLING, a term frequent in British 
commerce. A pound, shilling, or penny, 
sterling, signifies as much as a pound, shilling, 
or penny, of lawful money of Great Britain, 
as settled by authority. 
STERN of a ship, usually denotes all the 
hindermost part of her, but properly it is only 
the outmost part abaft. 
Stern-fast, denotes some fastenings of 
ropes, &c. behind the stern of a ship, to which 
a cable or hawser may be brought or fixed, 
in order to hold her stern to a wharf, &c. 
Stern-post, a great timber let into the 
keel at the stern of a ship, somewhat slop- 
ing, into which are fastened the after planks ; 
and on this post, by its pintle and gudgeons, 
hangs the rudder. 
STERNA, the tern, a genus of birds of 
the order anseres. The marks of this genus 
are a straight, slender, pointed bill, linear 
nostrils, a slender and sharp tongue, very 
long wings, a small back toe, and a forked 
tail. There are 25 species, according to Dr. 
Latham ; the caspia, cayana, surinamensis, 
fuliginosa, africana, stolida, philippina, sim- 
plex, nilotica, boysii, striata, vittata, sadicea, 
pilcata, hirundo, panaya, cinerea, alba, mi- 
nuta, sinensis, australis, metopoleucos, fis- 
sipes, nigra, and obscura. Three of these 
only are found in Great Britain ; the hirundo, 
minuta, and iissipes. See Plate Nat. Hist, 
fig. 377. 
1. The hirundo, common tern, or great 
sea-swallow, weighs four ounces one quarter; 
the length is fourteen inches; the breadth 
thirty ; the bill and feet are of a fine crimson; 
the former tipt with black, straight, slender, 
and sharp-pointed ; the crown, and hind 
part of the head, black ; the throat, and whole 
underside of the body, white ; the upper part, 
and the coverts of the wings, a fine pale-grey. 
This is a very common species, frequents our 
sea-coasts, and banks of lakes and rivers dur- 
ing the summer, but is most common in the 
neighbourhood of the sea. It is found also in 
various parts of Europe and Asia, according 
to the season ; in the summer, as far as Green- 
land and Spitzbergeri, migrating in turn to 
the South of Austria and Greece. It lays 
three or four eggs about the month of June, 
of a dull olive-colour. 
These are laid among the grass or moss. 
The young are hatched in July, and quit the 
nest very soon after. They are carefully fed 
by their parents, and fly in about six weeks. 
This bird appears to have all the actions on 
the water which the swallow has fin land, 
skimming on the surface, and seizing on 
every insect which comes in its way ; besides 
which, the moment it spies a fish in the wa- 
ter, it darts into that element, and seizing its 
prey, arises as quickly to the place from 
which it dipped. 
2. The minuta, or smaller sea-swallow, 
weighs only two ounces five grains; the 
O 
S T I 
length is eight inches and a half, the breadth*] 
nineteen and a half. The bill is yellow, tipti 
with black ; the forehead and cheeks white f 
from the eyes to the. bill is a black line ; the! 
top of the head and hind part black; the* 
breast and under side of the body clothed with! 
feathers so closely set together," and of such! 
an exquisite rich gloss and so fine a w Lite, that! 
no satin can be compared to it. These two! 
species are very delicate, and seem unable 
to bear the inclemency of the weather on 
our shores during winter, for we observe that 
they quit their breeding-place at the approach 
of it, and do not return till spring. The man- 
ners, haunts, and food, of this species, are the 
same with those of the former; but they are 
far less numerous. 
3. The fissipes, or black tern, is of a mid- 
dle size between the first and second species. 
The usual length is ten inches ; the breadth 
24; the weight two ounces and a half. The 
head, neck, breast, and belly, as far as the* 
vent, are black; beyond is white ; the male 
has a white spot under its chin ; the back and 
wings are ot a deep ash-colour ; the tail is* 
short and forked; the .exterior feather oiJ 
each side is white ; the other ash-coloured J 
the legs and feet of a dusky red. These birds 
frequent fresh waters, breed on their banks, 
and lay three small eggs of a deep olive-co- 
lour, much spotted with black. They are 
found during spring and summer in vast num- 
bers in the tens of Lincolnshire, make an in- 
cessant noise, and teed on flies as well as 
water-insects and small Ashes. Birds of this 
species are seen very remote from land. 
STERNOPTYN, a genus of iishes of the! 
order apodes. The generic character is j 
head obtuse, teeth very minute ; gill mem- 
brane 0; body compres’sed, without apparent 
scales ; breast, carinate folded; belly pellucid 
There is but a single species, that inhabits 
America, viz. diaphana. 
S r l ERNUM. See Anatomy. 
S 1 EWARD, a man appointed in a plact 
or stead, and always signifies a principal offi- 
cer within his jurisdiction. The greatest o 
these is the lord-high-steward of England 
but the power of this officer being very greatJ 
of late he has not usually been appointed fori 
any length of time, but only for the dispatcll 
of some special business, as "the trial of sonx 
nobleman in cases of treason, &c. after whici 
his commission expires. 
STICKLEBACK. See Gasterostexjs 
STICKS, foot, in printing, slips of \voo< 
that lie between the foot of the ’page and tin 
chase, to which they are wedged fast by tlx 
quoins, to keep the form firm, in conjunctioi 
with the side-sticks, which are placed at tlx 
side of the page, and fixed in the same man 
mer by means of quoins. 
STIGMA, in entomology, a spot or anas 
tomosis in the middle of the wings of insect 
near the anterior margin, cpnspicuous in tlx 
hymenopterous tribes. 
STIGMATA, in natural history, the aper 
tures in different parts of the bodies of insects 
communicating with the tracheae, or air-ves 
sels, and serving for the office of respiration. 
STIGMATIZING, ‘Among the antients 
was inflicted upon slaves as a punishment 
but more frequently as a mark to know then 
by ; :n which case it was done bv applying i 
red-hot iron marked with certain letters t< 
