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One of a family of beetles having the maxillary palpi terminating in a hatchet-shaped joint.

A member of the family of Seljuk; an adherent of that family, or subject of its government; (pl.) the dynasty of Turkish sultans sprung from Seljuk.

To part; to become disunited; to be disconnected; to withdraw from one another; as, the family separated.

A clan, tribe, or family, proceeding from a common progenitor; -- used especially of the ancient clans in Ireland. The chief, struck by the illustration, asked at once to be baptized, and all his sept followed his example. S. Lover.

odoratissima). -- Tree serpent (Zoöl.), any species of African serpents belonging to the family Dendrophidæ.

of numerous species of tubicolous annelids of the genus Serpula and allied genera of the family Serpulidæ. They secrete a calcareous tube, which is usually irregularly contorted, but is sometimes spirally coiled. The worm has a wreath of plumelike and often bright-colored gills around its head, and usually an operculu…

Any fish of the family Serranidæ, which includes the striped bass, the black sea bass, and many other food fishes. -- a. (Zoöl.)

Any species of Sertularia, or of Sertularidæ, a family of hydroids having branched chitinous stems and simple sessile hydrothecæ. Also used adjectively.

ects, more than two, but not very many. Several of them neither rose from any conspicuous family, nor left any behind them. Addison.

broad, its eyes are small and its fur is brownish above, gray beneath. It constitutes the family Haplodontidæ. Called also boomer, showt'l, and mountain beaver.

Any one of several species of food fishes of the Herring family. The American species (Clupea sapidissima), which is abundant on the Atlantic coast and ascends the larger rivers in spring to spawn, is an important market fish. The European allice shad, or alose (C. alosa), and the twaite shad. (C. finta), are less impo…

Either one of two species of birds composing the genus Chionis, and family Chionidæ, native of the islands of the Antarctic.seas.

The head of an Arab family, or of a clan or a tribe; also, the chief magistrate of an Arab village. The name is also applied to Mohammedan ecclesiastics of a high grade. [Written also scheik, shaik, sheikh.]

A genus of shrubs having silvery scurfy leaves, and belonging to the same family as Elæagnus; also, any plant of this genus. See Buffalo berry, under Buffalo.

A member of an Arab princely family descended from Mohammed through his son-in-law Ali and daughter Fatima. The Grand Shereef is the governor of Mecca.

Any species of small burrowing snakes of the family Uropeltidæ, native of Ceylon and Southern Asia. They have a small mouth which can not be dilated.

A linguistic family or stock of North American Indians, comprising many tribes, which extends from Montana and Idaho into Mexico. In a restricted sense the name is applied especially to the Snakes, the most northern of the tribes.

A ganoid fish of the Sturgeon family (Scaphirhynchus platyrhynchus) of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers; -- called also white sturgeon.

Any small insectivore of the genus Sorex and several allied genera of the family Sorecidæ. In form and color they resemble mice, but they have a longer and more pointed nose. Some of them are the smallest of all mammals.

Any one of numerous species of oscinine birds of the family Laniidæ, having a strong hooked bill, toothed at the tip. Most shrikes are insectivorous, but the common European gray shrike (Lanius excubitor), the great northern shrike (L. borealis), and several others, kill mice, small birds, etc., and often impale them o…