scorpion Any of some 1,300 nocturnal arachnid species (order Scorpi- onida, subphylum Chelicerata) having a slender body, a segmented tail tipped with a venomous stinger, and six pairs of appendages. The small first pair tear apart insect and spider prey. Strong, clawlike pincers on the large second pair, held horizontally in front, are used as feelers and for grasping prey while sucking the tissue fluids. The last four pairs, each with a pincer, are walking legs. The venom is either a hemotoxin that, in humans, causes swelling, redness, and pain or a neurotoxin that may cause convulsions, paralysis, cardiac irregularities, and death. Most scorpions will sting a human only if provoked. Nocturnal hunters, most species are tropical or subtropical.
scorpion fish Any of the numerous species of carnivorous marine fish of the family Scorpaenidae, espe¬ cially those in the genus Scorpaena, widely distributed in temperate and tropical waters. They have large, spiny heads and strong, sometimes venomous, fin spines. Many species blend with their surroundings by vir¬ tue of their dull colour, but some are brightly coloured, often red. The largest species grow to about 40 in.
(1 m) long. Scorpion fish lie quietly on the bottom, often among rocks.
See also lionfish; redfish; rockfish;
ZEBRA FISH.
Scorsese \sk6r-'sa-ze\, Martin (b. Nov. 17, 1942, Flushing, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. film director. Scorsese earned a graduate degree in filmmaking at New York University. After directing several short films, he won critical attention for his feature film Mean Streets (1973) and was widely praised for Taxi Driver (1976); both films starred his frequent lead actor, Robert De Niro. Noted for his real¬ istic, violent portrayals of New York street life, innovative camera work, classic film knowledge, and a spirited cynicism, he rose to the top rank of American directors with such films as Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1983), GoodFellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), and Gangs of New York (2002).
scotch See whiskey
scoter or sea coot Any of three species (genus Melanitta) of diving duck that are mainly marine except during the breeding season. The males are shiny black. The surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) breeds in the forests and tundra of Canada and Alaska and winters on seacoasts as far south as Florida and southern California. The white-winged, or velvet.
species of carnivorous marine fish
California scorpion fish (Scorpaena guttata)
BUD MEESE FROM ROOT RESOURCES-EB INC.
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1706 I Scotland ► Scott
scoter (M. deglandi, ox fused) and the black, or common, scoter (M. nigra ) occur north of the equator nearly worldwide. All three feed mainly on marine animals such as clams.
Scotland Northernmost country of the United Kingdom. Area: 30,421 sq mi (78,789 sq km). Population (2001): 5,062,011. Capitaclass="underline" Edinburgh. The population is a blend of Celtic, Angle, and Norman ancestry. Languages: English (official), Scottish Gaelic, and Scots. Religion: Church of Scotland (Presbyterian; official). Currency: pound sterling. Scotland has three major geographic regions. The Highlands, in the north, are occupied by a series of lakes and the Grampian Mountains. The Lowlands, which include some of Scotland’s best farmland, comprise the other two major regions: the Mid¬ land Valley (Central Lowlands) and the Southern Uplands; the Southern Uplands feature narrow, flat valleys separating table mountains. Scotland has a temperate oceanic climate. Important industries are coal and oil pro¬ duction, electronics, forestry, and marine fishing. Picts inhabited the region when it was invaded by the Romans c. ad 80. In the 5th century it split into four kingdoms under the Picts, Scots, Britons, and Angles. Scottish unifi¬ cation began in the 9th century. It came under a heavy Anglicizing influ¬ ence from the 11th century, and its ruler was forced to pay homage to the English crown in 1174, leading to numerous future disputes. The Scottish and English kingdoms were united in 1603 when James VI, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, ascended the English throne as James I. Scotland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707, when the parliaments of both governments passed the Act of Union. The English prevailed in two Scottish rebellions in the 18th century, and after 1745 the history of Scot¬ land became part of the history of Great Britain. Scotland has no sovereign executive but retains vestiges of ancient sovereignty in its own legal and educational systems. In 1997 the Scots passed a referendum that allowed them to establish their own parliament in Edinburgh to vote on wide- ranging political issues while remaining part of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Parliament first convened in 1999.
Scotland Yard officially New Scotland Yard Headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police, and, by extension, the force itself. The Lon¬ don police force was created in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel and housed at 4 Whitehall Place, which had an entrance in Great Scotland Yard. In 1890 it moved to a new building; that location became New Scotland Yard, a name that was kept when it moved again in 1967. In addition to duties common to all metropolitan police forces (including crime detection and prevention and traffic management), it is entrusted with civil defense in times of emergency, and it maintains a special branch for guarding vis¬ iting dignitaries, royalty, and political dignitaries. It keeps records on all known criminals in Britain, and other British police forces often seek its assistance. It also helps train the police of Commonwealth nations.
Scott, George C(ampbell) (b. Oct. 18, 1927, Wise, Va., U.S.—d. Sept. 22, 1999, Westlake Village, Calif.) U.S. actor. He served in the U.S. Marines before studying drama and journalism at the University of Mis¬ souri. He took numerous roles in television and repertory theatre produc¬ tions before winning praise for his early film roles in Anatomy of a Murder (1959), The Hustler (1961), and Petulia (1968). He was noted for his strong screen presence and barking voice. He won an Academy Award for Patton (1970) but refused to accept it, calling the competition a “meat parade.” Among his later films were The Hospital (1972), Hardcore (1979), Taps (1981), and Malice (1993). His television work included The Price (1970, Emmy Award, also refused) and the role of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (1984).
Scott, Paul (Mark) (b. March 25, 1920, Palmers Green, Eng.—d. March 1, 1978, London) British novelist. Scott entered military service in India in the 1940s and later was a director of a London literary agency; he resigned in 1960 to write full-time. He is known for works chronicling the decline of the British occupation of India, notably The Raj Quartet — consisting of The Jewel in the Crown (1966), The Day of the Scorpion (1968), The Towers of Silence (1971), and A Division of the Spoils (1975)—and Staying On (1977, Booker Prize). All his works, including those set outside India, employ Indian themes or characters.
Scott, Sir Peter Markham (b. Sept. 14, 1909, London, Eng.—d. Aug. 29, 1989, Bristol) British conservationist and artist. Son of Robert Falcon Scott, he graduated from Cambridge University and soon gained renown as a wildlife painter. In 1946 he founded the Severn Wildfowl Trust (later renamed the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust). Through a cap¬ tive breeding program at his sanctuary, he saved the nene from extinction in the 1950s. In 1961 he founded the World Wildlife Fund (World Wide
Fund for Nature). As a member of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1962-81), he created the Red Data Book (see endangered species). He was knighted in 1973.