‖n. pl. [ NL., fr. L. scandere, scansum, to climb. ] (Zool.) An artifical group of birds formerly regarded as an order. They are distributed among several orders by modern ornithologists. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The toes are in pairs, two before and two behind, by which they are enabled to cling to, and climb upon, trees, as the woodpeckers, parrots, cuckoos, and trogons. See Illust. under Aves. [ 1913 Webster ]