a. [SQUARE a. 12.] Having a square tail: a. Of animals, birds, etc.
1781. Pennant, Hist. Quadrup., II. 482. Square-tailed Shrew of a dusky cinereous color.
1819. Pantologia, s.v. Sorex, The white footed, square tailed, carinated, and unicolor shrews.
1827. Griffith, trans. Cuvier, V. 102. Sorex Tetragonurus (Square-tailed Shrew).
1891. Science-Gossip, XXVII. 80/1. The Square-tailed Worm . Among our native worms there is one with a square tail (Allurus tetraedrus, Eisen).
1895. Lydekker, Roy. Nat. Hist., IV. 54. The square-tailed bee-eaters (Melittophagus) are all of small size.
b. Of a coat.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VII. ii. Young Valour in square-tailed coat eyes Beauty in Greek sandals.