Magnetic dipole excitation strengths attributable to the scissors mode in even-A rare earth nuclei between A=140–190 are collected and presented assuming the excitation energy as an additional signature for the fragments of this mode. In this whole mass region the total M1 strength is found to be proportional to the quantity B(E2;$0_1^{+}$→$2_1^{+}$)/${\mathit{Z}}^2$ as has been known before for the Nd and the Sm nuclei. In the upper half of the N=82–126 major shell the M1 and the E2 strengths do not saturate. Both quantities exhibit a rather monotonous increase towards midshell.

• Received 11 August 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.52.R2317