172 CONCERXING CATS. 



Cat. — A strong tackle, or combination of pulleys, to hook 

 and draw in the anchor perpendicularly up to the cat-head 

 of the ship. 



Cat. — A small kind of anchor is sometimes called a 

 cat or ketch ; by the Dutch, " Kat." 



Cat. — " At the edge of the moat, opposite the wooden 

 tower, a strong penthouse, w^hich they called a ' cat,' might 

 be seen stealing towards the curtain, and gradually filling 

 up the moat with facines and rubbish." — Read Cloister and 

 Hearth, chap, xliii. (Davis' " Glossary.") 



Catacide. — A cat-killer (Bailey, 1726). 



Catajiioimt. — Cat of the mountain, the ordinary wild 

 cat, when found on the mountains, among the rocks or 

 woods. 



Cat and trap. — A game or play (Ainsworth). This is 

 probably that known as " trap, bat, and ball," as on striking 

 the trap, after the ball is placed on the lever, it is propelled 

 upwards, and then struck by the batsman. 



Catapult. — A military engine for battering or attacking 

 purposes. A modern toy, by which much mischief and evil 

 is done by unthinking boys. 



Cat-bird. — An American bird, whose cry resembles that 

 of a cat, the Tardus felivox. 



Cat-block. — A two or threefold block with an iron strap 

 and large hook, used to draw up an anchor to the cat-head. 



Cat-call. — "A tin whistle. The ancients divided their 

 dramas into four parts : protasis (introduction), epit'asis 

 (continuation), catas'tasis (climax), and catastrophe (con- 

 clusion or de?ioue??ie?it). The cat-call is the call for the cat 

 or catastrophe.^' — Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 

 " Sound, sound, ye viols ; be the cat-call dumb." 



Dunciade, I. 303. 

 The modern imitation of " cat - calls " is caused by 

 whistling with two fingers in the mouth, and so making an 

 intensely shrill noise, with waulings imitating " catter- 



