CONCERNING CATS. i73 



waulings." Also a shrill tin whistle, round and flat, set 

 against the teeth. 



Cat-eaten Street.— In London ; properly " Catte Street " 

 (Stow). 



Caterpillar.—'' Catyrpelwyrm among fruit" is corrupted 

 from old French C/^^//^A/^2^^^ (Palsgrave, 1530). "Hairy 

 cat • " the last part of the word was probably assimilated to 

 pilier, a robber or despoiler (Palmer's Folk Etymology). 



Caterwauling.— The wrawl of cats in rutting times ; any 

 hideous noise. Topsel gives catwr ailing, to "wrall;" 

 " wrawl," to rail or quarrel with a loud voice ; hence the 

 Yorkshire expression, "raising a wrow," meaning a row or 

 quarrel. There is also the archaic adjective wraiv (angry). 

 Cater-waul therefore, is the wawl or wrawl of cats ; the er 

 being either a plural, similar to " childer" (children), or a cor- 

 rupted genitive.— Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 

 " What a caterwawling do you keep here ! " 



Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act IL, Scene 3. 



a To yawl. To squall or scream harshly like an enraged 



cat." — HoLLOWAY (Norfolk). 



" Thou must be patient ; we came crying hither ; 

 Thou knowest the first time that we smell air, 



We waul and cry." 



King John, Act IV. 



Cat-eyed.— '^Xy, gray eyes, or with large pupils, watchful. 



Cat-fall.— K rope used in ships for hoisting the anchor to 

 the cat-head. 



Catfish.— K species of the squalus, or shark {Fells 

 marinus). The catfish of North America is a species of 

 cottur or bull-head. 



Catout.—K corruption of "gut-cord." The intestines 

 of a sheep, twisted and dried; not that of a cat, as 

 generally supposed. Also, it is stated by some, the finer 

 strings for viols were made from the cat. Mr. Timbs says 



