The Book of Cats. 7 



so called, from the scratches they leave on the skin, 

 like the claws of a cat. 



A Cat is also the name for a tackle or combina- 

 tion of pulleys, to suspend the anchor at the cat's- 

 head of a ship. 



Cat-harping is the name for a purchase of ropes 

 employed to brace in the shrouds of the lower masts 

 behind their yards. 



The Cat-fall is the name of a rope employed upon 

 the Cat-head. Two little holes astern, above the 

 Gun-room ports, are called Cat-holes. 



A Cat's-paw is a particular turn in the bight of a 

 rope made to hook a tackle in; and the light air 

 perceived in a calm by a rippling on the surface of 

 the water, is known by the same name. 



A kind of double tripod with six feet, intended to 

 hold a plate before the fire and so constructed that, 

 in whatever position it is placed, three of the legs 

 rest on the ground, is called a Cat, from the belief 

 that however a Cat may be thrown, she always 

 falls on her feet. 



Cat-salt is a name given by our salt-workers to a 

 very beautifully granulated kind of common salt. 



Cat's-eye or Sun-stone of the Turks is a kind of 

 gem found chiefly in Siberia. It is very hard and 

 semi-transparent, and has different points from 



