CAB 
C A C 
C 
(ABIAI, or CAPIBARA. An animal re- 
ferred by feme naturalifts to the hog kind, 
on account of a very trivial refemblance between 
them ; but which, if clofely examined, will be found 
to differ in the moft obvious particulars from that 
clafs of animals. 
The Cabiai, with refpedl to the fliape of it's body 
and the coarfenefs of it's hair, refembles a hog of 
two years old. Like it, the neck is fhort, and the 
back round and briftly; like it, too, this animal is 
fond of water and marfliy places, and feeds indif- 
ferently on animal and vegetable food. On the 
other hand, the eyes are larger; and the fnout, in- 
fcead of being rounded as in the hog, is divided 
like that of the hare or rabbit, and furniflied with 
thick ftrong whiflcers; the mouth is more con- 
tracted; and the number and fiiape of the teeth are 
different, for it has no tufks. Like the pec- 
cary, another fingulai* animal, the Cabiai is defti- 
tute of a tail ; and, diffimilar to ail others of this 
kind, inftead of a cloven hoof, it is in a man- 
ner v/eb-footed, and thus entirely adapted for an 
aquatic life. The fore-hoofs are divided into four 
.parts, and thofe behind into three; and between 
the divifions there is a prolongation of the flcin, 
fo that the feet, when fpread in fwimming, are ca- 
pable of beating a greater furface of water. 
As the feet of this animal are thus conftru6led for 
the water, fo it feems to delight entirely in that ele- 
ment; for which reafon fome naturalifts have given 
it the name of the water-hog. It is a native of South 
America; and, like the otter, chiefly frequents the 
margins of lakes and rivers. It preys on fifh, which 
it feizes with it's hoofs and teeth, carries to the edge 
of the water, and feafts on at leifure ; and it alfo 
devours fruits, corn, and fugar-canes. The legs 
being long and broad, it is often feen fitting on it's 
haunches; and, when alarmed, it's cry refembles 
the braying of an afs rather than the grunting 
of a hog. It feldom ventures from it's retreat, 
except during the night, and then always in com- 
pany: however, it never makes diftant excurfions; 
for, as it's feet are ill-adapted to running, it's only 
place of fafety is the water, into which it plunges 
when purfued, and remains fo long at the bottom 
as generally to tire the patience of the hunter. 
Even in a ftate of native liberty, the Cabiai is a 
gentle animal; and, when young, is eafily tamed : 
it will even anfwer to it's name, and difcover a fond 
attachment to the perfon wlio uliially feeds it. The 
Beih of this creature is faid to be fat and tender ; 
but, from the nature of it's food, it has a fifhy tafte. 
The head, hov/ever, is efteemed excellent ; and in 
this refpedt it refembles the beaver, the fore-parts 
of which tafte like flefii, and the hinder like the 
fifti it feeds on. 
• CABILJAU. An African fifli, of an alli-co- 
iour, covered v/ith large fcales, and marked down 
the back with a black lift", which runs from the head 
to the tail. It grows to the length of about two 
feet and a half, and has very hard fms. The flefli 
is reckoned extremely nutritive. 
CABILIAU. A name ufed by ferae naturalifts 
to exprefs the common cod-fifii, the morhua and 
afellus major of naturalifts. 
CABOS, A fpecies of eel-pout^ which grows 
to the length of two feet, and is very fat. The fkin 
is extremely fmooth, of a brownifti colour, and de- 
ftitute of fcales; the fnout is pale, fpotted with 
black ; and the head is fhort. The flefli of the Ca- 
bos is well-flavoured and wholefome. 
CABOTE. A fifh of the cuculus kind, more 
ufually known among authors by the name of the 
corax. 
CABURE. A Brazilian bird of.the owl kind, 
about the fize of a linall thrufli. The bill and irides 
are yellow; the legs are fliort, and covered with 
feathers; the claws are black; the tail is broad, and 
of the colour of faint umber waved wi^h white. The 
entire upper part of the iiead, the back, and the 
v/ings, are likewife of the fame colour fpotted with 
white, the fpots on the head and neck being very 
fmall, but thofe on the wings larger; and the 
breaft and belly are white, variegated with fpots of 
a dull brown. The Brazilians keep this bird tame, 
on account of it's many diverting tricks. 
C ACABOGA. An American ferpent, by fome 
naturalifts accounted the fame with the tareiboia, 
or black water-fnake, of that part of the vv^orld. It 
is, however, defcribed by others as of a yellow co- 
lour, living near houfes, and deftroying abundance 
of poultry, though it's bite is not fatal. 
CACHALOT. A fetaceous fifli, having teeth 
in the lower jaw only; claffed by Linnaeus under 
the phyfeter. 
This animal has generally been referred to the 
fame clafs with the fpermaceti whale; but the in- 
genious Pennant very properly makes a diftindion 
between them. Naturalifts enumerate feven varie- 
ties of this fpecies ; the principal of which are, the 
blunt-headed Cachalot, the round-headed Cachalot, 
and tlie high-finned Cachalot. 
This tribe of fifties is of inferior dimenfions to 
the whale properly fo called, not being in general 
above fixty feet long, and fixteen in circumference. 
In confequence of their being more flender, they are 
confiderably lefs unwieldy than the common whale; 
are capable of remaining longer at the bottom of the 
fea ; and afibrd a fmaller quantity of oil in propor- 
tion to their magnitude. Even in the common 
whale, the head makes a third part of the bulk; 
but in this fpecies it conftitutes at leaft one half. 
The tongue of the Cachalot is fmall; but the 
throat is fo enormoufly v/ide as to be capable of 
admitting an ox entire. In the ftomach of the whale 
fcarcely any thing is to be found ; but in that of the 
Cachalot there are frequently vaft quantities of fifli 
of different kinds ; fome whole, and others liaif-di- 
gefted, fome fmall, and others eight or nine feet long. 
The Cachalot is therefore asdeftruftive amongleffer 
fifnes as the whale is harmlefs ; and, at one gulp, 
can fend a flioal of them down it's enormous gul- 
let. Linnseus informs us, that this animal is fo for- 
midable to dolphins and porpoifes, as often to drive 
them on fliore. 
But how terrible foever this fifli may be to it's 
fellows of the deep, it is by iar the moft valuable 
and moft defired by man, as it yields two very pre- 
cious drugs, namely, fpermaceti and anVuergris. 
The ule of thefe, either for the purpofes of luxury 
or medicine, is fo univerfal, that the capture of 
this arumai; which alone fupplics them, turns out to 
2 N very 
