C A C 
very great advantage; particularly fince the art has 
been difcovered of converting all the oil of this 
creature, as well as the brain^ into the fubftance 
called fperinaceti. 
This production, as it is naturally formed, is< 
found in the head of the animal; and, in fa6t, is 
nothing elfe but the brain. Tlie exterior fkin of 
the head being dripped off, a covering of fat, about 
three inches thick, prefents itfelf; under which, in- 
ftead of a bony flaill, the Caehalot has only ano- 
ther thick flcin, which fei'ves to cover and defend 
the brain; and the firft cavity or chamber of the brain 
is filled with that fjDermaceti which is fuppofed of 
the greateft purity and the highefl value. This 
cavity generally yields about feven barrels of 
the clearefl fpermaceti; which, when tlirown on 
water, coagulates like cheefe. Below this there is 
another chamber, exactly over the gullet, which is 
about feven feet high; and this alfo contains the 
fame fluid, but of inferior value. Iit-is diftributed 
in this cavity like honey in a hive; in fmall cells, 
feparated from each other by membranes like the 
interior fl<ins of eggs. In proportion as the oily 
fubftance is drained from this part, it fills afrefli 
from every part of the body ; and from tliis is ge- 
nerally obtained about nine barrels of oil. Befides 
thefe, the fpinal marrow, nearly as thick as a man's 
thigh, and which reaches all along the back-bone 
to the tail, where it becomes extremely fmall, af- 
fords no inconfiderable quantity of the fame valu- 
able fubftance. 
Spermaceti, which is ufed in the compofition 
of many medicines rather to give them confift- 
ence than efficacy, was originally fold at a very 
high price, both from the numerous virtues af- 
cribed to it, and the fmall quantities that tlie Ca- 
clialot was deemed capable of fupplying: at pre- 
fent, however, the price is greatly fallen, owing to 
it's little efficacy in medicine, and the immenfe 
quantities now produced by a modern invention 
of converting the oil into fpermaceti. This ope- 
ration is performed by boiling it with alec of pot- 
afh, and hardening it after the manner of foap ; and 
fo plentiful is fpermaceti now become, that can- 
dles are made of it, which are fold cheaper than 
thofe compofed of wax. 
The ambergris which is fometimes found in 
this fpecies of whale was long confidered as an 
heterogeneous fubftance, for which no origin could 
be affigned. But time, which reveals the fecrets 
of nature, as well as the frauds of the interefted, 
has difcovered that it is chiefly derived from this 
animal. The name which is iniproperly given to 
the fpermaceti, feems more juflly to belong to 
this ; for the ambergris is found in the place where 
the I'eminal veffels are uftially fituated in other ani- 
mals. It is lodged in a bag three or four feet 
long, in round lumps, from one to twenty pounds 
weight, floating in a fluid fomewhat thinner than 
oil, and of a yellowifli colour: thefe bags never 
contain more than four of thefe balls ; and one 
which weighed twenty pounds, and was the largeft 
ever feen, was difcovered fingle. The amber- 
gris, however, is not found in all fiflies of this 
kind, but chiefly in the oldeft and ftrongeft. It's 
ules in medicine, luxury, and perfumery, are well 
known; though it's intrinfic value is fmall, and 
it's qualities, perhaps, had better have remained 
unafcertained. 
Cachalot, Blunt-Headed. This fpecies is 
about fifty-four feet long; the greateft circumfe- 
rence below the eyes is thirty feet ; and the fuperior 
jaw, which is five feet longer chan the inferior, niea- 
C A G 
fures fifteen feet. Tlie head is of an enorxi'ous 
fize, extremely thick, and extends upwards of one- 
third of the whole length ; the end of the upper 
jaw is quite blunt, and near nine feet high, at the 
extremity of which is the fpout-hole. The teeth 
are arrayed in the lower jaw, twenty- three on each 
fide, all pointing outwards; andinthe upperjawjop- 
pofite to them, there are an equal number of cavi- 
ties, in which the ends of the teeth lodge xvhen the 
mouth is fhut. The eyes are very fmal), and re- 
mote from the nofe. The pectoral fins are placed 
near the angle of the mouth, and meafure about 
three feet in length; and, except a large protube- 
rance on the middle of the back, there is no ap- 
pearance of a fin. The tail is a little forked, 
and about fourteen feet from tip to tip. A fifh of 
this kind was driven afliore on Cramond Ifle, near 
Edinburgh, in December 1769. 
Cachalot, Round-Headed. Upwards of a 
hundred of this fpecies, of different fizes, were caft 
afhore at one time on one of the Orkney iflands. 
The head was round ; the aperture of the mouth 
was fmall ; the teeth were an inch and three quar- 
ters long, and in their thickcft places about the 
fize of a man's thum^b. There was no dorfal fin, 
the fpace being occupied by fome cutaneous af- 
perities. 
Cachalot, High-Finned. The fpout-hole of 
this fpecies is placed in front ; and on the middle 
of the back there is a hi2;h fin, wliich that prear 
naturalift Sir Robert Sibbald com.pares to the mi- 
zen-maft of a fhip. The teeth are flightly incur- 
vated, and near eight inches long. A fifli of this 
kind was caft afliore on the Orkney Iftcs in the 
year 1687. 
CADE-WORM. The Englifli name for the 
phryganium, a common worm found in ditches, 
and ufed as a bait for fifli. The fly produced from 
this worm has a long body, four brown -wings, and 
a forked tail. About the month of Auguft it is 
very frequently found on the furfaces of ftagnant 
and other waters. 
C/ECILJA. The name of a genus of ferpents. 
The word Cascilia is likewile ufed by lom.e authors 
to exprefs the fifli more ufually known by the name 
of the acus. 
CiERULEUS A name given by fome natu- 
ralifts to a bird of the thrufti kind, fomewhat re- 
fembling thatfpecies of blackbird commonly called 
the fblitaiy fparrov/. 
Carruleus is likewife a name given by Solinus 
to the great Indian worm, defcribed by Pliny and 
others as inhabiting the Ganges. It is extremely 
probable, however, that all the accounts handed 
down to us concerning this irionftrous animal are 
only fiiife defcriptions of the crocodile. 
CAGADO DE AGOA. A name given by the 
Portuguefe to a fpecies of Am.erican tortoife, ufu- 
ally knovv'n among authors by it's Brazilian nasne 
jurura. 
CAGADO DE TERRA. A fpecies of Ame- 
rican tortoife, fb called by the Portuguefe ; but, by 
the Brazilians, jaboti. 
CAGAO. The Indian name for a larg;e bird 
which inhabits the mountains, where it feeds on the 
piftachia nuts, and many other fruits; all which h 
fwallovv^s whole. It is extremicly voracious; and 
it's food paifes off fo quickly, that the pift'achias 
only lofe their rinds in it's ftomach; and almonds 
their pulpy coverings, the kernels and ftones be- 
ing voided entire. This bird is' about the fize 
of a common hen^ but the neck is ccnfiderably 
longer. 
CAGIT, 
