CAY 
irritated, it's hair bridles on it's back, and it ftrlkes 
the ground with it's feet. It's flefli is eaten by the 
inhabitants of South Amerita, who efteem it very 
palatable; and the animal is capable of being do- 
mefticated, and rendered very tamci 
There is alfo a lefs fpecies than t'ne preceding, 
of an orange-colour, which inhabits the fame coun- 
tries; and another found in Java and Sumatra, 
about the fize of a hare, and of a reddifli colour. 
Cavy, Cape. This animal, which is about ten 
inches long, has a thick head, full cheeks, and oval 
ears which are almofl: loft in the fur. The head is 
of the colour of thatof the hare ; the top of the back 
is dufky, mixed with grey ; the fides and belly are 
of a whitilhi grey; and the fiiape of the body is 
thick and clumiy. There are four toes on the 
fore-feet, and three on the hind; and the tail is fo 
Ihort that it can fcarcely be perceived. 
This creature inhabits the mountains near the 
Cape of Good Hope, burrows under ground like 
a rabbit, and it's flefh is in high eftimation among 
the inhabitants of that part of the world. 
Cavy, Musk. This animal is almoft as large 
as a rabbit ; the upper-part of it's body is black ; 
and it's belly is entirely white. It inhabits Mar- 
tinico, and the other Antilles ifiands; burrows un- 
der ground; and fmells fo ftrongly of mufk, that 
it's retreat may be traced by the perfume. 
Cavy, Olive. This fmall animal is very ob- 
fcurely mentioned by naturalifts; M. Barrere only 
informing us, that the colour is olive; and De 
Marchais, that it is efteemed delicate food. It is 
found in Guiana, and the ifiands of St. Lucia and 
Grenada; and lives in the woods on various kinds 
•f fruits. It appears to have a great averfion to 
water; it is safily tamed; and, when it cries, which 
is but feldom, it makes a noife like that of the 
Guinea-pig. 
CAY. A fmall Brazilian monkey of a deep 
black colour. It lives only in thick impervious 
woods ; and ufualiy fiis on the branches of a par- 
ticular kind of fruit-bearing treer, on the produce 
of which it fubfifts. 
CAYMAN. A fpecies of crocodile found in 
the fouthcrn parts of America, and on the coaft of 
Guinea; rrjore ufuaily known among naturalifts by 
it's Brazilian name Jacere. 
Marcgrave afTerts, that this animal has no 
tongue, but only a membrane lying even with the 
cavity of the lower-jaw, which however has the 
fiiape of a tongue, though it is incapable ot eleva- 
tion. This account agrees v/ith what has been 
already advanced in the defcription of the alliga- 
tor or crocodile, which in faft are the fame ani- 
mals. The eyes of the Cayman are large and 
round, of a bright grey colour, with black pupils; 
the fore-legs are ftiorter and weaker than the hind 
ones ; and there are five toes or fingers on yeach, 
three of which are armed with nails, but the two 
others have none. The hind legs have only four 
toes-, the outermoft of which has no nail. 
La Condamin^^l^rves that, throughout the 
whole courfe of ^HP^^ c>f the Amazons, Cay- 
mans or alligatorWK^very common; that fome of 
them meafure tv/enty feet in length; that they lie 
whole days, and even nights, ftretched out and mo- 
tionlefs, infomuch that thofe who are unacquainted 
with thofe animals might naturally enough miftake 
them for the trunks of trees covered v/ith a rough 
dry bark; that during inundations they fometimes 
enter the cottages of the natives; and that there 
have been frequent inftances of their even attempt- 
C E N 
ing to drag a man out of a canoe in the fight of 
his companions, who have not been able to afford 
him any afllftance, 
CAYOPOLIN. An animal of the monkey 
kind, which bears a ftrong refemblance to the mar- 
mofe, except that it's fnout is more pointed, and 
it's tail longer in proportion. It is of an afh-co- 
lour inclining to yellow, and is a native of the new 
world. 
CEHOILOTI. A Mexican bird of the pigeon 
kind, covered with duflcy feathers, except on the 
breaft and the extremity of the wings, v/here they 
are generally of a palifh white; and the irides are 
red. 
CEIXUPEIRA. An American fifh, efteemed 
very fine and delicate food, tltough of an enormous 
fize. It grows from nine to ten feet in length, and 
is as thick as a man's body; being of an oblong 
figure, with a flatted head. There are no teeth in 
the upper-jaw; but the mouth, which is linall in 
proportion to the fize of the creature, is thick-fet 
with fmall tubercles. The back and fides are 
black ; the belly is of a fine bright v/hite ; and the 
fins are all black, except the ventral ones, which 
are white, with a border of black at their edges. 
CENCHRAMUS. A term by which fome 
naturalifts exprefs the emberiza alba, called in Eng- 
land the bunting. 
CENCHRIS. The name given by many au- 
thors to the kefliel, or windhover, a fpecies of hawk 
of the long-wino;ed kind called the tinnunculus; 
and, in England, the ftannel. 
CENEONTLATOTI. An American bird 
dcfcribed by Nieremberg, and called by that au- 
thor avis polyglotta. It is celebrated for the agree- 
able modulations of it's voice ; which, in point of 
melodyj are faid to furpafs thofe of the nightin- 
gale. 
CENOTZQUI. A bird mentioned by Nierem- 
berg, called avis evocatrix nivis, becaufe it is al- 
ways very clamorous before a fall of fnow. It is 
very beautifully variegated ; and is equally capable 
of enduring a warm or a cold climate, but fhews a 
predileilion for mountainous countries. It turns 
it's head round in every direftion without moving 
it's body, fo as to be capable of obferving every 
objeft that approaches it with the greateft facility. 
There is anotlier fpecies of this bird, called by 
fome authors liceto, and which difixTS from the for- 
mer principally in the difpofition of it's colours. 
CENTEPEE, or CENTIPES. An infed fo 
called from it's great number of feet; and, for the 
fame reafon, alfo termed millepedes by fome, though 
improperly, becaufe that appellation is always be- 
ftowed by naturalifts on hog-lice. It is very com- 
mon in many parts of the world, efpecially between 
t'ne tropics; and in the Weft Indies there are feve- 
ral fpecies, the bite of one of which frequently 
proves mortal. 
This creature is fomewhat longer than a human 
finger, and as thick as a goofe-quill, but moj-e flat, 
and of the colour of rufty iron. It has a round 
head, with two fmall but very fiiarp teeth; and 
the whole body is divided into ten or twelve joints, 
and as many tranfverfe black lines, at the bottom 
of each of which there are two pretty long feet. 
There are two fmall horns on the head, and the 
tail is forked. It is found principally among rot- 
ten wood. When touched, it is fure to bite; the 
wound inflifted produces the fame efi'edls as the 
fting of the fcorpion ; and the like remedies are ap- 
plied in order to a cure. 
2 T Centepef 
