C E N 
CEP 
Centepee of the East Indies. This fpecles 
is about five or fix inches long, of the thicknefs of 
a finger, and of a ruddy colour. It confifts of 
many joints and bones; and has two claws or pin- 
cers, with which it wounds as dangeroufly as the 
fcorpion, and excites the moft excruciating pain. 
It lurks in holes, and among old furniture; and is 
feldom feen abroad except when miolefted. 
Centepee of the Cape of Good Hope. This 
creature is about three inches long, and half as 
thick as a finger. It is covered with hair, and ap- 
pears to have no eyes ; bilf there are two feelers on 
the head, which ferve to direft it's motions. It is 
highly venomous, it's bite being equally as dange- 
rous as that of the fcorpion. An European mari- 
ner was bit by one of thefe infefts in fuch a terrible 
manner that his life was fuppofed to be in danger; 
but, by the application of roafted onions to the part 
afFe£led, he foon recovered. 
Centepee, African. This fpecies is four 
inches and a half long, and as thick as a fwan's 
quill. The colour of the whole body is of a flhin- 
ing brownifli black ; and to each divifion or inci- 
fure belongs a fpot of a yellowifh colour, fixty of 
which are arranged on each fide. It is aiTerted by 
fome authors, that though this infedl be fevered 
into two parts, both will continue in a ftate of ani- 
mation. When irritated, it bites fo very fiercely, 
as to wound the hand even througii a thick glove. 
It has a forked mouth ; and two feelers, for the pur- 
pofe of warning it of approaching danger, as well 
as affifting it in procuring it's necefTary aliment. 
Centepee, American. This infect has a 
flame-coloured line running dov/n it's back ; and 
it's fides refemble brafs. It has a vafl number of 
feet, as fmall as hairs; an exceedingly fmall head; 
and, from it's moving with equal facility either 
backwards or forwards, it has been fuppofed to have 
two heads. 
A variety of this kind, brought from Cape Au- 
guita, was ibmewhat larger than the former; and 
had feventy livid divifions or incifures, and twice 
as many feet. 
Centepee, Common. This fpecies is found in 
Great Britain. It is about an inch long; it's body 
is flat, thin, and of a brownifh colour; and it's legs 
are Ihort and yeilowifli. 
Centepee with Thirty Legs. This animal 
is not more than half an inch long, nor thicker than 
a wheat-ftraw. It is flat, and of a red colour; and 
it's lafl: pair of legs, which are very long, give it 
the appearance of having a forked tail. 
Linnaeus mentions only three forts of Centepees ; 
that with feventy feet on each fide, that with twen- 
ty, and that with fifteen. 
CENTRINE. A name given by fome natura- 
iifts to the porcus pifcis. It is properly of the ga- 
leus kind, but much thicker and fhorter than any 
of that genus ; and, from the head to the tail, is 
fomewhat of a triangular figure ; it's broad and flat 
belly forming one fide of a triangle ; and it's two 
fides, which unite at the back, the other two. 
This animal derives the name porcus pifcis either 
from the fhape of it's back, which, rifing into a 
ridge, refembles that of a hog; or from it's being 
fond of v/allowing in mud, after the manner of 
fwine. 
CENTRINES. A fpecies of infers hatched 
in wild fig-trees, 
CENTRISCUS. A genus of the order of nan- 
tes in the clafs of amphibia; the charafters of which 
are, that die head is protraded into a very narrow 
beak; that the aperture is recurved; that the ab- 
domen is carinated; and that the belly-fins are 
united. 
CENTRONIA. A name by which moderrt 
naturalifls have diftinguiflied the echini marini. 
Dr. Hill makes them a diilinft feries of animals, 
living under the defence of fheily coverings, each 
formed of one piece; and furnifhed with a vaft num- 
ber of fpines, ail moveable at the creatures pleafure. 
Tlie fpecies of Centronia, though very nume- 
rous, may all be comprehended under the follow- 
ing general divifions: the loundilb or fubglobofe 
kind, called by Klein cidaris; the cordated kind, 
called by that author fpattangi and fpatagoides; 
and the flat kind, called by him placentae. 
The above celebrated naturalifi:, who has fhewn 
a confiderable fhare of ingenuity in the arrange- 
ment, has divided thefe animals into a number of 
other genera ; but they may be all ranked under 
one or other of the aforefaid divifions. Befides 
the known recent fpecies, many are found in a fof- 
file fiate of a very fingular figure. 
CEO AN. A bird common in the Spanifli Weft 
Indies, and defcribed by Nieremberg, who calls it 
avis nivea. It is fomewhat larger than die Eu- 
ropean thrufli; and is very remarkable for the faci- 
lity with v/hich it learns to imitate the human 
voice. 
CEPEIALUS. An Ariflrotelian name, appli- 
cable to the mugil or mullet; called by other au- 
thors capito. 
Cephalus is alfo a name given by fome natura- 
lifl:s to the fargus, called alfo gardo, and gardon; 
a fifn fcarcely diftinguifhable from the roach. 
CEPHUS. Tlie ancient name of a fpecies of 
monkey known among moderns by that of mona. 
It is diftinguiflied by it's colour, v/hich is varie- 
gated with black and red; and it's tail is of an alli- 
colour, with two white fpots on each fide at it's' 
infertion. It is a native of the noi-diern parts of 
Africa. 
The term Cephus is alfo applied to a bird de- 
fcribed by Aldrovandus as rcfembling the gull in it's 
bill, feet, and legs ; but, in other refpefts, approach- 
ing nearer to the duck kind. It is about thirteen 
inches and a half long from the tip of the bill to 
the extremity of the tail; and is covered with fuch 
an abundance of feathers, that it appears larger than 
it really is. The bill is of a moderate fize, of a 
flefli-colour, ruddy on the fides, and black at the 
extremity. The irides are whitifn; and the head, 
as well as the imder-parts, are covered with white, 
brown, and yellow fpots. The wings are blackifli, 
with Ibme yellow feathers at their tips; the greater 
tail-feathers are alfo blackifli; the legs and thighs 
are of a green hue; but the feet and membranes 
between the toes are brown. 
CEPOLA. A genus of the thoracici, in the 
clafs of fiflies ; the characters of which are, that- 
the head is roundifli and compreiTed; diat the 
mouth is flat; tliat the teeth are crooked; that the 
branchioftegious membran^fcj^ifts of fix finall 
bones ; that the body is t)ffl[[H and naked ; and 
that the abdomen is fcarcely as long as the head. 
CEPULA. A name given by Gefner, and 
fome other naturalifts, to the common t^nia. The 
term is derived from the Italian cepok, the vulgar 
name of the fifli in the markets of Rome. It is a 
fpecies of the cepola. 
CEPUS. An appellation given by fome natu- 
ralifls to thofe fmaller kinds of ir.onkies which have 
a mixture of green in their other colours. 
CERiVMBYX, 
