COR C O U 
CORVUS. A diftina: genus of birds of the 
order of picse, in the Linn^an fyftem ; tlie diftin- 
guifhing charafters of which are, that the bill is 
fharp and convex; that the noftrils are covered 
with recumbent briftles ; that the tongue is carti- 
laginous and bifid ; and that the feet are formed for 
walking. Of this genus, which includes nineteen 
Ipecies, are the crow, the raven, the jack-daw, &c. 
Corvus is likewife a name given by Paulus Jo- 
vius to the faber or doree. 
CORVUS AQUATICUS, the Pelicanus Car- 
bo of Linnseus. A name given by authors to the 
cormorant, or corvorant, on account of it's vora- 
cious appetite, which originates from a great num- 
ber of fmali worms lodged in it's ftomach and in- 
tefcines, and caufmgavery fudden digeftion. See 
Cormorant. 
Corvus Aquaticus is alfo a name given to the 
acacolotl, a very beautiful Mexican bird, of a lucid 
greenifli, blackifh, and purplifli hue. It feeds on 
fifh, from which circumfcLince it's fiefh contrads a 
very rank and unpleafant tafte. 
CORVUS AQUATICUS MINOR. A name 
by which Ray has very properly denominated a bird 
common on our northern coafts, and there called 
the fnagge. It feem.s to be a genuine fpecies of 
the cormorant. 
' CORVUS CORNUTUS. An appellation 
given by fome authors to the Indian raven with a 
corneous beak, more commionly called the rhino- 
ceros-bird. 
CORVUS FLUVIATILIS. A very remark- 
able bird peculiar to the Philippine Iflands, refem- 
bling the comm^on raven by being of the amiphi- 
bious kind; and called by the natives caffili, or 
CO ocolo. 
CORVUS INDICUS. A bird of the raven 
kind, very common in the Molucca iflands. It is 
of a confiderabie magnitude, and armed with a 
large beak and very ftrong clav/s. It is not carni- 
vorous, but is very deftruftive to the fruit of the 
nutm.eg-tree. It's flefli, which is very delicate, 
partakes greatlv of the aromatic flavour of it's food. 
CORVUS SYLVATICUS. A bird defcribed 
by Gefner, and fuppofed by Willughby to be the 
fam.e with the coracias, or pyrrochorax ; but, when 
minutely examined, it differs elTentially from that 
bird in lize, as well as in having a creft on it's head. 
Gefner fays that the Corvus Sylvaticus is of the fize 
of the common hen. It appears at a diftance of a 
deep black; but, when viewed nearer, and in the 
funfliine, of a fine glofly green. It's tail is fiiort; 
and it's toes are very long. It feeds on frogs, fifh, 
and other fmall animals ; and builds it's neft in the 
ruins of old buildings, where it lays m'o or three 
eggs. It flics very high; and, when young, is ac- 
counted delicate food. 
CORVUS PISCIS. A river-fifh of the chub 
kind, common in Italy and fome parts of Germany ; 
called by Gefner capito fluviatilis rapax; and, by 
the commion people, noppe. It feldom exceeds fix 
or feven pounds in weight; but is extremely rapa- 
cious, and purfues it's prey with fuch eagcrnefs, that 
it frequently fl:rands both itfelf and them. It is 
caught at all feafons of the year, but never in any 
great plenty; and it's flefh is efteemed very pala- 
table. 
CORYPH^NA. A genus of fifla of the ma- 
lacopterygious kind, and of the thoracic order in 
the Linnaean fyftem; the difl:ingui{lnng chara£lers 
of which are thefe: the branchioftege membrane 
contains five bones on each fide, exclufive of two 
others which lie under the bony coverings of tha 
gills, and are therefore not vifible: the fins are feven 
in number, and one on the back reaches from, 
the top of the head to the tail; the head terminates 
in a very obtufe form, or, as it Vv^ere, perpendicu- 
larly declivious from the vertex to the mouth; and 
the head and body are both fomev/hat comprefled. 
Linnaeus enunierates tv/elve fpecies of this ge- 
nus, and Artedi three. 
COTATUA. A Philippine name for a fpe- 
cies of parrot, called alfo calangay. The body is 
entirely white; and on the head there is a creft of 
feathers. It is of the fize of a common pigeon. 
COTATUA MAJOR. A very beautiful fpe- 
cies of parrot common in the Philippine iflands. 
It is about the fize of a common hen ; and of a 
moft delicate white- colour, except the beak and 
legs, which are black. This bird is with great 
facility taught to imitate tlie human voice, and 
articulates more diftinftly than any other of the 
parrot clafs. 
COTT US. A genus of the acanthoptcrygious 
fiflies ; the chiaraflers of which are tliefe : the bran- 
chioftege membrane on each fide contains fix very 
diftin(5t bones ; the head is broader than the body, 
deprefl^ed, and prickly; there are two dorfal fins, 
the foremoft containing feveral flexile prickles; 
the ventral fins are fmall ; and the ik'in of the whole 
fifh is lirjooth, and free from fcales. There are 
three fpecies of this genus ; one of v.^hich is the 
fmall fifii known by the name of the miller's 
thumb. 
COU DOU, or CU-DU. A fpecies of deer 
met with at the Cape of Good Hope. It is dif- 
tinguifned by the length of it's body, v^hich is dif- 
proportlonable to it's height; the delicate flight- 
nefs of it's limbs ; the uncommon ftatelinefs and 
beauty of it's horns, which are fmooth, hollow, 
and beautifully tranfparcnt like tortoile-fliell ; the 
ftripes of white on it's flcin; a black corneous fub- 
ftance on it's upper jav/, which fupplies the place 
of teetli ; a ftripe of white hair paffing from the 
middle of tlie horns to the tail ; and a tuft of hair 
reaching from the neck to the breaft. 
There are alfo animals of this kind both in Afia 
and America, though they differ from each other 
in a few particulars, 
COUGAR. This animal is fomeLim,es called 
tlie red tiger, but is extremely different from the 
tiger of the eaft. It is a native of the continent 
of America, from Canada to Brazil; and in South 
Amierica it is called puma, and is by far the moft 
formidable and mifchievous of all the animals of 
the new world. In the warmer regions, the Cou- 
gar is fierce and ravenous to a very high degree, 
but in North America it's ferocity is greatly fub- 
dued by the rigours of the climate. In South 
America, where the towns generally border on the 
forefis, thefe creatures make frequent incurfions by 
night into the very houfes, from whence they carry 
off fowls, dogs, and other domeftic animals. The 
Cougar, however, is both weak and contemptible 
v/hen compared with the oriental tiger, as being 
hardly a'ole to contend with any of tJie human fpe- 
cies fingly. The negroes and Indians are very 
dextrous in encountering it; and fome of them, 
even for the fake of it's flcin, explore it's retreats. 
The weapons ufed in this feemingly dangerous bu- 
finefs confift only of a lance two or three yards 
long, made of a ponderous kind of wood, and hav- 
ing it's point hardened in the fire; and a kind of 
fcymitar about three quarters of a yard in length. 
3 C Thus 
