CAT 
31 5* 
F and D (Plate Miscel. fig. 13.) are firmly 
fixed in these points ; by its weight it is bent 
into a certain curve F A D, which is called 
the catenaria. 2. Let B D and b c be parallel 
to the horizon, A B perpendicular to B D, 
and D c parallel to A B, and the points B b 
infinitely near to each other. F rom the laws 
of mechanics, any three powers in equilibrio, 
are to one another as the lines parallel to the 
lines of their direction, (or inclined in any 
given angle) and terminated by their mutual 
concourses : hence if D d express the ab- 
solute gravity of the particle L) d (as it will 
if we allow the chain to be every w'ay uni- 
form) then D c will express that part of the 
gravity that acts perpendicularly upon D d ; 
and by the means of which this particle en- 
deavours to reduce itself to a vertical po- 
sition ; so that if this little line d c be con- 
stant, the perpendicular action of gravity 
upon the parts of the chain, will be constant 
too, and may therefore be expressed by any 
given right line. 
. Further, the lineola D c will express the 
force which acts against that conatus of the 
particle D d, by which it endeavours to re- 
store itself into a position perpendicular to 
the horizon, and hinders it from doing so. 
This force proceeds from the ponderous line 
I) A d rawing according to the direction D d;\ 
and is, eacteris paribus, proportional to the 
line D A which is the cause of it. Supposing 
the curve F A D, therefore, as before, whose 
vertex is A, axis A B, ordinate 1> D, fluxion 
of the axis D c=B b, fluxion of the ordinate 
d c, the relation of these two lluxionsis thus, 
viz. d c: D d : : a : D A curve, which is the 
fundamental property of the curve, and may 
be thus expressed (putting A B—x and B I) 
r=y/ and A D— c) y-— • 
CATERGI, the name of the public carri- 
ers in the grand signior’s dominions. In 
Europe, the merchant or traveller gives ear- 
nest to the carrier, but the catergi in Turkey 
give earnest to the merchant and others, as a 
security that they will certainly carry their 
goods, or not set out with them. 
CATERPILLAR, in zoology, the name 
of the butterfly-class of insects, in their reptile 
or worm state. See Papilio, &c. 
CATESB/EA, the lily-thorn, a genus of 
the mouogvnia order, in the tetrandria class 
of plants ; and in the natural method rank- 
ing under the 28 Ih order, luridax The co- 
rolla is monopetalous, tunnel-shaped, very 
long above the receptacle of tin? fruit ; the 
stamina are within its throat; the fruit a po- 
lyspermous berry. There are two species, 
viz. the 
1 . Catesbaea spinosa, a native of the island 
of Providence, discovered by Mr. Catesby, 
who gathered the seeds, and brought them to 
England. It rises to the height of 10 or 12 
feet, and is covered with a pale russet bark, 
with small leaves resembling those of the box- 
tree ; the flowers hang downward, are tubu- 
lous, and of a dull yellow colour. This 
plant is propagated by seeds, which must be 
procured from the country where it grows. 
2. The (fotesbaa parviflora. 
CATHARINE, or knights of St. Catha- 
rine, a military order, instituted for the secu- 
rity of travellers w ho came to visit the tomb 
this saint on mount Sinai. 
CAT11 ARIST/F, in church-history, a 
branch of Manichees, so called from certain 
purifications which they were obliged to prac- 
C A U 
iise : they are also said to haver held it un- 
lawful to eat flesh. 
CATHARTICS. See Materia Me- 
dic a. 
CATHETER. See Surgery. 
CATHETUS, in geometry, a line or ra- 
dius falling perpendicularly on another line 
or surface : thus the catheti of a right-angled 
triangle are the Uvo sides that include the 
right angle. 
Cathetus, in architecture, a perpendicu- 
lar line, supposed to pass through the middle 
of a cylindrical body, as a baluster, column, &c. 
CATOPTRICS. See Optics. 
CATTLE. By the 3 and 4 Edward VI. c. 
19, no person shall buy any ox, steer, runt, or 
cow', kc. and sell the same again alive in the 
same market, or fair, on pain of forfeiting 
double the value thereof, half to the king, and 
half to him that shall sue. This is the only 
act in. force against forestalling, engrossing, 
and regrating. 
If any person shall feloniously drive away,, 
or steal, or shall wilfully kill, any ox, bull, 
cow, calf, steer, bullock, heiter, sheep, or 
lamb, with a felonious intent to steal the 
whole carcase, or any part thereof, or shall 
assist in committing any such olfence, he 
shall be guilty of felony without benefit of 
clergy. 14 and 15 George II. c. 6. and 34. 
Any person, who shall unlawfully and ma- 
liciously kill, maim, or wound any cattle, 
shall be guilty of felony without benefit of 
clergy ; and the hundred shall be answerable 
for the damages, not exceeding 200/. 9 George 
c. 22. And horses, mares, and colts, are in- 
cluded in the word cattle. Every person 
who shall apprehend and prosecute to con- 
viction any offender, shall have ten pounds 
reward ; to be paid by the sheriff within a 
month, on his producing a certificate from 
the judge. The 26 George LU. c. 71. to 
prevent the stealing of horses, kc. for their 
skin, provides that all persons keeping a 
slaughter-house for cattle not killed for 
butcher’s meat, shall take out licences, be 
subject to an inspector, and only slaughter at 
certain times. 
GATURUS, a genus of the diocciatriandria 
class and order. There are two species, na- 
tives of the East Indies. 
CAVA, or vena cava. See Anatomy. 
CAVALIER, in fortification, an elevation 
of earth, of different shapes, situated ordina- 
rily in tiie gorge of a bastion, bordered with a 
parapet, and cutfnto more or less embrasures, 
according to the capacity of the cavalier. 
Cavaliers are a double defence for the 
faces of the opposite bastion : they defend the 
ditch, break thef besiegers’ galleries, command 
the traverses in dry moats, scour the salient 
angle of the counterscarp where the besiegers 
have their counter-bat teries, and enfilade the 
enemies’ trenches, or oblige them to multiply 
their parallels : they are likewise' very ser- 
viceable in defending the breach, and the 
retrenchments of the besieged, and can very 
much incommode the entrenchments w'hicli 
the enemy make, by their being lodged in 
the bastion. 
CAVAZION, or cavasion, in architec- 
ture, denotes the hollow trench made for 
laying the foundation of a building, which, 
according to Palladio, ought to be one-sixth 
part of the height of the w hole building. 
CAUCALIS, in botany, ' a genus of the 
pentandria digynia class of plants, the uni- 
R r 2 
C A V 
versal flower of which is diflhrm and radiated ; 
the proper flower of the disk is male, small, 
coinposedof liveinllexo-cordated equal petals; 
the fruit is of an oblato-oblong figure, striated 
longitudinally, ■ with rigid scabrous bristles: 
the seeds are tw r o, oblong, convex on one side 
and armed with prickles in order o; the stria*, 
and plane on the other side. There are nine 
species. 
CAUDA draconis, the dragon’s-tail, in 
astronomy, the name of the moon’s descend- 
ing node. 
Cauda leonis, in astronomy, a star of the 
first magnitude in the tail of the constellation 
Leo. See Leo. 
CAVEAR, caveer, or caviar, the spawn 
or hard roes of sturgeon, made into ‘small 
cakes, an inch thick, and of a hand’s breadth, 
salted, and dried in the sun. This sort of 
food is in great repute throughout Muscovy, 
because of their three Lents, which they keep 
with a superstitious exactness. 
CAVEAT, is a caution, entered in the 
spiritual court, to stop probates, administra- 
tions, licences, dispensations, faculties, insti- 
tutions, and such-like, from being granted 
without the knowledge of the party that enters 
it. A caveat stands in force for three months. 
2 Rol. Rep. 6. 
The entering a caveat, being at the instance 
of the party, is only for the benefit of the 
ordinary, that he may do no wrong ; it is a 
cautionary act for his better information, to 
which the temporal courts have no manner of 
regard ; therefore if after a caveat entered, 
the ordinary should grant administration, or 
probate of a will, it is not void by our law ; 
it is true it is void by the canon law, but our 
law* takes no notice of a caveat. Rol. Rep. 
191. 
CAVEDO, in commerce, a Portuguese 
long measure, equal to 27 ~oV<j English 
inches. 
CAVETTO, in architecture, a hollow 
member, or round concave moulding, con- 
taining a quadrant of a circle, and having a 
quite contrary effect to that of a quarter- 
round : it is used as an ornament in cornices 
CAVIA, a genus of (he order of glires. 
The generic character is, front-teeth two, 
wedge-shaped; grinders eight; toes on the 
fore feet from four to five, on the hind feet 
from three to five ; tail very short, or none ; 
clavicles, or collar bones, none. The ani- 
mals of the genus cavia have generally a 
slow*, and sometimes a leaping pace : they 
live, like the rest. of the glires, on vegetable 
substances, and in their natural state inhabit 
excavations under ground, or beneath tint 
roots of trees ; or other recesses which they 
either find ready prepared, or form for them- 
selves. The most familiar example of this 
genus is the well-known little animal, called 
the guinea-pig, or 
1. Cavia cobaya, or variegated cayy. 
This little animal is very easily rendered 
tame, but is seldom observed to shew any 
very lively attachment to its benefactors ; 
and is not distinguished by any remarkable 
degree of docility : it is, however, cleanly, 
harmless, and of a timid disposition. In a 
state of confinement it breeds almost every 
two months ; and often produces a very nu- 
merous offspring at a birth. The young very 
soon acquire the necessary degree of strength 
and perfection of their species, though they 
continue to grow till seven or eight months. 
In their habits they are extremely neat, and 
