CAA 
C 
character ; antennae longer than the head, 
clavate, the club perfoliate ; feelers equal, 
subclavate ; jaw and lip bifid. There are 
about 12 species found in different parts of 
Europe. The B. scrophularia is a small 
insect of the size of tlie lady-bird ; its co- 
lour is dark brown, clouded with broken or 
irregular white bands, and the edges, con- 
stituting the line of division between the 
wing sheaths, are red. This insect is found 
more frequently on the plant called scro- 
phularia aquatica than elsewhere. B. pi- 
lula is a larger species, equalling or rather 
exceeding the size of the common lady- 
bird ; it is of an extremely convex shape, 
and when disturbed contracts its limbs, 
and lies in an inert state, resembling the 
appearance of a seed or pill. It is found on 
various plants, and about garden-grounds, 
&c. The antennae in this species are longer 
than in others, and rather foliated than 
merely knobbed. 
BYSSUS, in botany, a genus of the 
Cryptogamia Algae, and the last in the 
scale of vegetation in that class. They ap- 
pear in the form of threads, on rotten wood, 
the bark of trees, rocks, and walls, espe- 
cially in damp cellars, one sort is common 
on wine casks, at first is like flakes of 
snow, but turns yellow, in tliis state it has 
black grains at the base like gunpowder. 
The green paper byssus is a farina concret- 
ing on the surface of the water, and form- 
ing a wide thin film. There are many spe- 
cies, but the number is doubtful. 
BYSTROPOGON, in botany, a genus 
of tlie Didynamia Gy ranospermia' class and 
order. Natural order, Verticillatae. La- 
biatae, Jussieu. Essential character : calyx 
five-subulate, bearded at the opening ; corol- 
la, upper lip bifid ; covers trifid ; stamens 
distant. There are seven species, of which 
B. pectinatnm balm-leaved bystropogon has 
an herbaceous stem, generally five or six 
feet high, leaves petioled, cordate, veined ; 
spikes simple or manifold ; scarcely leafy j 
composed of whorls ; supported by several 
bristle-shaped bractes, the length of the 
flowers, which grow thick together, curi- 
ously disposed on the smaller slips of the 
branched tops ; they are whitish, and all 
the parts very small ; the neck of the ca- 
lyx and filaments are commonly covered 
with down. The corolla is scarcely larger 
than the calyx ; stamens the length of the 
corolla and distant; style purplish; stig- 
mas simple, seeds romidish, black and 
glossy. This plant is a native of Jamaica. 
It is found in all the low lands about King- 
ston and Spanish Town. 
c. 
C the third letter, and second consonant 
’ of the alphabet, is formed by forcing 
the breath between the tongue, elevated 
near the palate (to make the voice some- 
what sibilous) with the lips open. It has 
two sounds, hard and soft ; hard, like k be- 
fore a, u, o, 1, and r ; as in call, cost, cup, 
clean, crop ; and soft, like s before i, e, 
and y ; as in city, cession, cyder : before h 
it has a peculiar sound, as in chance, chalk : 
in chord, chart, and some other words, it is 
hard like k : but in many French words it 
is soft before h, like s, as in chaise, chagrin. 
As a numeral, C signifies 100, CC 200, 
&c. 
C, in music, the highest part in the tho- 
rough base ; again, a simple C, or rather a 
semicircle, placed after the clift, intimates, 
that the music is in common time, which is 
either quick or slow, as it is joined with 
allegro or adagio : if alone, it is usually 
adagio. 
If the C be crossed or turned, the first 
requires the air to be played quick, and tlie 
last very quick. 
CAABA, or Caabah, properly signifies a 
square building ; but is particularly applied 
by the Mahometans to the temple of 
Mecca, built, as they pretend, by Abraham 
and Ishmael his son. It is towards this 
temple they always turn their faces when 
they pray, in whatever part of the world 
they happen to be. 
This temple enjoys the privilege of an 
asylum for all sorts of criminals ; but it is 
most remarkable for the pilgrimages m^e 
to it by the devout Mussulmen, who pay so 
great a veneration to it, that they 'Relieve a 
