CAS 
mer is principally spent by them in the 
woods, and on the advance of autumn they 
assemble in- the scene of their former 
labours and friendships, and prepare with 
assiduity for the confinement and rigours of 
approaching winter. 
When taken young the beaver may be 
tamed without difficulty, but exhibits few 
or no indications of superior intelligence. 
Some beavers are averse to that association 
which so strikingly characterises these 
animals in general, and satisfy themselves 
with digging holes in the banks of rivers, 
instead of erecting elaborate habitations, 
The fnr of these is comparatively of little 
value. Sec Mammalia, Plate VII. fig. i. 
C. huidobi ius, or the Chilese beaver. This 
is found principally in the deep lakes and 
rivers of Chili. Its tail differs from that of 
the former, in being lanceolated and hairy. 
It produces no castor, and possesses nothing 
of the art of architecture. It is courageous, 
and even savage, in its disposition, and has 
the power of remaining under water for a 
very considerable time. Its fur is employT 
ed in the manufecture of hats, and of a 
species of cloth as soft as the finest velvet. 
CASTOR-ofi, in pharmacy, is extracted 
from the kernel of the fruit produced by 
the Ricinus Americanus, or oil nut, whioh 
grows in many parts of America, and is 
much cultivated in Jamaica. A gallon of 
nuts from this tree will produce about a 
quart of oil. It is either prepared by coc- 
tion or cold drawn ; that is, exti acted from 
the bruised seeds. It is sent over to us in 
barrels ; and that is reckoned the best which 
has least colour. 
CASTRAMETATION, is the art of 
measuring or fracing out the form of a camp 
on the ground ; yet it sometimes has a more 
extensive signification, by including all the 
views and designs of a general ; the one re- 
quires only the knowledge of a mathema- 
tician, tile other the experience of an old 
soldier. The ancients were accustomed to 
fortify their camps by throwing up entrench- 
ments round them. The Turks, and other 
Asiatic nations, fortify themselyes, when in 
an open countiy, with their waggons and 
other carriages. The practice of the Eu- 
ropeans is quite different ; for the surety 
of their camp consists in the facility and 
convenience of drawing out their troops at 
the head of their encampment ; for which 
reason, whatever particular order of battle 
is regarded as the best disposition for fight- 
ing, it follows of course, that we should en- 
.camp in such a manner as to assemble and 
CAT 
parade our troops in that order and dispo- 
sition as soon as possible. It is therefore 
the order of battle that should regulate the 
order of encampment; that is to say, the 
post of each regiment in the line of battle 
should be at the head of its own encamp- 
ment ; from whence it follows, that the ex- 
tent of the line of battle fi om right to left 
of the camp, should be equal to the front 
of the troops in line of battle, with the same 
intervals in the camp as in the line. By 
this means eveiy battalion covers its own 
tents, and they can all lodge themselves, 
or turn out in case of necessity at a mi- 
nute's warning. 
If the front of the camp is greater than 
the line, the troops must leave large inter- 
vals, or expose their flanks; if less, the 
troops will not have room to form with the 
proper intervals. 
The front or principal line of the camp 
is commonly directed to face the enemy. 
CASUALS, a terra used by military men, 
in their regimental returns of the Britisli 
army, signifying men that are dead, have 
been discharged, or have deserted. 
CASUARINA, in botany, a genus of the 
Monoecia Monandria class and order. Na- 
tural order of Coniferae. Essential cha- 
racter: male calyx of the ament; corol 
scalelets two-parted; female calyx of the 
ament ; corol none ; style bifid ; strobile. 
There are five species of wliich C. equise- 
tifolia, horse-tail casuarina, is a very large 
spi'cading lofty tree; the leaves, or rather 
branchlets hanging down in bunches from 
twelve to eighteen inches in length, like 
very long hair, or a horse’s tail, all jointed 
from top to bottom like the equisetums, 
or horse tails, is a very remarkable charac- 
ter of this singular tree. It is a native of 
the East ladies and the South Sea Islands. 
CAT. See Felis. 
Cat, a ship usually employed in the 
coal trade ; built very strong, and made 
to carry from four to six hundred tons. It 
is distinguished by a narrow stern, pro- 
jecting quarters, and by having no orna- 
mental figure on the prows. 
CAT-ftoofc, a strong hook fitted to the 
cat, to hook the ring of the anchor when it 
is to be drawn up or catted. 
Cat-o’ nine-tails, an instrument, by which 
discipline is still maintained in the British 
navy and army, though to the honour of other 
countries, it is said that corporal punish- 
ment has been abolished. This instrument 
is composed of nine pieces of line or cord, 
about half a yard long, fixed upon a piece 
