CAT 
come out alternately from the bottom to 
the top, with small leaves resembling those 
of the box-tree, in clusters all round the 
branches at certain distances ; the flowers 
come out single from the side of the 
branches, hanging downward, and are of a 
dull yellow colour ; the berry is the size of 
a middling plum, hollow within, with 
small angular seeds. This shrub was dis- 
covered by Mr. Catesby near Nassau town, 
in Providence, one of the Bahama islands. 
C. parviflora is a native of Jamaica. 
CATHARTICS, in medicine, are the 
same with what are commonly called pur- 
gatives. See Medicine. 
CATHEDRAL, a church wherein is a 
bishop’s see or seat. 
After the establishment of Christianity, 
the emperors, and other great men, gave 
large demesnes and other possessions for 
the maintenance of the clergy, on these 
were built tlie, first places of worship, which 
were called Cathedra, cathedrals, sees, or 
seats, from the bishop and his chief clergy’s 
residence thereon. 
A cathedral was originally different from 
what it is nowf, the Christians, till the time 
of Constantine, having no liberty to build 
any temple. By their churches tliey only 
meant their assemblies ; and by their cathe- 
drals, nothing more than consistories. 
CATHETER, in surgery, a fistulous in- 
strument, usually made of silver, to be in- 
troduced into the bladder, in order to 
search for the stone, or discharge the urine 
when suppressed. See Surgery, 
CATHETUS, in geometry, a line or ra- 
dius falling perpendicularly on anotlier line 
or surface : thus the catheti of a right an- 
gled triangle are the two sides that include 
the right angle. 
CATOPTRICS, that part of optics that 
treats of reflex vision, and explains the laws 
and properties of reflection, chiefly founded 
upon this truth, that the angle of reflection 
is always equal to the angle of incidence ; 
and from thence deducing the magnitudes, 
shapes, and situations of the appearances 
of objects seen by the reflection of polished 
surfaces, and particularly plane, spherical, 
conical, and cylindrical ones. See Optics. 
CATTLE. Under this tenn are com- 
prehended horses and oxen, of both sexes 
and of alt ases ; these we term black cat- 
t'e: while sheep, goats, &c come under 
the designation of small cattle. The whole 
tribe are granivorous, and may be very 
easily maintained without the aid of the 
plough, though it is certain that the pro- 
CAU 
duce of tilled land will pay better when ap^ 
propriated to the support of cattle, than 
common pastures, or even artificial grasses. 
The latter, such as clover, saintfoin, bur- 
net, &c., are superior to common meadow 
hay, for the purposes of winter fodder; 
making the animals appear better in their 
coats, or hair, and causing tliem to fatten, 
and to endure fatigue, far beyond what they 
could undergo on common field grass, or 
its hay. We have thousands of cattle- 
markets, where beasts of all descriptions 
may be purchased, in every stage of con- 
dition, and in all their varieties. The great 
improvements made of late years in farm- 
ing, added to our great increase of popu- 
lation, have rendered the business of feeding 
cattle of great importance. 
Cattle, law relating to. By a statute 
of Edward VI. no person shall buy any 
ox, &c., and sell the same again alive in 
the same market, or fair, on pain of for- 
feiting double the value thereof ; half to 
the King, and half to him that shall sue. 
This is the act against forestalling, regrat- 
ing, &c. 
CATURUS, in botany, a genus of the 
Dioecia Triandria class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Tricocceee. Euphorbiae, Jus- 
sieu. There are two species: C. spiciflorus 
is a tree about twenty feet in height, with 
many branches diffused all round ; the 
wood is white and close, with a thick, 
dusky, unctuous, inodorous bark, and a yel- 
low pith within ; the fruit is a round, yel- 
lowish-green, insipid berry, inclosing one 
round green seed. Native of the East In- 
dies. C. seandens is a native of the woods 
of Cochin-Cliina. 
CAVA, or Vena Cava, in anatomy, a 
vein arising with a large sinus from the right 
aui'icle of the heart. See Anatomy. 
CAVALIER, in fortification, an eleva- 
tion of earth, of different shapes, situated 
ordinarily in the gorge of a bastion, bor- 
dered with a parapet, and cut into more or 
less embrasures, according to the capacity 
of the cavalier. 
CAVALRY, a body of soldiers that 
charge on horseback, and may properly be 
called the right arm of the army : they are 
of great service in disturbing the enemy by 
their frequent excursions, in intercepting 
convoys, and destroying the country. The 
cavalry is divided into squadrons, and 
encamp on the wings of the army. 
CAUCALIS, in botany, a genus of the 
Pentandria Digynia class and order. Na- 
tural order of Umbellatae. Essential cha- 
