CASUARINA, in botany, a genus of the 11Ioncecia Monandria class and order. Natural order of Conifers. Essential character : male calyx of the ament ; corol scalelets two-parted ; female calyx of the ament ; corol none ; style bifid ; strobile. There are five species, of which C. eqnisetifolia, horse-tail casuarina, is a verylarge spreading lofty tree; the leaves, or rather blanchlets 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 re markable character of this singular tree. It is a native of the East Indies and the South Sea Islands.
CAT. See FEIN.
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-hook, 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 punishment has been abolished.
This instrument is composed of nine pieces of line or chord, about half a yard long, fixed upon a piece of thick rope for a handle, and having three knots on each cord, with which the men who transgress the orders of their superiors are pun ished.
CaT's-pazu, a light breeze of wind per ceived at a distance, in a calm, by the im pression made on the surface of the sea, which it sweeps very lightly, and then de cays. The same term is given to a parti cular turn made in the bight of a rope, in order to hook a tackle on it.
CAT-harpings, in a ship, small ropes running in little blocks from one side of the shrowds to the other, near the deck. Their use is to force the shrowds and make them taught, for the more security and safety of the masts.
CAT-heads, two strong beams of timber, projected almost horizontally over the ship's-bows, on each side of the bow sprit. The cat-head serves to suspend the anchor clear of the bow, when it is necessary to let it go : it is supported by a sort of knee, which is generally orna mented by sculpture.