[Illustration: THE CARRION CROW.]
The carrion crow is less than the raven, but similar to it in its
habits, colour, and external appearance. It is about eighteen inches in
length; its breadth about three feet. Birds of this kind are more
numerous and as widely spread as the raven. They live mostly in woods,
and build their nests on trees. The female lays five or six eggs, much
like those of a raven. They feed on putrid flesh of all sorts; likewise
on eggs, worms, insects, and various sorts of grain. They live together
in pairs, and remain in England during the whole year.—_Bewick._
CARROT, _s._ A garden root.
The varieties of food, as I have termed them, are such articles as, by
their saccharine matter, prove highly nutritious, although their gluten
is in small proportion. Carrots stand foremost on this list, and hardly
too much can be said on their excellent qualities. They appear
particularly favourable to condition, as the skin and hair always look
well under their use: they are highly nutritious, as we know from the
fat accumulated when they are used; and so favourable are they to the
free exercise of the lungs, that horses have been found even to hunt on
them: and, in conjunction with a certain portion of corn, perhaps they
would form as good a food as could be devised for our coach and machine
horses, our hackneys, and, in fact, for all horses not used on “fast
work.” In the _Museum Rusticum_ is an account of two hunters fed with
carrots and small loaves made of barley and oatmeal mixed; and these
horses were said to be the pride of the field. Agricultural horses may
be supported on them wholly, when sliced and mixed with chaff.
CART, _s._ A wheel-carriage, used commonly for luggage.
CART-HORSE, _s._ A coarse unwieldy horse.
CARTILAGE, _s._ A smooth and solid body, softer than a bone, but
harder than a ligament.
CARTOUCH, _s._ A case of wood, three inches thick at the bottom,
holding balls. It is fired out of a small mortar.
CARTRIDGE, _s._ A case of paper or parchment filled with gunpowder,
used for the greater expedition in charging guns.
CASCARILLA, _s._ A tonic bark. Dose from one to three drachms.
CASE, _s._ Condition with regard to outward circumstances; in
physic, state of the body; condition with regard to leanness or
health.
CASE, _v._ To put in a case or cover; to cover as a case; to strip
off the covering; to unskin.
CASEWORM, _s._ A grub that makes itself a case.
CASSIA, _s._ A sweet spice.
_Cassino_, _s._ A game at cards.
Cassino is generally played by four persons, but occasionally by three
or two; the points consist of eleven, and the lurch is six.