The weight of this species is between twelve and thirteen ounces; length
exceeds twelve inches. The bill is of a very singular form; it is about
an inch and a half deep at the base, much compressed sideways, and
arched, but ends in a point, where the upper mandible is a little
hooked: at the base of this mandible is an elevated rim, full of small
punctures of a light colour; next to which is a space of blueish grey,
at the bottom of which the nostrils are lodged at the edge, which is a
long narrow slit; from thence it is orange-coloured with four oblique
furrows; the under mandible corresponds in colour, but has only three
furrows; irides hazel, in some greyish; orbits, red; above the eye is a
triangular callous protuberance, beneath an oblong one; the top of the
head and whole upper parts are black, passing round the neck in a
collar; the sides of the head and all the under parts are pure white;
the chin in some is grey, in others white, and the cheeks are grey;
quills dusky; tail short, and consists of sixteen feathers; legs and
feet orange; claws black, the inner one much hooked.
It is remarked that the bill of this bird varies much according to age;
at first it has no furrows, and is of a dusky-colour, the yellow colour
and furrows increasing with age.
These birds appear on many parts of our rocky coasts about the middle of
April, and begin to breed about the middle of May. On the stupendous
cliffs of Dover, and such places, they deposit their single eggs, in the
holes and crevices; in other places they burrow like rabbits, if the
soil is light; but more frequently take possession of rabbit-burrows,
and lay their egg many feet under ground. This is the case on Priestholm
Isle off the coast of Anglesea, and other small islands off St.
David’s-head, where the soil is sandy.
If the coulterneb is, however, a robber of rabbit-burrows, it is too
formidably armed to allow of retaliation with impunity, and few birds or
beasts dare venture to attack it in its retreat. Sometimes, however, as
Jacobson tells us, “the raven makes bold to offer battle; but as soon as
he approaches, the coulterneb catches him under the throat with her
beak, and sticks her claws into his breast till he screams out with pain
and tries to get away; but the coulterneb keeps fast hold of him and
tumbles him about till both frequently fall into the sea, where the
raven is drowned, and the coulterneb returns in triumph to her nest. But
should the raven, at the first onset, get hold of the coulterneb’s neck,
he generally comes off victorious, kills the mother, and feasts on her
eggs or her young.” On St. Margaret’s Island, near St. David’s, we have
seen the fishermen draw them out of their holes in a singular manner; by
introducing the hand into the hole, which is seized by the bird, who
suffers himself to be drawn out rather than loose his hold. In other
places they are caught by ferrets, and the young are pickled.
About the latter end of August they retire from our coast, and have all
completely migrated by the beginning of September, together with the
razor-bills and guillemots.
The egg is white, but is occasionally found obscurely speckled with
cinereous, about the size of a hen’s; their principal food is small
fish, particularly sprats, with which they feed their young. It is not
known to what parts they retire when they leave our coast, but they have
been found in abundance in various parts of the southern and northern
hemisphere.—_Montagu._
COUNTER, _s._ A false piece of money used as a means of reckoning.
COUNTER, _ad._ Contrary to, in opposition to; the wrong way;
contrary ways.
COUPLE, _s._ A chain or tie that holds dogs together; two, a brace;
a male and his female.
COUPLE, _v._ To chain together; to join to one another; to join
embraces.
COURSE, _s._ Race, career; track or line in which a ship sails; a
tract of ground set apart for horse-racing.
The following are the abbreviations used in designating the different
courses at Newmarket, with their respective measurements; as also, other
abbreviations used, in describing races, throughout the united kingdom.
M. F. Y.
B. C. The Beacon course 4 1 138
L. T. M. Last three miles of do. 3 0 45
D. I. From the ditch in 2 0 97
T. L. I. From the turn of the lands in 0 5 184
C. C. Clermont Course 1 5 217
A. F. Across the flat 1 1 44
T. Y. C. Two-year-old course 0 5 136
Y. C. Yearling course 0 2 147
R. C. Round course 3 6 93
D. M. Ditch mile 0 7 184
A. M. Abingdon mile 0 7 211
R. M. Rowley mile 1 0 1
T. M. M. Two middle miles of B. C. 1 7 115
D. C. Duke’s course.
F. C. Fox’s course.
An. M. Ancaster mile.
B. M. Bunbury’s mile.
C. S. C. Craven stakes course.
M. D. Mile and distance B. C.
COURSE, _v._ To hunt, to pursue; to pursue with dogs that hunt in
view; to put to speed, to force to run.
COURSER, _s._ A swift horse.
COURSING, _s._ The pursuit of hares with greyhounds.
_The ancient Laws of Coursing_ established by the Duke of Norfolk in
queen Elizabeth’s reign, and agreed to by the nobility and gentry who
then followed the diversion, have been always held authentic.
The Feuterer, or person who lets loose the greyhounds, was to receive
those that were matched to run together into his leash, as soon as he
came into the field, and to follow next to the hare finder, or him that
was to start the hare, until he came to the form, and no horse or
footmen were to go before, or on either side, but directly behind for
the space of about forty yards.
A hare was not to be coursed with more than a brace of greyhounds.
The hare finder was to give the hare three soho’s before he put her from
her form, to give notice to the dogs that they may attend her starting.
The hare was to have twelve score yards law before the dogs were loosed,
unless the small distance from the cover would not admit it without
danger of immediately losing her.
The dog that gave the first turn, and during the course, if there was
neither cote, slip, nor wrench, won.
A cote is when the greyhound goes endways by his fellow, and gives the
hare a turn.
A cote served for two terms, and two trippings or jerkins for a cote; if
the hare did not turn quite about, she only wrenched, and two wrenches
stand for a turn.
If there were no cotes given between a brace of greyhounds, but that one
of them served the other at turning, then he that gave the hare most
turns won; and if one gave as many turns as the other, then he that bore
the hare, won.
A go-by or bearing the hare was equivalent to two turns.
If neither dog turns the hare, he that led last to the cover won.
If one dog turned the hare, served himself and turned her again, it was
as much as a cote, for a cote was esteemed two turns.
If all the course were equal, the dog that bore the hare, won; if the
hare was not borne, the cause was adjudged dead.
If a dog fell in a course, and yet performed his part, he might
challenge the advantage of a turn more than he gave.
If a dog turned the hare, served himself, and gave divers cotes, and yet
in the end stood still in the field, the other dog, if he ran home to
the cover, although he gave no turn, was adjudged the winner.
If by accident a dog was rode over in his course, the course was void,
and he that did the mischief was to make reparation for the damage.
If a dog gave the first and last turn, and there was no other advantage
betwixt them, he that gave the odd turn won.
He that came first at the death, took up the hare, saved her from being
torn, cherished the dogs, and cleansed their mouths from the wool, was
adjudged to have the hare for his trouble.
Those that were judges of the course, were to give their decision before
they departed out of the field.
COW, _s._ The female of the bull.
CRAB, _s._ A shell-fish; a wild apple, the tree that bears a wild
apple.
CRABER, _s._ The water-rat.
CRACK, _s._ A sudden disruption; chink, fissure, narrow breach; the
sound of any body bursting or falling; any sudden and quick
sound; any breach, injury, or diminution; a flaw.
_Cracks or Ulcers in the Heels_ are very painful, often cause lameness,
and, from improper treatment, often prove very obstinate. An emollient
poultice should be first applied, and continued for a few days, or until
the inflammation has completely subsided. The crack, or ulcer, as well
as all the hollow part of the pastern or heel, should be covered with
the following paste, which is to remain two or three days, and then
washed off and repeated. When the crack is perfectly healed or dried up
by this astringent paste, a little salad oil or fresh hog’s lard is
often necessary to supple the part. In obstinate cases it is necessary
to keep the horse perfectly at rest until the crack is healed, and
sometimes to apply the following ointment, spread on a pledget of tow,
and confined by a bandage:—
Take of litharge plaster 2 oz.
Best salad oil 1 oz.
Melt slowly, and when removed from the fire, continue stirring until it
is cold.
Three of these dressings will generally cure the disorder. During this
treatment the horse must not be taken out for exercise, but be turned
loose into a cool box or out-house, where he may move himself about
gently. As he takes no exercise during this time, he should be fed with
bran mashes, and have only very little hay, as his bowels would
otherwise be loaded with excrement, and much mischief might thereby be
done. Though the disease is entirely local, it may not be amiss to give
half an ounce of nitre once or twice a day in his mash.
Horses that are constantly kept trimmed out in the heels, often lose the
hair from the part by the constant friction of the dirt in the roads;
and, besides the deformity this occasions, they are still more liable to
those painful cracks. I have lately found the following treatment
successful. If the cracks are very painful, poultice for one day and
night, then wash them three times a day with the following lotion, for
one or two days; after this apply the astringent ointment, which
generally heals them in a short time:—