Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/112

 104: CATAWBA CATEAU CATiWBA, or Great Catawba, a river of North and South Carolina. It rises in the Blue Eidge, in McDowell co., N. C., flows nearly E. through the gold region of North Carolina, makes a bend to the south at the W. border of Iredell co., and enters South Carolina near the mouth of the Little Catawba, or Catawba creek, in York co. After reaching Rocky Mount, and being joined by Fishing creek, it takes the name of the Wateree, and ultimate- ly unites with the Congaree to form the San- tee. The length of the Catawba is about 250 m. ; that of the Wateree, 100 m. CATAWBAS, a tribe of Indians in North and South 'Carolina, on the Catawba river, now re- duced to a mere handful. At the time of the settlement of those states they were a pow- erful tribe with 1,500 warriors. Some affirm that they came from Canada, but their lan- guage has no affinity with that of any northern nation, is closely connected with that of the "Waccoes and the Carolina tribe, and has affini- ties with the Muskogee and even the Choctaw. They are said to have been called also Ushe- rees. They occupied Nauvasa and five other towns on the Catawba river, in a most delight- ful country. They were a warlike people, and were early engaged in hostilities with the Cherokees, and subsequently with the Shaw- nees and Iroquois. They were always friendly to the Carolina settlers, and served with them against the Tuscaroras and Cherokees, and in the revolution. Having improvidently leased their lands, they migrated to the Cherokees, but returned and settled on a reservation given to them. War and disease gradually reduced their numbers. From 7,500 at the time of the settlement, they had decreased to 2,000 in 1728, and 450 in 1822. Peter Harris, the last full-blooded Catawba, was a revolutionary sol- dier. There are now perhaps 200 half-breeds bearing the name on the reservation. Pontiac, who attempted to destroy the English power in the northwest, is said by some to have been by birth a Catawba. This tribe was one of those which flattened the heads of infants. CATAWBA WINE. See AMERICAN WINES. CATBIRD (mimua Carolinensi*, Gray), a bird of the thrush family, peculiar to North Ameri- ca. It receives this name from its well known note, which resembles the mew of a half-grown cat; this is not, however, its only note; its morning and evening song of wild warbling melody is worthy of the musical family to which it belongs. The catbird is found from Maine to Florida, making its appearance from the south toward the last of February, reaching the middle states about the second week in April, and New England about May 1 ; it is one of the few species which follow the course of agriculture, being rarely found far from the habitations of the farmer. Its general form is more slender and graceful than that of the American robin. Its plumage is soft and blend- ed, the tail long and rounded at the tip; the bill is black, slightly arched ; the general color of the upper plumage is blackish gray or slate color, the head, tail, and inner webs of the quills being of a brownish black ; the cheeks and general under plumage are of a deep bluish gray, paler on the abdomen, the under tail coverts being brownish red; the outer tail feather is transversely striped with white on its inner web ; the plumage of the female is of a somewhat paler tint. Length 9 inches, extent of wings 12 inches, length of tarsus 1 T V inch. The nest is large, generally made in bramble thickets, and constructed of twigs and briers mixed with leaves, weeds, and grass, lined with dark fibrous roots arranged in a circular man- ner. The eggs are from four to six in number, of a greenish blue color, without spots. Its food consists of insects and fruits and berries of all kinds, especially of the sweetgum, poke, and sumach. It migrates during the night. It is very lively in its manners, and will follow with impudence for a considerable distance any in- truder on its locality, mewing as it sits on a twig, jerking its tail from side to side. It is very irritable, and hates especially cats and snakes. Its attachment to its young is very remarkable, Catbird (Mimus Curolincnsis). and it will often feed and raise the young of other species. Besides its own song, it pos- sesses considerable imitative power, mocking the notes of other birds in an imperfect manner ; according to Latham, it will, when in a do- mesticated state, imitate strains of instrumen- tal music. Though this bird is generally perse- cuted, it deserves the kindest treatment for its services to the agriculturist in devouring wasps, grubs, worms, and insects, which would have destroyed tenfold more growing fruit than it ventures to claim at the season of maturity. Its flesh is good, but is rarely used for food. CATEAU, Le, or Cateau lambresls, a town of France, in the department of Le Nord, on the river Selle, 17m. S. of Valenciennes; pop. in 1866, 9,974. It is well built, has salt works, manufactories of merinoes, shawls, calicoes, soap, and tobacco, and is noted for producing a superior quality of linen thread. Two treaties were signed here on April 2, 1559, between England and the Netherlands on the one side, and France and Scotland on the other, and on the following day between France and Spain.