Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 05.djvu/520

* CORRY. 446 CORSICA. COR'RY (from OTr. coire, ravine, Swiss Kahrc). A name applied to the recesses in a mountain slope beneath a sliaip peak with ser- rate spurs, characteristic of the high Alps. These are referred by E. Richtcr to glacial erosion under specific conditions, although no glaciers occur in them at the present time. See Cirque. COR'SAC (native name), or Adive. A small fox iVulpes cors(ic) of the deserts of Central Asia, its range extending through the open coun- try fi-om the Ural Jlountains and Caspian Sea to Mongolia. It is pale, reddish-yellow in hue, ^hite on the ventral surface, and with the tip of the long bushy tail black. In the sixteenth cen- tury it was fashionable as a ladies' pet in France. It digs holes for itself or seizes upon marmot- burrows, preys, chietly at night, on young mar- mots, small rodents, insects, etc., and resembles the American kit-fox (q.v.). The Russian travel- er Przhevalsky reports it as abundant in Tibet, where it is called karsa by the Mongols, and is both trapped and run down by dogs. During the breeding season, in February, the liigh deserts resoimd with its owl-like cries, night and morn- ing. See Fox; and Plate of Foxes and Jackals. COR'SAIB (Fr. corsitire, from Prov. corsari, Sp., Port, corsario. It. corsaro, corsair, from corsa, Sp., Port, corso, It. corsu, course, from Lat. ciirsus, course, from currere, to ran). A pirate, or freebooter, or the vessel used by one. The term was used with special reference to the marauding vessels of the Barbary powers. CORSAIR. One of the smallest and most brilliantly orange-red rockiish {^ehastodcs rosa- cciis) of the California coast. See Rockfish. CORSAIR, The. A narrative poem by By- ron (1814). The romantic adventures of the lofty-spirited pirate who is its hero are sup- posed to he continued in Lara. CORSE, kOrs. The French name of Corsica. CORSE, .John Murray (1835-93). An Ameri- can soldier, born in Pittsburg, Pa. In his eigh- teenth year he entered at West Point, which he left to take up the study of x. He enlisted in the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil War, conunanded a division at Memphis, and became brigadier-general in 1863. He distinguished him- self in the Chattanooga campaign, was in com- mand of a division in General Sherman's 'March to the Sea,' and was brevetted major-general for his heroism at Altoona Pass (q.v.). He was afterwards collector of revenue in Chicago, and postmaster of Boston. CORSET (Fr., dim. of corps, OF. cors, body, friim Lat. corpux, body). An article appertain- ing to the costmue of women, which was intro- duced into France about the time of the Revolu- tion, when the French ladies adopted the Greek dress. Previously -they had been worn by Ger- mans, by whom they were invented. Bandages resembling corsets were used in Rome during the early ages, but only as a support, until a slender waist was considered a mai"k of beauty, when they were made to compress the form. Modern corsets are usually made of two thick- nesses of white jean, quilted together so as to form vertical cases, in which steels or whale- bones are inserted. They are in two pieces, closed in front with steel or whalebone plates, which rest on the breast -bone vertically, and laced at the back as tiahtlv as the wearer mav desire. COR'SICA (Gk. Kl-pvoc, Kyrnos.Kopffh, Kor- sis, Lat. Corsicd, Fr. Cor.se). An island l)clonging to France (the fourth in size of the islands in the Mediterranean, situated between latitudes 41° 21' and 43° N. and longitude 8° 32' and 9° 31' E. (Map: France, P 8). It is separated by the Strait of Bonifacio from Sardinia, on the south, and occupies an area of nearly 3380 square miles. In the northeast is a long, narrow penin- sula, pointing in the direction of Genoa and ter- minating in Cape Corso. In its physical forma- tion Corsica undoubtedly belongs more to ■ Italy than to France. Its surface is traversed by nu- merous mountain ranges of rugged appearance and covered with beautiful forests. The principal chain runs from north to south, sending off numerous oft'shoots in every direction. The high- est summits of the island are Monte Cinto, 8890 feet; Monte Rotondo, 8000 feet: Monte Padro, 7846 feet; and Monte d'Oro, 7840 feet high. The coasts are precipitous on the west, w'hile on the east they are low, and in some parts even swampy. The chief geological formation is gran- ite, occasionally interspersed with porphyry and serpentine. There are a number of short and swift streams on the island, the principal of which are the C!olo. Tavignano, and Taravo. The climate is generally healthful and the tempera- ture moderate, the aerage for the summer being about 75°. The lower parts of the island are occasionally visited by malaria, but the moun- tain regions are very salubrious. The vegetation of the island is rich, and the fine forests for which Corsica was famous in ancient times are still found on the mountain slopes. The flora of the valleys does not dift'er materially from that of Italy. There is an abundance of olives, oranges, citrons, vines, and other Mediterranean plants. The soil is very fertile, and, according to some estimates, over 40 per cent, of the total area is cultivable. The chief products are wheat, barley, rye, corn, wine, and chestnuts, the latter being used extensively for food. The agricultural work is done in part by laborers who come over from Tuscany. Cattle-raising is carried on on a very large scale, and constitutes the chief industry of the island. There are also good fisheries of tunny and pilchard. Among the minerals mined are iron, lead, copper, and antimony, and there are quarries of granite, marble, and alabaster. The commerce is of little importance. The chief im- ports are foodstuffs, building materials, and metal ware. The exports consist mostly of kine, olive oil, and fruits. Corsica forms a depart- ment of France, and is divided into the five ar- rondissements of Ajaccio, Bastia. Calvi, Corte, and Sart&ne. The population in 1806 was 290,- lliS. or nearly 80 per square mile. The Corsicans are of mixed origin, independent in spirit, pas- sionate, and revengeful. (See Vendetta.) They scorn work and pay little attention to the devel- opment of the natural resources of their island. The current language is a corrupt Italian. The capital is Ajaccio, with a population of over 20.000. Corsica is supposed to have been originally in- habited by a people of Iberian origin. It was settled in succession by the Etruscans, the Phoe- nicians, and the Phocieans, and finally came into the possession of the Carthaginians in the fifth century B.C. Wrested by the Romans from the Carthaginians in the second half of the third