any large subterranean hollow. These were undoubtedly the primitive habitations, before men began to build edifices above ground. The primitive method of burial was also to repose the bodies in caves, which seems to have been the origin of catacombs*. They long continued the proper habitations of shepherds. Among the Romans, caverns (au-caverna), used to be consecrated to nymphs, who were worshipped in caves, as other gods were in temples. The Persians also worshipped their god Mithras in a natural cave consecrated for the purpose by Zoroaster. The cave of the nymph Egeria is still shown at Rome. Kircher, after Gaffarellos, enumerates divers species of caves; as divine, natural, &c.—Of natural caves some are poissous or medicinal virtue, as the Grotto de Serpente; others are poisonous or mephitical; some are replete with metallic exhalations, and others with waters. Divine caves were those said to affect the human mind and passions in various ways, and ever to inspire with a knowledge of future events. Such were the sacred caverns at Delphi which inspired the Pythia; the Sibyl's cave at Cumae; still shown near the lake Avernus; the cave of Trophonius, &c.

(Dr William), a learned English divine, born in 1657, educated in St John's college Cambridge; and successively minister of Haseley in Oxfordshire, Allhallows the Great in London, and of Ilington. He became chaplain to Charles II, and in 1684 was installed a canon of Windsor. He compiled the Lives of the Primitive Fathers in the three first centuries of the church, which is esteemed a very useful work; and Historia Literaria, &c., in which he gives an exact account of all who had writ for or against Christianity, Caveare, Caveer, or Caviary, a kind of food lately introduced into Britain. It is made of the hard roes of sturgeon, formed into small cakes, about an inch thick and three or four inches broad. The method of making it, is by taking out of the spawn all the nerves or strings, then washing it in white-wine or vinegar, and spreading it on a table. It is then salted and packed in a fine bag; after which it is called up in a vessel with a hole at the bottom, that if any moisture is left it may run out. This kind of food is in great request among the Molcovites, on account of their three lents, which they keep with a superstitious exactness; wherefore the Italians settled at Molcow drive a very great trade in this commodity throughout that empire, there being a prodigious quantity of sturgeon taken at the mouth of the Wolga and other rivers which fall into the Caspian sea. A pretty large quantity of the commodity is also consumed in Italy and France. They get the caveare from Archangel, but commonly buy it at second hand of the English and Dutch.—According to Savary, the best caveare brought from Molcow is prepared from the bellies, a fish eight or ten feet long, caught in the Caspian sea, which is much preferable to that made of the spawn of sturgeon. A kind of caveare, or rather saffage, is also made from the spawn of some other fishes; particularly a sort of mullet caught in the Mediterranean.