Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/793

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

KATZBACII KAUFMANN 773 is almost insupportable to those unaccustomed to it. The perfect insect lays her eggs in Sep- tember and October, depositing them in two contiguous rows along the surface of a twig previously prepared by her curved piercer ; they resemble tiny bivalve shells, of a slate color, about one eighth of an inch long, and are eight or nine in each row ; the young escape through a cleft in one end ; the eggs are sometimes placed in nests in the earth, where they remain till spring; they are eaten by beetles, earwigs, crickets, ants, &c. The young are said to be injurious to roots of grasses and grains; the adults eat the interior of flower buds and the germs of fruit. Though found on almost all trees, the balsam poplar is a special favorite. They are called grasshopper birds by the Indians, who are in the habit of roasting and grinding them into a flour, from which they make cakes, considered by them as delicacies. The katydid is interesting in captivity, and will live thus, if fed on fruit, for several weeks; like other grasshoppers, after the warm season they rapidly become old, the voice ceases, and all soon perish. KATZBACH, a small river of Prussian Silesia, which .joins the Oder on its left bank, 29 m. N. W. of Breslau, after a course of 35 m. It is noted for a victory of the Prussians and Rus- sians under Blticher over the French command- ed by Macdonald, achieved on its banks near Liegnitz, Aug. 26, 1813. KAl'AI, the principal N. "W. island of the Hawaiian group, in lat. 22 N., Ion. 159 30' W. ; area, 527 sq. in. ; pop. in 1872, 4,961. It is irregularly circular, about 28 m. in diameter, and mountainous. Waialeale, the highest peak (about 6,000 ft.), is a little E. of the centre. West of this summit is a table land of nearly 40 sq. m. and about 3,000 ft. high; it termi- nates in a steep precipice on the coast. At other parts of the island the shore is generally a sandy beach interrupted by basaltic cliffs from 10 to 150 ft. high. The rock of the mountain is a compact ferruginous basalt. The shore ridges contain less iron and are more cellular ; they vary in their structure from a compact phonolite to a heavy basalt. Crystals of quartz and iron pyrites are found in various parts. On the W. coast is a steep sand bank about 60 ft. high, known as the " barking sands," formed by the action of the wind, and constantly ad- vancing on the land. Visitors slide their horses down the face of the bank, when a noise as of subterranean thunder is heard. The valleys are deep and numerous, and every ravine is a watercourse. Kauai has a larger proportion of arable land than any other of the Hawaiian islands, its lowlands being mostly on the wind- ward or rainy side. In the valleys the soil is sometimes 10 ft. deep. Hanalei, on the N. side, is reputed to have a larger rainfall than any other place in the group. The leeward or S. W. districts are comparatively dry and bar- ren. The largest river, the Hanalei, empties into a tolerable harbor of the same name ; Ko- loa (the principal town) and Nawiliwili have also good anchorage. Kauai is regarded, on account of the greater decomposition of its lavas, the degradation of its ridges, and the ab- sence of recent volcanic products, as the oldest member of the Hawaiian group. The whole island, however, bears clear traces of its vol- canic origin. In most parts the scenery is of extreme beauty. The chief product of Kauai is sugar; the raising of cattle is also a con- siderable business, hides, tallow, and wool being exported. Breadfruits, kalo, bananas, cocoanuts, oranges, and other tropical fruits grow abundantly. The native population of the island is decreasing. KACFFMANN, Maria Angelica, a Swiss painter, born in Coire, Oct. 30, 1741, died in Rome, Nov. 5, 1807. At the age of 15 she was ta- ken to Milan and put under the best masters in music and painting, and in 1763 she accom- panied her father to Rome. Winckelmann, whose portrait she painted, in a letter written in 1764, speaks in the warmest terms of her many accomplishments, and of her intimate acquaintance with modern languages. While in Rome she painted many portraits of distin- guished people. In 1765 she accompanied Lady Wentworth to England, where she was received with every mark of attention. Upon the establishment of the royal academy she was chosen one of the 86 original members. In 1781 she married Signor Antonio Zucchi, an artist, and the following year returned to Rome, where she passed the rest of her life. Some years previous to this she had been betrayed into marriage with an impostor who assumed the title of Count Horn, from whom she pro- cured a divorce. Many of her works were en- graved by Bartolozzi. She retained her maid- en name until her death. KAUFMAN, a N. E. county of Texas, bounded S. W. by Trinity river, and drained by the E. fork of that stream ; area, 950 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 6,895, of whom 838 were colored. The surface is mostly undulating, and the S. E. part is well timbered, while the N. W. is occupied by prairies. The soil is generally good. The chief productions in 1870 were 179,658 bush- els of Indian corn, 11,700 of sweet potatoes, and 1,910 bales of cotton. There were 2,605 horses, 25,643 cattle, 2,448 sheep, and 8,406 swine. Capital, Kaufman. h, II I II V, Constantin Petrovlteh, a Russian general, born in the Baltic provinces about 1817. He is of humble origin, but early ac- quired distinction as a military engineer, and served for some time as chief of staff in the Caucasus. At a later period he held a post in the ministry of war, and cooperated in the thorough reform of the army. In 1864 he was appointed governor general of the military di- vision of Wilna, including Lithuania, Livonia, and Courland; and in 1867 of the newly es- tablished division of Turkistan, which post he continued to hold in 1874 with the rank of lieutenant general. The progress of Russia in