Big international company that makes, rents, and sells all sorts of construction machinery, plus the parts that people need to keep them working.

Way back in 1890 Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best began making steam-powered tractors for use in farming, and later by the Allies in World War I. In 1925 they merged to form Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois, where the international headquarters is still located today. In World War II they produced machinery for the war effort; in 1950 they started their first international office; in 1953 they started a separate division just for their engines. Today, they continue to produce machinery internationally, including the 797 Large Mining Truck.

A good company to buy stock in; when the next world war breaks out, Caterpillar will be producing the engines for the tanks, and when it's all over, they'll be selling the cranes to rebuild the cities.

Cat"er*pil`lar (?), n. [OE. catyrpel, corrupted fr. OF. chatepelouse, or cate pelue, fr. chate, F. chatte, she-cat, fem. of chat, L. catus + L. pilosus hairy, or F. pelu hairy, fr. L. pilus hair. See Cat, and Pile hair.]

1. Zool.

The larval state of a butterfly or any lepidopterous insect; sometimes, but less commonly, the larval state of other insects, as the sawflies, which are also called false caterpillars. The true caterpillars have three pairs of true legs, and several pairs of abdominal fleshy legs (prolegs) armed with hooks. Some are hairy, others naked. They usually feed on leaves, fruit, and succulent vegetables, being often very destructive, Many of them are popularly called worms, as the cutworm, cankerworm, army worm, cotton worm, silkworm.

2. Bot.

A plant of the genus Scorpiurus, with pods resembling caterpillars.

Caterpillar catcher, ∨ Caterpillar eater Zool., a bird belonging to the family of Shrikes, which feeds on caterpillars. The name is also given to several other birds. -- Caterpillar hunter Zool., any species of beetles of the genus Callosoma and other allied genera of the family Carabidae which feed habitually upon caterpillars.

 

© Webster 1913.

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