water-tabby

What is that which some call _land_, but a fine coat faced with green? or the _sea_, but a waistcoat of water-tabby?

Among My Books First Series James Russell Lowell 1855

CAILLARD [443] -- when he views the morocco binding, silk water-tabby lining, blazing gilt edges; when he turns over the white and unspotted leaves; gazes on the amplitude of margin; on a rare and lovely print introduced; and is charmed with the soft and coaxing manner in which, by the skill of Herring, Mackinlay, Rodwell, Lewis, or Faulkener,

Bibliomania; or Book-Madness A Bibliographical Romance Thomas Frognall Dibdin 1811

He first eyed, with a greedy velocity, the backs of the folios and quartos; then the octavos; and, mounting an ingeniously-contrived mahogany rostrum, which moved with the utmost facility, he did not fail to pay due attention to the duodecimos; some of which were carefully preserved in Russia or morocco backs, with water-tabby silk linings, and other appropriate embellishments.

Bibliomania; or Book-Madness A Bibliographical Romance Thomas Frognall Dibdin 1811

What is that which some call land but a fine coat faced with green, or the sea but a waistcoat of water-tabby?

A Tale of a Tub Jonathan Swift 1706