The Scottish Naturalist. 5 



protracted performance worthy of a better cause. On one oc- 

 casion this cat ascertained that the occupants of the house next 

 door had acquired a nice plump guinea pig on which they set 

 great store; and Puss at once fixed his affections on its im- 

 mediate transfer instead to the gratification of his own capacious 

 appetite. He seized his opportunity then, and in triumph 

 brought it over the wall — a prey — to be devoured at his own 

 leisure. It was seen and rescued, and restored with the caution 

 to place it in shelter elsewhere during the darkness of night, 

 when its owners were not about efficiently to guard its safety, 

 as Puss had his eyes on it. With many thanks, due precautions 

 were taken to that end, and Puss was baffled for a long time. 

 In vain. Puss was strong in behalf of his own imagined "rights," 

 and not to be baulked by any in the end. He obtained 

 possession the second time at night, deliberately ate it all up out- 

 side, and then quietly and unmistakably to prove what had 

 been done, and by whom, brought in the head and claws of the 

 victim and a scrap of fur to identify the lost, and placed them 

 ostentatiously in a prominent place, where they could not fail 

 to he noted. This a positive fact to my sure knowledge, the 

 cat in question being in the house at this moment. As to 

 Puss's penchant to my bird : He was so well fed he could not 

 possibly want the luxury ; nevertheless, every time our drawing- 

 room door is opened, there is he to be beheld with resolve and 

 deliberation seated on the door-mat without, all intent attention 

 at the first opportunity of an unguarded moment, or momen- 

 tary forgetfulness, to snap up or to pounce in and destroy without 

 ruth. He will creep in between the attendant servant's floating 

 dress, and thus hid, as unsuspected, bide his time, rush for- 

 ward then, and hitherto, I am happy to state, be successfully 

 beaten off, to repeat the performance always "once more." 

 The servant and he are firm friends, and he follows her about 

 the house, as only dogs are supposed to do. On one occasion 

 when she was away visiting her friends awhile, Puss was incon- 

 solable, roaming all over the house yawling ceaselessly till her 

 return, and night by night stretching himself outside her door 

 waiting, and making night hideous with his outciy of dis- 

 appointed hopes. When she has done anything occasioning 

 him the faintest annoyance, however, he has hit upon the happy 

 expedient of mounting her snowy dresser when her back is 

 turned, and catching the swinging pendulum of her clock till 

 he stops it, out of pure retaliation, and to evince his sovereign 



