200 Instance of a Cat suckling Two Leverets. 



A case in proof of this strong maternal feeling occurred 

 in the stable of D. Stokes, Esq., Bankside, a short time ago. 

 A the groom was clearing away some rubbish from a corner 

 of the hay-loft, he found a nest containing four young rats, 

 about three or four weeks old. He immediately took them 

 down into the stable, to a favourite cat, of known prowess, 

 not only in killing rats, but also of putting many of her ill- 

 fated victims to a lingering death. The groom put down the 

 " young vermin " before the cat, telling her "to make a hearty 

 breakfast of them," and immediately returned to the hay-loft. 

 On his return to the stable, in about half an hour, "neither 

 puss nor the vermin were to be seen ; " he therefore thought 

 she had obeyed his orders, and despatched her early meal. 

 Some hours afterwards, he was attracted to a corner of the 

 stable by the soothing purr of his favourite cat ; and found 

 her performing the duties of a mother to her foster- bnpod, in 

 a neatly formed nest, which she had constructed for them, and 

 to which she had conveyed them in his absence, and for which 

 she evidenced the strongest attachment. It is, however, but 

 justice to say, that the cat had had her litter of kittens drowned 

 about three weeks before this occurrence took place. Puss 

 was not permitted to exercise her maternal duties longer than 

 to gratify the curiosity of the neighbours. This fact was 

 related to me by an eyewitness of the greatest veracity. — 

 W. H. White. Old Kent Road, June 10. 1835. 



An Instance of the Attachment of a 'Female Cat to two Le- 

 verets. — During the summer of 1804, as my father's servant 

 was mowing some long grass in a copse adjoining the orchard, 

 he mortally wounded a hare, while she was performing her 

 maternal duties to her offspring. The man brought home 

 the wounded mother, and her two leverets, about five or six 

 weeks old. While my father was examining the injuries the 

 mother had received, the man put down the leverets in the 

 kitchen ; and, after the examination was concuded, the leverets 

 were missing. It was, however, soon discovered that the cat, 

 which had had three of her four kittens destroyed a few 

 days before, had conveyed the leverets, unobservedly, to her 

 kitten ; and she performed the duties of a mother to them so 

 long as it was necessary for her to do so. I have often been 

 amused with the lively gambols of the kitten and the two 

 leverets. As the young hares became capable of providing 

 for themselves, they used to feed in the orchard and adjoining 

 fields. I have frequently observed their foster-mother go in 

 quest of them in the evening, and give her well-known call of 

 affection and endearment; when her adopted charge would 

 immediately obey the well understood summons; and, although 



