126 SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS: Chap. V. 



The tail is extended, being curled or lashed from side to 

 side. The hair is not erected — at least it was not so in 

 the few cases observed by me. The ears are drawn closely 

 backwards and the teeth are shown. Low savage growls 

 are uttered. We can understand why the attitude as- 

 sumed by a cat when preparing to fight with another 

 cat, or in any way greatly irritated, is so widely different 

 from that of a dog approaching another dog with hostile 

 intentions; for the cat uses her fore-feet for striking, 

 and this renders a crouching position convenient or 

 necessary. She is also much more accustomed than a 

 dog to lie concealed and suddenly spring on her prey. 

 No cause can be assigned with certainty for the tail 

 being lashed or curled from side to side. This habit is 

 common to many other animals — for instance, to the 

 puma, when prepared to spring; 6 but it is not common 

 to dogs, or to foxes, as I infer from Mr. St. John's ac- 

 count of a fox lying in wait and seizing a hare. We 

 have already seen that some kinds of lizards and various 

 snakes, when excited, rapidly vibrate the tips of their 

 tails. It would appear as if, under strong excitement, 

 there existed an uncontrollable desire for movement of 

 some kind, owing to nerve-force being freely liberated 

 from the excited sensorium; and that as the tail is left 

 free, and as its movement does not disturb the general 

 position of the body, it is curled or lashed about. 



All the movements of a cat, when feeling affection- 

 ate, are in complete antithesis to those just described. 

 She now stands upright, with slightly arched back, tail 

 perpendicularly raised, and ears erected; and she rubs 

 her cheeks and flanks against her master or mistress. 

 The desire to rub something is so strong in cats under 

 this state of mind, that they may often be seen rubbing 



6 Azara, ' Quadmpedes du Paraquay,' 1801, torn. i. p. 136. 



