190 Die Silnrisdi Fauna des Westlichen Tennessee. 



Cats >vlieu terrified stand at full height, and arch their backs in a 

 well known and ridiculous fashion ; they spit, hiss, or growl. The 

 hair over the whole bod}', and especially on the tail, becomes erect. 

 In the instances observed by me, the basal part of the tail was held 

 upright, the terminal part being thrown on one side ; but sometimes 

 the tail is only a little raised, and is bent almost from the base to one 

 side. The ears are drawn back and the teeth exposed ; when two 

 kittens are playing together the one often thus tries to frighten the 

 other. From what we have seen, all the above points of expression 

 are intelligible, except the extreme arching of the back. I am inclined 

 to believe that, in the same manner as many birds, whilst they ruffle 

 their /eathers, spread out their wings and tail, to make themselves 

 look as big as possible, so cats st|ind upright, at their full height, arcli 

 their backs, often raise the basal part of the tail, and erect their hair 

 for the same purpose. The lynx, when attacked, is said to arch its 

 back, and is thus figured by Brehm. But the keepers in the Zoologi- 

 cal Gardens, have never seen any tendency to this action in the larger 

 feline animals, such as tigers, lions, etc., and these have little cause to 

 be afraid .of any other animal. , 



Cats use their voices much as a means of expression, and they utter, 

 under various emotions and desires, at least six or seven different 

 sounds. The purr of satisfaction, which is made during both inspira- 

 tion and expiration is one of the most curious. The puma, cheetah, 

 and ocelot, likewise purr ; but the tiger when pleased, emits a peculiar 

 short snuffle, accompanied by the closure of the eyelids. It is said 

 that the lion, jaguar, and leopard, do not jjurr. 



From Die Silurische Fauna des WesflicJien Tennessee. By Dr. Ferdi. 

 NAND R(EMER. [Translated from his Journal]. 



Astylospongia Stellatim-sulcata. [Dr. Ferd. Rcemer.] 



A globular sponge, varying in size fi"om that of a hazle-nut to that 

 of a walnut, Avhose surface is covered with furrows, that run together 

 in centers, that are irregularly distributed over the surface, and of an 

 obscurely stellate form. 



There is no particular point on its surfiice from which one may 

 start its description. The curve and structure of its surface is alto, 

 gether so similar, that one can not distinguish between a top and a 

 bottom. Larger openings are not perceptible upon the outer surface. 

 This especially distinguishes this species from Astylosijongia jirainona , 



