Class I. CAT. 8^ 



drinks little : is fond of fifh : it wafhcs its face 

 with its fore-foot, [Linn^us fays at the approach of " 

 a ftorm:) the female is remarkably falacioiis ; a 

 piteous, fqualling, jarring lover. Its eyes fhine in 

 the night : its hair when rnbhed in the dark e- 

 mits fire : it is even proverbially tenacious of life: 

 always lights on its feet: is fond of perfumes; 

 Marum^ Cat-mint^ valerian, &c*. 



Our ancedors feem to have had a hi<yh fenfe 

 of the utility of this animal. That excellent Prince 

 Hoel dda, or Howel the Good, did not think it 

 beneath him (among his laws relating to the prices, 

 &c. of animjalsf,) to include that of the cat; and 

 to defcribe the qualities it ought to have. The 

 price of a kitling before it could fee, was to be a 

 penny ; till it caught a moufe two-pence ; when 

 it commenced moufer four-pence. It was required 

 befides, that it fhould be perfe6l in its fenfes of 

 hearing and feeing, be a good moufer, have the 

 claws whole, and be a good nurfe : but if it fail- 

 ed in any of thefe qualities, the feller was to forfeit 

 to the buyer the third part of its value. If any 

 one dole or killed the cat that guarded the Prince's 

 granary, he was to forfeit a milch ewe, its fleece 

 and lamb ; or as much wheat as when poured on 

 the cat fufpended by its tail (the head touching the 

 floor) would form a heap high enough to cover 



* Vide Lin. fyj}. 



t Leges Wallicte, p. 247, 248. 



G 2 the 



