2IO WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



breed fast, the kittens grow to cats in the same 

 wild way and drift out of the city to the country, 

 where they take to the woods. The authorities 

 of New York City are compelled to kill a hundred 

 thousand stray cats every year, and still the cat 

 population of the city is growing. 



"Chapman reckons there are at least 25,000,000 

 cats in the United States and there may be twice 

 as many. Nine out of every ten cats will catch 

 birds, and, counting feral as well as domestic 

 cats, it's sure that each one catches at least a dozen 

 birds a year. Forbush, who has studied the sub- 

 ject thoroughly, reckons that a feral cat will aver- 

 age fifty birds a year. Even at a dozen a year, 

 that would make 270,000,000 birds eaten by cats 

 every year. Killing stray cats is a part of every 

 bird-lover's job." 



Shan passed his hand across his forehead. He 

 was making himself warm with his energetic at- 

 tack upon the cat. The old pot-hunter, no^vise 

 displeased with the lad's enthusiasm, answered, 

 less coldly, 



"Supposin' all that's true. Yo're talkin' on 

 the side o' the birds. How about the cat? Ain't 

 a cat got as much right to live as a bird ? Yo ' like 

 to hear a bird sing. I may like to hear a cat 



