198 SINGULAR ACTIONS OF A CAT. 



belonged to the ruined kitchen, Zara's puppies were 

 lodged. 



" The cat_, who was a great favourite also till she be- 

 came a mother, when the new duties she had to ful- 

 fil made Miss Mackenzie more attentive to her pro- 

 pensities, had kittens much about the same time. 

 The young lady then perceived a degree of levity and 

 cruelty in her cat, that had before escaped her obser- 

 vation. She neglected her usual occupation of mouse- 

 catching in the cellar, and lay on the top of the 

 house, watching for bats, all the evening. Not con- 

 tented with this equivocal game, the bee-catcher, the 

 gentle wren, and even the sacred swallow, were 

 taken and devoured in the presence of her tender- 

 hearted mistress, who tried every means to correct 

 her voracious disposition* She confined her, she 

 crammed her, and beat her with a dead bird, but 

 still these atrocities were repeated. The appearance 

 of the young family delighted Miss Mackenzie : she 

 now determined to feed her well, and hoped she 

 would assume a more domestic character, and live 

 once more on milk and mice. Every preparation for 

 the comfort of the little strangers was anticipated, and 

 an excellent bed was made ready in the gaiTet ; but 

 the cat, suspicious of the officious visits of her mis- 

 tress, can-ied her young ones to a high projection near 

 the roof, that had been intended for a pigeon-house. 



