24 NATURE STUDY. 



Snooks. 



BY E. AEFREDA HAEE. 



Snooks was a cat. He had no particular reason for his 

 name, which could not be said of his brother, Flypaper, 

 who was christened thus after an unfortunate sitting down 

 in early life. Both cats were favorite pets of their master, 

 who humored them in every way and was continually giv- 

 ing then some delicac}-, not the least delicious of which 

 was red squirrel meat. This was often obtained, for squir 

 rels were common in the north country and were a nui- 

 sance. 



Fl>'paper was a mighty hunter and usuall}' obtained his 

 own meat. Moreover, he had a wholesome fear of a gun. 

 Snooks, on the contrary, had no fear of fire-arms, neither 

 was he very successful in hunting. He was the greater 

 pet of the two and was oftenest at his ma.steT's side. His 

 wants were always attended to and he early learned to 

 make them known by voice and actioiE He had so many 

 times received a squirrel after a report from the gun was 

 heard that he soon learned to connect the two. The next 

 stgp was to learn that the combination of master and gun 

 leaving the house together meant fresh meat, and he was 

 soon trotting along too, read}' to pick up the game. One 

 day he came into the house mewing as if something was 

 wanted, but nothing inside would satisfy him. On going 

 to the door to put him out, a squirrel was heard snickering 

 in the butternut tree. The gun was taken out and the 

 squirrel brought down while Snooks complacentl)' trotted 

 along and retrieved the game. From that time he fre- 

 quently came in to announce a squirrel in the butternut 

 tree. 



One day his master was slow in seeing the game that 

 was heard but a moment before, and Snooks, getting im- 



