228 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



interesting record bearing on this subject. In fact, 

 from this point of view, the cat, during the first three 

 months of its life, is decidedly in advance of the dog. 



In the mature cat, instinct in securing prey plays so 

 prominent a part, that we are apt to overlook a great 

 deal in the mental experience of the cat. Her psychic 

 life is withdrawn from us to a greater extent than that 

 of most of our domestic animals. I do not know of a 

 single good history of the complete development of the 

 cat from birth to maturity, so that I regret the more 

 the loss of my kitten before she had reached the age of 

 at least one year. 



The diary also shows that the cat has a good memory, 

 though whether equal to, or better than, that of the 

 dog, I am not prepared to say; the evidence is in- 

 sufficient for the purpose. 



On the question of will-power there is, however, 

 ample evidence for making comparisons. 



If the quivering movements of the ears were im- 

 perfect voluntary movements, these may be considered 

 about the first manifestation of will in the kitten, and 

 there is nothing to correspond to this in the dog at so 

 early a state. 



While attempts to get from the original nest or 

 home took place at an early period in both the dog 

 and the cat, they were more persistent in the latter. 



I have given, in considerable detail, the history of the 

 kitten's attempts to get into my book-shelves, etc., and 

 I must repeat that this furnishes to me the most im- 

 pressive evidence of the existence of, a strong will- 

 power, intelligently expressed, that has ever come 

 under my observation in so young an animal of any 

 kind. While I think that the kitten, whose history I 

 have recorded, was above the average in strength of 

 character, if 1 may so express it, yet, in making all 

 allowance for this, there is still a very large margin in 



