at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster ; and I am bound to 

 say that the relations between master and cats were on a 

 better footing than any that have hitherto come under my 

 notice. On each side of the stage there were cat kennels, 

 from which the cats made their appearance on a given 

 signal, ran across, on or over whatever was placed between, 

 and disappeared quickly into the opposite kennels. But 

 about it all there was a decided air of timidity^ and an 

 eagerness to get the performance over, and done with it. 

 When the cats came out they were caressed and encouraged, 

 which seemed to have a soothing effect, and I have a strong 

 apprehension that they received some dainty morsel when 

 they reached their destination. One ran up a pole at 

 command, over which there was a cap at the top, into which 

 it disappeared for a few seconds, evidently for some reason, 

 food perhaps. It then descended. But before this supreme 

 act several cats had crossed a bridge of chairs, stepping only 

 on the backs, until they reached the opposite house or box 

 into which to retire. The process was repeated, and the per- 

 formance varied by two cats crossing the bridge together, one 

 passing over and the other under the horizontal rung between 

 the seat and the top of the chair. A long plank was next 



