je The Book of Cats. 



anyone attempted to take it away ; but once having 

 laid it at my feet, and had his head scratched in 

 return, his interest in the matter seemed to cease, 

 and he went away without again attempting to 

 touch it. It was clear that he had made me a pre- 

 sent of the game ; and, as we sometimes think, when 

 we make anyone a present of something to eat, 

 it would be more delicate for us to go away imme- 

 diately, lest it might be supposed we desired to be 

 asked to stop and partake of it, Tom thus de- 

 parted, no doubt with a similar idea. 



" No experiment," says an intelligent writer, " can 

 be more beautiful than that of setting a kitten for 

 the first time before a looking-glass. The animal 

 appears surprised and pleased with the reflection, 

 and makes several attempts to touch its new ac- 

 quaintance ; and at length, finding its efforts fruit- 

 less, it looks behind the glass, and appears highly as- 

 tonished at the absence of the figure. It again views 

 itself, and tries to touch the image Avith its foot, 

 suddenly looking at intervals behind the glass. It 

 then becomes more accurate in its observations, and 

 begins, as it were, to make experiments by stretch- 

 ing out its paw in different directions ; and when 

 it finds that these motions are answered in every 

 respect by the figure in the glass, it seems at length 

 to be convinced of the real nature of the image." 



