100 The Book of Cats. 



vals, and watch these animals, which, slipping by 

 the men, or else leaping over them, rush headlong 

 into the flames." 



In some of the curious Egyptian pictures at the 

 British Museum, you may see the representation of 

 Cats being trained to catch birds. 



Cats are frequently trained in California to catch 

 a species of burrowing pouched rat, called a gopher, 

 a destructive animal infesting fields and gardens. 

 Cats, so trained, are very valuable. 



We are are told that there was once a Cape in the 

 Island of Cyprus, which was called Cat Cape. A 

 monastery stood here, the monks of which were 

 compelled by their vows to keep a great number of 

 Cats, to wage war against the snakes, with which 

 the Island was swarming. At the sound of a 

 certain bell the Cats came trooping home to their 

 meals, and then rushed out again to the chase. 

 When, however, the Turks conquered the Island, 

 they destroyed both the Cats and their home. 



In the middle ages, animals formed as prominent 

 a part in the worship of the time as in the old 

 religion of Egypt. The Cat was a very important 

 personage in religious festivals. At Aix, in 

 Provence, on the festival of Corpus Christi, the 

 finest Tom-cat of the country, wrapt in swaddling 



