.THE DOMESTIC CAT. 151 



other well-authenticated instance"? of the like have 

 been recorded. One of the most singular that has 

 come to my knowledge, was related to me by my 

 friend Mr. Bill, of Christchurch. When he lived 

 at Wallington, near Carshalton, in Surry, somewhat 

 more than thirty years ago, he had a Cat that was 

 often known to plunge, without hesitation, into 

 the river Wandle, and swim over to an island at a 

 little distance from the bank. To this there could 

 be no other inducement than the fish she might 

 catch in her passage, or the vermin that the island 

 afforded. 



There are several kinds of plants that Cats are 

 partial to. Amongst others, they are extremely fond 

 of rubbing themselves upon valerian*, and marum 

 or cat-thymef . Like Dogs^ they also occasionally 

 eat blades of grass; and, as it is supposed, for the 

 same purpose, as an emetic. 



I am informed by Dr. Hamilton, of Ipswich, that 

 it is very difficult, if not altogether impossible, to 

 poison the Cat. Arsenic, corrosive sublimate, and 

 flux vomica, have all failed. A gentleman of 

 Ipswich endeavoured, by means of these sub- 

 stances, concealed in pieces of salmon, to destroy 

 some of a great number of Cats that frequented 

 his garden during the nights, trampling over his 

 flower beds, and essentially damaging his plants. 

 In the mornings he regularly found that the baits 



Vakriana qffidnalis. f Teucrium marum, of Linnaeus. 



L4 had 



