THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF PETS, ETC. 95 



Spiders and even butterflies are in certain cases 

 regarded with an abhorrence which amounts to actual 

 fear, and, however strong the wish may be to overcome 

 it, the feeling remains an instinctive and inherent one. 

 If the photographer be fortunate enough to 

 belong to the class of natural " tamers " of those, 

 that is, who, far from feeling any sense of repugnance, 

 take a delight in animals and animals' friendship he 

 will find his difficulties very considerably lightened. 

 But whatever be his case, the observance of a few 

 commonsense principles must secure a result sooner 

 or later. In the case of domestic animals, as in 

 that of wild ones, natural surroundings are of 

 great importance. It may be urged that the natural 

 surroundings of the cat are much the same as those 

 of the household. It must be remembered, however, 

 that the common vulgar cat and this is the kind that 

 interests the naturalist prefers, as a rule, the stable- 

 loft to the fireside ; and the window-sill, if it is 

 attainable, to any other portion of the room. The 

 cat that, as the result of over-indulgence and feminine 

 attentions, has lost its natural hunting instincts, is 

 photographically not worth a plate. The poaching 

 variety, on the other hand, will form the best study 

 possible. What, then, are the best surroundings to 

 select ? In the case of domestic animals some pre- 

 liminary observations are always possible. A watch 

 should be kept to determine the resting place usually 

 selected, for the cat is pretty sure to be conservative 

 enough to rest daily in the same locality, and, if we 



