296 BIRDS IN LONDON 



happens to be left open, and if not discovered 

 spend the night in the house. There are 

 scores of houses in my immediate neighbour- 

 hood which have no smell of valerian about 

 them and are favoured in the same way. 



It is not possible at all times of the year 

 to distinguish these ownerless or stray cats 

 from those that have owners ; but there are 

 seasons of scarcity for the outdoor animals 

 during which they differ in appearance from 

 the others ; and at such times, with some prac- 

 tice, one may get an idea of the number of strays 

 in his own neighbourhood. It is in the winter, 

 during long and severe frosts, that the ownerless 

 ones suffer most, and on a bright day in a 

 walk of a quarter of a mile you will sometim.es 

 see as many as a dozen of these poor wretches 

 sunning themselves on one side of the street. 

 On coming close to one of these cats he invari- 

 ably looks at you with wide-open startled eyes, 

 and so long as you stand quietly regarding him 

 he will keep this look. The moment you speak 

 kindly to him the alarm vanishes from his eyes, 

 he knows you for a friend, and is as ready as 

 any starving human beggar to tell you his 

 miserable story. He mews piteously; but 



