92 



ol:r domestic animals 



A DANCiERous Plaything 



trained to jump over a stick, to ride horseback 

 upon dogs, and even to dance to the word of 

 command. But tricks of this kind, suitable only 

 for fairs and circuses, can be taught just as 

 easily to pigs and cockatoos ; in fact, the cats 

 which, by dint of patience, have been taught 

 these things must be regarded as great excep- 

 tions. If it is desired to teach anything to a 

 cat, the utmost gentleness must be used, for 

 cats fear and resent blows and harsh words 

 far more than a dog ever does. 



There is no question of training a cat to 

 catch mice. All of them do not do it with 



the same agility, and it is claimed that the 

 common, striped, gray domestic cat is foremost 

 in the art. It may be that cats of that color 

 come nearest to the wild cat, but it is more 

 probable that the colur is not so easily seen by 

 the little nidciils. A baker or a miller ou"lit, 



.\|1S(III|-.|-- 



therefore, to keep white cats to save his grain, 

 because where all is white a cat of a dark color 

 would be seen more easily. 



A cat kept exclusively to hunt mice must 

 not be deprived, as is sometimes the case, of 

 other food. To do so is more than imprudent. 



Making Acquaintance with I'hotographv 



