392 ANIMALS OF THE 



frogs, are all equally pursued, though not, per- 

 haps, equally acceptable. The mouse seems to 

 be their favourite game ; and although the cat 

 has the sense of smelling in but a mean degree, 

 it nevertheless knows those holes in which its 

 prey resides. I have seen one of them patiently 

 watch a whole day until the mouse appeared, and 

 continue quite motionless until it came within 

 reach, and then seized it with a jump. Of all 

 the marks by which the cat discovers its natural 

 malignity, that of playing and sporting with its 

 little captive, before killing it outright, is the 

 most flagrant. 



The fixed inclination which they discover for 

 this peculiar manner of pursuit, arises from the 

 conformation of their eyes. The pupil in man, 

 and in most other animals, is capable but of a 

 small degree of contraction and dilatation ; it en- 

 larges a little in the dark, and contracts when 

 the light pours in upon it in too great quantities. 

 In the eyes of cats, however, this contraction and 

 dilatation of the pupil is so considerable, that the 

 pupil, which by day-light appears narrow and 

 small, like the black of one's nail, by night ex- 

 pands over the whole surface of the eye-ball, and, 

 as every one must have seen, their eyes seem on 

 fire. By this peculiar conformation, their eyes 

 see better in darkness than light ; and the animal 

 is thus better adapted for spying out and surpris- 

 ing its prey. 



Although the cat is an inhabitant of our houses, 

 yet it cannot properly be called a dependant ; 

 although perfectly tame, yet it acknowledges no 



