WILD-CAT HUNTING. 16h 
mints’? have the same venomous expression, the same 
demonstration of fangs; and probably no two living crea- 
tures attack each other with more deadly ferocity and 
hate. They will stare at each other with eyes filled 
with defiance, and burning with fire; one hissing, and 
the other snarling; presenting a most terrible picture of 
the malevolence of passion. 
The serpent in his attitudes is all grace—the cat, all 
activity. The serpent moves with the quickness of 
lightning while making the attack; the cat defends 
with motions equally quick, bounding from side to side, 
striking with its paws. Both are often victims, for they 
seldom separate until death-blows have been inflicted on 
either side. 
The western hunter, when he wishes to cap the eli- 
max of braggadocio, with respect to his own prowess, 
says, ‘‘ He can whip his weight in wild-cats.” This is 
saying all that can be said, for it would seem, consider- 
ing its size, that the cat in a fight can bite fiercer, scratch 
harder, and live longer than any other animal whatever. 
“T am a roaring earthquake in a fight,” sung out 
one of the half-horse, half-alligator species of fellows—- 
“a real snorter of the universe. I can strike as hard as 
fourth proof lightning, and keep it up, rough and tum- 
ble, as long as a wild-cat.”’ 
These high encomiums on the character of the pug- 
nacity of the cat are beyond question. 
A “singed cat” is an excellent proverb, illustrating 
