The Wit of the Wild 



r 



with a loud squeak. I have often observed her 

 doing this, but on no occasion did she attempt 

 to eat the frog, and I never could discover that 

 she injured it in the least." 



Moreover, it should be observed that this 

 characteristic feline practice seems to be some- 

 thing a young cat is taught to do by its par- 

 ents at any rate that seemed to be the intent 

 of what I saw going on over the fence this 

 morning. The mother-cat brought out a bone 

 to which considerable meat was attached, and 

 laid it down. The kitten made a dash at it, but 

 was driven off. Then the old cat approached 

 the bone and began to toy with it, snatching 

 at it with its fore paws, hopping about, and 

 generally behaving as nearly as possible as if 

 the bit of meat were a living prey. After a lit- 

 tle the cat stopped this and lay down at a dis- 

 tance, whereupon the kitten approached and 

 clumsily imitated its mother's action. A second 

 time the scene was rehearsed, and only after 

 this lesson was Kitty allowed to eat her meal 

 as she pleased. 



Inherited aptitude for its special training is 



$ 268 



