ANECDOTES ABOUT CATS 231 



But some time afterwards, when I was living at Laurel 

 Bank, Downend, Gloucestershire, on going into the 

 stable, accompanied by a white and black cat, Magpie, 

 whose portrait illustrates my sketch of that variety in 

 this book, before I noticed what he was after, made 

 a dash like lightning, and I saw mice flying in all 

 directions, and on looking closely at Magpie, who was 

 standing stock still with his front paws firmly placed on 

 the ground, I noticed he had part of a mouse hanging out 

 of each side of his mouth and one held under each front claw. 



So, as seeing is believing, I withdrew my doubts as to 

 the former story, and the next time I saw Mr Weir told 

 him of the confirmation it had received with one of my 

 own cat's doings. 



This Magpie was the most inveterate vermin killer 

 I ever saw. It was quite a mania with him, he entirely freed 

 our premises from all rats and mice, and afterwards I gave 

 him to an old servant of ours who had married a corn 

 dealer, as she told me they were overrun with rats and 

 mice, and Magpie so distinguished himself by his 

 exploits amongst them that he was a valuable acquisition, 

 and ended his days as a treasured member of the com- 

 munity, finding ample opportunity for the display of his 

 talents. 



An instance is given by Smellie of a cat that was in 

 the habit of frequenting a cupboard, the door of which 

 was fastened by a common iron latch ; a window was 

 placed near the door ; when the door was shut the cat 

 suffered no uneasiness, so soon as she was tired of the 

 cupboard she mounted on the window-sill, opened the 



