2 4 o RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



posed that her pursuit of the water rats first taught her 

 to venture into the water, to which it is well known cats 

 have a natural aversion. She is as fond of the water as 

 a Newfoundland dog, and takes her regular peregrinations 

 along the rocks at the edge of the seashore, looking out for 

 her prey, ready to dive after them at a moment's notice." 



We also recollect a cat who spent the greater part of 

 her time on the banks of a stream, living on small fish 

 which she caught there, but she also, in the first instance, 

 seemed to be attracted by the water rats, whom she used 

 to pursue into the water. 



My old friend and neighbour, Dr William Murray, 

 with whom I have spent many a pleasant hour, and whose 

 wife was a sister of the well-known dramatic author and 

 novelist, J. M. Barrie, told me that when he was a young 

 man he lived in a small place in Dumfriesshire, and was 

 in the habit of going to fish and sometimes to bathe in 

 the River Annan. At that time he owned a large white- 

 haired cat called Beelzebub, not from his disposition, 

 which was amiable and affectionate, but on account of his 

 appearance, which was peculiar, his colour being pure 

 white all over with a black spot or smudge covering his 

 head, face and ears, which gave a most sinister appearance 

 to his countenance. 



This cat was a constant companion on his master's 

 visits to the river, and on one occasion, when the doctor 

 was bathing, he was surprised to see the cat plunge into 

 the river, swim towards him and spring on his shoulders, 

 as he frequently did on land, and in that way was borne 

 to the bank. 



