276 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



The following has been told in confirmation of the 

 idea that cats have some presentiments of evil : 



" The morning before the recent accident to H.M. 

 Destroyer Salmon, that vessel was lying alongside of 

 H.M.S. Sturgeon. 



" Upon the former vessel dwelt two cats, the special 

 pets of the crew, and who had never been known to show 

 the smallest inclination to leave the ship. 



"But on this particular morning, in spite of being 

 chased by the crew and worried by the dogs, the cats 

 never faltered in their determination to get off the 

 Salmon and on to the Sturgeon. 



"And when the first-named destroyer had weighed 

 anchor for what was to prove the disastrous voyage, the 

 cats made one last spring as the vessels separated, and 

 landed themselves on the deck of H.M.S. Sturgeon." 



The following account of a ship- wrecked cat appeared 

 in the Animal's Friend : 



"When walking home from chapel one Sunday 

 morning, I observed in front of me a boy and girl, and 

 from the arm of the former something was hanging down 

 which looked like a cat's tail. 



" I overtook them and found the boy had a dark 

 tabby cat in his arms, so asked them about such an 

 unusual proceeding on a Sunday morning. 



" They told me their father, who was the captain of a 

 vessel, had sent them to fetch the ship's cat, thinking it 

 might feel lonely on board while the crew had all gone 

 on shore. 



" It appeared that when in the Indian Ocean some 



