188 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



A pleasing experiment. 



in carrying them off, the cat was remarked to 

 convey away the young rat as tenderly as she 

 did any of the kittens. This experiment was re- 

 peated as often as any company came to the 

 house, till great numbers had become eye-wit- 

 nesses of the preternatural affection. 



It is but seldom that cats are, like the dog, at- 

 tached to our persons : all their attachment seem- 

 ing to be confined to the houses where they have 

 been brought up. Instances are very common of 

 cats returning, of their own accord, to the place 

 whence they have been carried ; though at the 

 distance of several miles, and even across rivers 

 where they could not possibly have had any 

 knowledge of the road or the direction that 

 would lead them to it. 



" No experiment," says an intelligent writer, 

 " can be more beautiful than that of setting a 

 kitten for the first time before a looking-glass. 

 The animal appears surprised and pleased with 

 the resemblance, and makes several attempts at 

 touching its new acquaintance; and, at length, 

 finding its efforts fruitless, it looks behind the 

 glass, and appears highly astonished at the ab- 

 sence of the figure. It again views itself, and 

 tries to touch the image with its foot ; suddenly 

 looking at intervals behind the glass. It then 

 becomes more accurate in its observations; and 

 begins, as it were, to make experiments, by 

 stretching out its paw in different directions; 

 and when it finds that these motions are answered 

 in every respect by the figure in the glass, it 



