8o 



NATURE 



[November 22, 1894 



PHOTOGRAPHS OF A TUMBU.\G CAT. 



MMAREY'S recent photographs of a falling cat, 

 . taken with the view of determining the mechanical 

 conditions which enable the animal to alight on its feet, 



The former gives a side view of pussy, and the latter 

 a back view. The cat was held by its feet, and was 

 let go in that position. In each of the pairs of figures, 

 the series of images runs from right to left, and the lower 

 is a continuation of the upper. The expression of offended 





h-trWn'n 



Fig, I. — Side view of a falling cat. (The series runs from right to left.) 



Fig. 3.— Eni view of u falling cat. (I'he series rant from rii;ht to left.) 



have excited considerable interest. Figs, i and 2 accom- 

 panied his paper on the tumbling of cats, presented to 

 the Paris Academy, and are reproduced in La Nature, 



NO. 1308, VOL. 51] 



dignity shown by the cat at the end of the first series 

 indicates a want of interest in scientific investigation. 

 The rotation of the fore and hind parts of the cat's 



