64 BIBBS 



BLACKBIRDS v. CATS 



I 



The interesting letter in your issue of August 2 on black- 

 birds and cats recalls to my mind a somewhat similar 

 incident which occurred to a friend of mine at Bexhill. 

 One morning in the spring she heard loud and unusual 

 sounds proceeding from the garden. On investigating 

 the cause she discovered that her cat had seized and killed 

 a hen blackbird and was gloating over her victim. But her 

 triumph was short-lived, for in a few minutes the bird's 

 mate flew down, and alighting on the head of the destroyer 

 of its domestic happiness, pecked her furiously, at the same 

 time uttering piercing cries of rage. The effect of this 

 onslaught on the cat was remarkable. She seemed para- 

 lysed with fear, and crouched trembling during the whole 

 time her punishment lasted about ten minutes. When at 

 last the bird, exhausted, flew away, the cat darted into the 

 house and hid under a bed in one of the upper rooms. For 

 several days afterwards she could not be persuaded to enter 

 the garden, and when at length she ventured she looked 

 furtively round, and both on that occasion and whenever 

 she went into the garden in future was always on the 

 watch for her injured and indignant enemy. If she saw 

 or heard him she invariably rushed terror-stricken into the 

 house. Surely this must be a rare instance of fearlessness 

 on the part of the bird towards its inveterate foe, and fear 

 on the part of the cat towards a creature which it holds 

 as a rule in contempt and looks upon as its rightful 



prey. 



FRANCES SCRIPPS. 



August 30, 1919. 



