270 VERTEBRATA. 



in the house a very young cat who had never tasted any thing but milk. He placed it near the 

 little mice by w.i\ of experiment ; but, to his astonishment, it did not even look at them, nor per- 

 ceive them, even 'when he turned its eyes in the proper direction, until at last, when he had 

 repeatedly approached its nose to the mice, it suddenly caught a scent, whereupon it began to 

 tremble with desire. The propensity became more and more violent, and the cat smelled at the 

 mice, touching them with its nose, when all at once the ]>ale-eolored little creatures became suf- 

 fused with blood, and began to make greal exertions to get out of the way of danger, while the 

 eat as eagerly followed them. 



The cat displays a greal affection for her kittens, and her pride when they first run about is 

 quite amusing. " While 1 was an undergraduate at college," says Wood, " a cat belonging to the 

 baker's department formed a great friendship for me, and used to come every morning and evening 

 to obtain her share of breakfast and tea, She continued her attentions for some time, but, one 

 morning she was absent from her accustomed corner, nor did she return until nearly a week had 

 passed, when she came again, but always seemed uneasy unless the door was open. A few days 

 afterward she came up a- usual, and jumped upon my knee, at the same time putting a little 

 kitten into my hand. She refused to take it back again, so I restored it to its brothers and si- 

 myself. Soon afterward, on going into my bedroom, 1 found another kitten fast asleep on my bed." 



The instinct of the cat teaches her to become familiar with places. When she is taken to a new 

 room, she carefully examines every article by looking at it and smelling of it : she crawls into 

 every hole, closet, and cupboard ; creeps under the beds, measures with her feelers every pass. 

 and having taken this survey, probably never forgets its details. The attachment of cats to plac< -, 

 which is instinctive and necessary, is supposed to exclude attachment to persons : instances of 

 personal love and friendship are, however, by no means uncommon. A gentleman in the neigh- 

 borhood of London had a tortoise-shell cat which, though he never fed it, or paid much attention 

 to it, formed an attachment for him equal to that of any dog. It knew his ring at the bell, and, 

 at whatever time he came home, it was rubbing against his legs long before the servant came, saw 

 him into the sitting-room, and then walked off. It was a very active animal, and usually went 

 bird-catching during the night: but, when its master arose, which was generally early in the morn- 

 ing, the cat was always ready to receive him at the door of his room, and accompanied him in his 

 morning walk in the garden, alternately skipping to the tops of the trees, and descending and 

 gamboling about him. When he was in his study, it used to pay him several visits in the day, 

 always short ones, but it never retired till he had recognized it. If rubbing against his legs had 

 not the desired effect, it would mount the writing-table, nudge his shoulder, and, if that would not 

 do, pat him on the cheek ; but the moment that he had shaken it by the paw and given it a pat 

 or two on the head, it walked off. When he was indisposed, it paid him several visits every day, 

 but never continued in the room; and, although it was fond of society generally, and also of its 

 food, it never obtruded its company during meals, thus showing that its attachment was personal 

 and disinterested. 



For centuries eats have been connected with ideas of superstition and sorcery. They have 

 always been regarded as attendants upon witches; and witches themselves have been said to 

 borrow their shapes when on their mysterious expeditions. Lord Cochrane was accompanied by 

 a favorite black cat in a cruise through the northern seas. The weather had been most unpro- 

 pitious; no day had passed without some untoward circumstance, and the sailors were not slow 

 in attributing the whole to the influence of the black cat on board. This came to Lord Cochrane's 

 < are; and, knowing that any attempt to reason his men out of so absurd a notion was perfectly 

 useless, In- offered to sacrifice this object of his regard, and have her thrown overboard. This, 

 however, tar from creating any satisfaction, only alarmed the men still more; they were sure that 

 the tempests s|, t . would then raise would be much worse than any they had yet encountered; and 

 tley implored his lordship to let her remain unmolested. "There was no help, and they could^ 

 only hope, if she were not affronted, they might, at the end of their time, reach England in 

 safety." 



Black cats were always more especially connected with superstitious feelings. Mrs. Lee say^ 

 that she was once accosted by a peasant's wife, who, with a vial in her hand to contain it, requested 



