THE CAT ABOUT TOWN 37 



capable of a rush forward whenever the birds looked in 

 another direction. But the birds were perfectly equal 

 to the game. One blackbird in particular sidled off 

 each time the cat came within distance, until he sat at 

 last on the edge of the wooden cam-shedding, where, if 

 the cat made her spring, she must fall into the river. 

 He, too, flew off, and at this moment of disappoint- 

 ment another and an older cat leapt lightly from 

 the privet hedge close by and playfully cuffed the 

 head of the disappointed one. This cat had probably 

 been waiting on the chance of a * drive ' while the more 

 impetuous one tried a stalk in the open. The latter 

 seemed half inclined to resent the humorous turn which 

 the older cat gave to her hunting; but the two soon 

 made it up, and, after strolling ostentatiously across the 

 lawn with their tails up, separated, and the young one 

 adjourned to hunt ' ground-game ' in the cam-shedding. 

 The quarry were either mice or rats, but were attacked 

 by storm, and not by waiting. The cat dived her paws 

 into the cracks of the boards, reaching in as far as her 

 shoulders, and soon bolted something, which she reached 

 after head downwards so far that nothing but her tail 

 and one hind-paw were visible. After hanging almost 

 head downwards for some time, she scrambled back, 

 just as the first cat came darting past like a wild animal 

 with an enormous rat in its mouth, 



It is doubtful whether the London cat is in the least 



