THE DOMESTIC CAT. 253 



subdued and melancholy appearance, they are termed gilberts, 

 or gib-cats. 



Fahtaff. " I am as melancholy as a gib-cat." 



(Henry IV. Part I. Act I. Sc. 2.) 



When a cat is roused to attention, as by the scratching of 

 a mouse, the pupils of her eyes dilate j and the same thing 

 occurs when she struggles to get away from any one who holds 

 her.* If it be night-time, her pupils, when thus dilated to 

 receive the light, will be seen to shine conspicuously. 



Gower. " The cat with eyne of burning coal, 



Now couches 'fore the mouse's hole." 



(Pericles, Act. III. Prologue.) 



In the day-time, when unexcited, each pupil has the com- 

 pressed lineal appearance represented in the following figure. 



A writer in the Magazine of Natural History (vol. i. p. 66), 

 says it is a remarkable fact that " white cats with blue eyes 

 are always deaf;" and the Rev. F. W. Bree has recorded an 

 anecdote in confirmation of the curious remark. 



The cat is sensibly affected by changes in the atmosphere. 

 " Her face-washing and trimming of her fur, has been," says 

 Mr. Mudie, " the cottage barometer time out of mind -, and 

 the observation has been too repeatedly made to be doubtful. 

 This operation of the cat is performed equally whether she is 

 snugly housed beside the fire, or out of doors exposed to the 

 air. It happens, too, sooner before the actual fall of rain, than 

 the prognostics of most other animals, She is of all animals 



* The eyes of the ox-eye tit (Parus major'), a small predacious bird, also 

 have the power of dilating. 



