26 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



is a creature of gregarious instincts : in a wild state, living in 

 packs under a leader ; in domestication, and divorced from his 

 kind, clinging to human societies. The cat is by nature a solitary 

 animal, used at all times to fend for itself, and hence incapable of 

 being trained, as dogs are trained, to minister to man's needs. 



The different breeds of dogs which are to be met with to-day 

 have nearly all sprung from the wolf. Some races have, however, 

 probably been derived from the fox, and jackal. From these 

 primitive stocks, however, man has bred a great and striking 

 variety of forms, ranging in size from " toy " dogs, such as Maltese 

 terriers and Japanese spaniels only a few inches high, to the great 

 deerhounds, danes, mastiffs and Newfoundland dogs : while 

 extremes of form are well illustrated by such types as bull-dogs, 

 bloodhounds and dachshunds, hairless dogs, skye terriers, and 

 " corded " poodles. 



Cats and dogs are both flesh-eaters, and prefer living prey to 

 carrion ; and while the dog hunts by scent, the cat and its kind 

 hunt by sight. The various races of wild dogs hunt, as we have 

 remarked, by day and in packs, and their prey, when overtaken, 

 is pulled down by numbers and torn in pieces, hence they have 

 developed great speed in running, and have long jaws armed with 

 powerful teeth. The feet play no part in holding the prey, and 

 hence are provided only with blunt claws to protect the toes. 



The cat, on the other hand, after the manner of its kind, hunts 

 alone, by stealth, and at nightfall. Hiding in some spot where 

 experience has shown prey will pass, it springs upon its victim 

 with a sudden bound, and, fastening itself thereto by means of 

 powerful and sharp claws, disables or kills, by a well directed 

 grip of the jaws. The larger cats, such as lions and tigers, often 

 kill their prey by a blow of the fore-paw ; the smaller cats, how- 

 ever, commonly stun their victim, and then, before killing, play 

 with it, as cats, for example, play with a mouse. 



Being nocturnal, the eyes of cats differ from those of dogs 

 in that the pupil of the eye is more sensitive to strong light. Con- 

 sequently in daylight this takes the form of a vertical slit, as 

 the light wanes this slit opens till finally the pupil is circular and 

 of great size. Similarly, the claws being used for the capture 

 of prey, provision has to be made to keep them sharp. To this 



