118 DIVISION I. VEJITESEAL ANIMALS. — CLASS L JMAMMALIA. 



judicious remarks, in a note on page 84 of Bolm's edition of Cuvicr's Ani- 

 mal Kin-'dom : "The doinesti(! cat is undoubtedly more susccptiijlc of 

 attacluncut tlian it lias been generally described ; and it is surprising to see 

 li(.)\v patiently it bears tlic rough handling of children' AVe have seen it 

 hail the return of ])ersons it knew with as lively joy as any animal could 

 well testify, and this in the case of individuals who had never fed it; but it 

 is understood — with what general truth may pcrliaps be rpiestioned, — that 

 while the dog will mourn, and even pine to death, over the dead body of its 

 master, the cat feels no compunction in making it its prey. It is needless to 

 observe, however, that the cat is very much inferior to the dog in intellect, 

 on which accoiuit some allowance uuist be granted. 



" With respect to the domestic cat, also, another consideration may lie 

 borne in mind, which is, that there can be little doubt that its nature has 

 been considerably modiiied by domestictition, -whieh has gradually rendered 

 it less exclusively carnivorous than its wild congeners. It is even remark- 

 able that instances of the rapacity of this animal towards young children 

 are not of frequent occurrence." 



If, however, the dog is more certain and faithfid in his aiTection, the cat 

 is more demonstrative, and expresses her affection in a more lively maimer. 

 We ]ia\e seen a young cat recently, which had an extraordinary attachment 

 to- her master. In the morning, vn entering tlie dining-room, where she 

 usually slept upon a sofa, she woidd rouse herself, and contem[ilate him for 

 a, il'w moments with the liveliest satisfaction, when she would fly to his 

 fi'ct, rolling over and purring in great apparent enjoyment; after which she 

 would dim!) u[> and nestle in his bosom for a short time, and close her 

 demonstrations of love by placing her fore legs around his neck, like a pair 

 of arms, and thus embracing him, with her head pressed against his check, 

 would i'all asleep. 



AXECDOTKS OF THE CATS. 



As the anecdotes illustrative of the habits and nature of the larger 

 I'Vliua> were incorporated in the history of the several siieeies, the ensuing 

 collection has regard, almost exclusively, to the domestic animals. 



The IxiHCXANT Cat. — A lady at Potsdam, in Prussia, tells an anec- 

 dote of one of her children, who, when about six years old, got a splinter 

 of wood into her foot early one morning, and sitting down on the floor of 

 her chamber, cried most vehemently. Iler elder sister, asleep in the same 

 apartment, was in the act of getting up to inquire the cause of her sister's 

 tears, when she observed the cat, who was a favorite playmate of the chil- 

 dren, and of a gentle and peaceable disposition, leave her scat under the 

 stove, go up to the crying girl, and, v/ith one of her paws, give her so 



