154 1)1 VISION I. VERTEBRAL AKIJIALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



descend to iiourisli and jirotert licr own olTs|ii'in2; if tlioy liappcned to Ix; 

 tinted willi rolurs ditl'erent from wiiat adorned lier own fiyin-e, — which was 

 what is nsiiallv denominated tortoise-sliell. iSlie haj)jiened, on one occasion 

 onlv, to [irodnce one kitten of a jet Mack. The crnel molher drew tlic imfor- 

 tnnale iiltle creature out of the lied in whieli it lav, and refusing' to give it 

 suck, it [leri.^hed on the cohl ground. Some time after ■•-lie gave liirtli to 

 tlu'ce more, one of whicli had the nusfortune not to he chid in tlie same 

 C(dors as the motlier. It was, lheref>i'e, onsfed hy the unnatural parent; 

 and although again and again rejihieed in its hcd, it was freijuently turned 

 out again. The owner of the cat, linding it useless to persist in what puss 

 had determined sliould not be, in humanity consigned the kitten to a watery 

 grave — the victim of a parent'.s jtride and cruelly. 



DiKL i;ktwki;\ a Cat a.nd Hawk. ■ — A eat, ^vlli(■ll had a numerous litter 

 of kittens, one bright day in spring encouraged her litlle ones to frolic in 

 the vei'nal beanrs of the morn, about the stable door, where she dwelt. 

 A\ hile she was joining them in a thousand tricks and gamljols, a large hawk, 

 who was sailing above the barn-vard, in a moment darted upon one of the 

 kittens, and would ha^•e as (jiiiekly borne it oil", but for the courageous 

 mother, who, seeing the danger of her oflspring, sprang on the conunon 

 enem\-, who, to defend itself, let fall the prize. The battle presently be- 

 came severe to both parties. The hawk, liv the jiower of his wings, the 

 shar[iness of his talons, and the strenglh of his beak, had for a while the 

 advantage, cruelly lacerating the poor cat, an<l actually deprived her of one 

 eve in the contiict ; but pnss, no way daunted at (he ai'cident, strove, with 

 all her <aimiing and agility, for her kittens, till sIk' iiad lirokcn the wing of 

 her ailversai'v. In this state, she got him more within the power ot her 

 claws, :uid availing herself ot' this advantage, by an iir'^tantaneous exertion 

 she laiil the hawk motioidess at her feet ; and, as if exulting in the victory, 

 tore the head olf the vanquished tyrant. This accomplished, disregarding 

 the loss of her eye, she ran to the bleeding kitten, lickeil the wounds made 

 by the Jiawk'.s talons in its tender sides, and purred while she caressed her 

 liberated offspring. 



A EEMAIIKABLE MaMFESTATK )N OF IxTELLICiEXCE. A young lady 



of Boston furnishes the following interesting anecdote, which affords 

 another proof that the cat is (piitc liberally endowed with the reflectivo 

 power. "Early one morning, before any of the family had arisen, wo 

 heard the inside blinds of the drtiwing-room opening. Thinking that the 

 noise might possibly have been caused by a Iiurglar, who was endeavoring 

 to eflcct an entrance, we descended to the room, but after searching we 

 could find no person there, although the blinds were open. This being 

 repeated for some time, we watched, and at length discovered that the 



