1909-1910-] The Common Cat. 205 



blackish crustaceous filaments. This is regarded as the 

 conidial state of one or more species of Capnodium, a genus 

 of Ascomycetes. 



Mr W. C. Crawford, M.A., at this meeting, gave a paper on 

 "A Visit to Touraine, the Garden of France," which was 

 illustrated by the lantern. 



SI,— THE COMMON CAT. 



By Dr W. G. AITCHISON ROBERTSON. 



{Read Feb. 23, 1910.) 



The subject of the common cat is one which to me is of the 

 greatest interest. I have been privileged to live with cats 

 all my life, and I am therefore able to speak about them 

 with an intimate knowledge, not as one who has merely read 

 about them and their habits, but as one who has been brought 

 up with them, and who has shared in their pleasures, fears, 

 and sorrows. It is impossible for one who has merely 

 an interest, remote it may be — perhaps the interest of the 

 naturalist who only considers an animal as made up of so 

 many bones, muscles, and the quality and quantity of its 

 internal arrangements — to arrive at an adequate impression 

 of the true life of any animal. To do this requires a sym- 

 pathy between you and the animal, which you can only have 

 if you truly love and understand the inner workings of the 

 animal brain. I make no apology for the subject I have 

 selected for to-night's discourse. The greatest poets, writers, 

 and artists have treated the common cat with feelings of 

 love and admiration, and I have most humbly to apologise for 

 my endeavour to deal with this subject, because it is one which 

 lies far beyond my powers. I have therefore to ask your 

 pardon for my halting sentences and feeble words, which will 

 but feebly convey to you the high regard in which I hold the 

 domestic companion of man — the common cat. 



The dog needs no champion. It is a curious fact that 



