1909-1910-] The Common Cat. 221 



bees, the less fertilisation will there be of the clover, and 

 consequently less seed will result, and so next year less 

 clover will appear. We therefore now see the circle that 

 Darwin first pointed out — " The more cats, the larger will be 

 the purple clover crop." 



It has been often asserted that cats carry diseases to 

 children and grown-up folks. I venture to assert that such 

 a method of infection seldom occurs in practice. It is not 

 my province to elaborate this point here, but rather to prove 

 the opposite — that the importation of cats into India and else- 

 where has proved the only possible means of lessening the 

 immense mortality from plague. This disease is carried by 

 the rat flea to human beings, and the destruction of rats by 

 cats has been the means of greatly lessening the occurrence 

 of this disease. No other means has been found of any prac- 

 tical use. 



Antipathy to Gats. — Numerous instances may be recalled 

 where famous or exalted persons have had a mortal dread of 

 meeting a cat. I have known several persons who could not 

 stay in a room with a cat. They were conscious of its pres- 

 ence even without seeing it. Such an antipathy gives some 

 ground for the belief in transmigration. Such fearful folk 

 may have in a previous existence worn the habiliments of 

 rats, mice, or birds. 



" Some men there are, love not a gaping pig ; 

 Some that are mad if they behold a cat." 



—("Merchant of Venice," Act IV. sc. 1.) 



Napoleon I. found " his fellest earthly foes, cats " ; and Henry 

 III. of France swooned if he saw one. On the other hand, 

 what a host of the best men and women have found a con- 

 stant delight and solace in the companionship and affection 

 of this most charming of animals. One could spend a whole 

 evening in listening to what authors and poets have said in 

 praise of their favourites. To instance but a few — Mahomet 

 cut off the sleeve of his robe on which his cat Muezza was 

 sleeping, rather than disturb him when the call to prayers 

 arose. Chateaubriand received his cat as a gift from the 

 Pope, and frequently mentions him in his ' Memoirs.' Cardinal 

 Eichelieu kept numbers of cats, and though one would think 



