THE AFRICAN WILD CAT 



rocks, and high up on the branches of great forest 

 trees, or in cavities in the trunks. 



Many a time I have surprised the Wild Cat in 

 the bush-veld during the daytime on the prow^l 

 for food. At other times, w^hen climbing forest 

 trees to inspect the contents of birds' nests, I have 

 startled this cat from its lair on a large horizontal 

 branch, or at the crown of the trunk of an old tree, 

 and sometimes from the interior of a large bird's 

 nest. I surprised one of them in the nest of a 

 Hammer Head or Hammerkop {Scopus umbretta). 

 These birds build enormous nests of twigs, &c., 

 sometimes big enough to fill a Scotch cart. The 

 entrance hole is at the side, and the interior chamber 

 is lined with mud. Bringing my face parallel with 

 the aperture, I was greeted with a quick succession 

 of spitting hisses, and before I could recover my 

 presence of mind, a Wild Cat sprang forth, clawed 

 my felt hat from my head, fell to the ground, and 

 vanished into the undergrowth. 



Many a time my terriers have hunted these cats 

 out of the tangled brushwood, or located them in 

 crevices amongst rocks. 



When alarmed, they trot along in a crouching 

 attitude, endeavouring to escape observation, ex- 

 actly after the manner of domestic cats. When 

 actually chased they make off at a gallop, but are 

 easily overtaken by dogs. When hard pressed 

 they bound up a tree and endeavour to conceal 

 themselves amongst the foliage. 



H7 



