THE CAT TO-DAY 267 



sapphire blue or pale amber, and they possess the 

 human and undesirable accomplishment of shedding 

 tears in moments of anger or agitation. Of a gen- 

 tle and affectionate disposition, they are said to 

 make devoted husbands and fathers, — an uncom- 

 mon but by no means unknown trait among cats 

 whose family ties are fostered by kindness and 

 sympathy. 



Notwithstanding the blueness of their blood, and 

 the princely seclusion in which they have lived for 

 centuries, Siamese cats are ardent mousers, and 

 love the pleasures of the chase as well as any sta- 

 ble-born animal, bred to the sport from tenderest 

 kittenhood. This is the ruling passion of the race, 

 as we are told by .^sop and La Fontaine. The 

 fair cat-bride of fable slipped from her husband's 

 arms to chase a flying mouse ; and among the hap- 

 piest pussies to-day are probably those hard-worked 

 servants of the public who do not know their own 

 utility. The National Printing Office of France 

 employs a large staff of cats to guard the paper 

 from devastating rats and mice. No salary is paid 

 them ; but the cost of their daily meals and the 

 wages of their custodian are regular items of expend- 

 iture. Cats are kept also in some of the French 

 military magazines ; and a recent report states with 

 becoming gravity that the authorized allowance is 

 not sufficient for their comfortable maintenance. 



