EUROPEAN WILD CAT. 37 



stood with her hair bristled out, and spitting and growl- 

 ing like a common cat. Having no weapon with me, I 

 laid down my rod, cut a good-sized stick, and proceeded 

 to dislodge her. As soon as I was within 6 or 7 feet of 

 the place, she sprang straight at my face, over the dogs' 

 heads. Had I not struck her in the mid-air as she 

 leaped at me, I should probably have got some severe 

 wound. As it was, she fell with her back half-broken 

 amongst the dogs, who, with my assistance, dispatched 

 her. I never saw an animal fight so desperately or one 

 so difficult to kill. If a tame cat has nine lives, a wild 

 cat must have a dozen." 



HOUSE CAT, OE DOMESTIC CAT. 



Felis domestica. 

 French : Le Chat. German : Hauskatze. 



Who is not familiar with the softly-purring denizen 

 of our hearths ? We know it and play with it from 

 ^childhood, and to many it becomes a companion in old 

 age. It shows its contentment by purring and rubbing 

 its fur against the trousers of its master ; yet, after 

 saying this, we must still confess that the domestic 

 cat forms more of an attachment to places than to 

 persons. 



Its intelHgence is not much inferior to that of the 

 dog. It attracts by tapping with its paw the side of one 

 from whom it expects to receive a dainty morsel, or even 

 will express its wish by mewing to be let in or out of 

 the house. When admitted, it shows its satisfaction by 

 a low purr. The same cat would be offended if its place 

 in front of the fire were occupied by anybody. When 



