THE CAT. 245 



a creature bearing this aspect, one can easily 

 imagine that it would be somewhat disconcerted 

 by the horrid suggestion that, unawares, it had 

 come face to face with a venomous serpent. 

 For not only does the cat's head and expres- 

 sion seem to mimic an angry snake, but at 

 the other end of its foreshortened body is seen 

 the quick to - and - fro movement of its barred 

 and sinuous tail, which further contributes to 

 the deception. Moreover, a cat appeals still 

 further to the instinctive terror which all warm- 

 blooded creatures have of snakes by uttering 

 sounds almost exactly similar to those emitted 

 by many of the most venomous species when 

 enraged. Miss Hopley states that "the rattle- 

 snake, cerastes, and little echis emit short spit- 

 ting sounds when about to strike." It is worth 

 while noting that both serpents and cats make 

 use of two quite distinct sibilant threats. Snakes, 

 as well as certain other reptiles, in addition to 

 the spitting sound noted by Miss Hopley, give 

 vent to a harsh and somewhat prolonged hiss, 

 which is not like our sharp hiss of disapproval, 

 made with the toneue held almost against the 

 closed incisor teeth, but is somewhat deeper 

 and more guttural, such as is produced when 



