248 WILD TRAITS IN TAME ANIMALS. 



animals in his private sanctum when I hap- 

 pened to notice several cat - skins hung up on 

 a beam overhead. Being just then rather full 

 of my "protective" idea, I drew his attention 

 to the characteristic markings on the skins of 

 the tabbies, and asked him whether he had 

 ever observed them or thought about their 

 significance, at the same time narrating St 

 John's account of golden eagles attacking wild 

 cats. I observed from his expression while I 

 was speaking that he had something interesting 

 to tell me, and when I had finished he re- 

 marked : " Perhaps it would interest you to 

 know, sir, that those are the skins of cats 

 which I have got from time to time as tit- 

 bits for my eagles when they were out of sorts 

 and would not take their regular food. They 

 are fonder of cat's flesh than of anything else, 

 and if an eagle refuses to eat a cat it shows 

 it is very ill indeed." 



Here, at any rate, is a suggestion as to how a 

 sleeping cat might gain an advantage by imitating 

 a coiled serpent. Many eagles not only refrain 

 from preying on snakes, but always seem to fear 

 and avoid them. One finds also that certain 

 birds which are akin either in structure or habits 



