42 The Carnivora. 
satisfaction. On skinning the head I found sufficient evidence 
of the cause of death. In several places the fangs had gone 
through the skull into the brain, showing what terrible injuries 
these animals are capable of inflicting with their wide jaws, 
actuated by such powerful muscles. 
So far as my observation goes, when cat meets cat upon a 
wall, unless one is much the stronger, there is seldom a fight. 
Probably they dare not risk a fall in which one would be certain 
to gain an advantage. But there they crouch, watching each 
other’s movements, to the accompaniment of such music as we 
are wont to hear on moonlight nights. They will maintain this 
attitude for an almost incredible time—an hour frequently—and 
gradually edge off in opposite directions. This has impressed 
me with a favourable opinion of their powers of attention. 
During the whole time there is high muscular and nervous 
tension, and concentration of suspended energy on the object 
before them. 
Only on one occasion have I seen a fight begun in circum- 
stances of danger to the combatants from a fall. The struggle 
took place on the roof of a house, and almost immediately they 
began to roll down the slates, at the edge of which they would 
have been precipitated forty feet into the street. It was an 
anxious yet interesting moment for me; one of them was a 
next door neighbour—a notable black cat—his antagonist being 
a huge sandy fellow. The amalgamated ball of black and sandy 
fur rolled down the roof, apparently to certain destruction; but, 
on the very verge of the slates, it resolved itself into its con- 
stituent elements, and each cat clawed its way back to the ridge 
of the building. 
The said black cat, my next door neighbour, was of very 
moderate size, but, without exception, the most redoubtable 
warrior I ever knew. Lying on a rustic table in his own garden, 
in a sunny and well-sheltered spot, he could command a view of 
the premises, without exposing himself to observation. As soon 
as an intruder dropped over his wall, and walked unsuspiciously 
down the gravel path, did my black friend pounce upon him 
