OUR FOUR-FOOTED COMPANIONS. 301 



path branches off to the right, leading to the hot-house 

 which I used often to visit for a few moments to look at my 

 experimental plants. This was always a great disappoint- 

 ment to the clog, as he did not know whether I would con- 

 tinue my walk; and the instantaneous and complete change 

 of expression which came over him as soon as my body 

 swerved in the least toward the path — and I sometimes 

 tried this as an experiment — was laughable. 



7. His look of dejection was known to every member 

 of the family, and was called his hot-house face. This con- 

 sisted in the head drooping much, the whole body sinking 

 a little and remaining motionless, the ears and tail fall- 

 ing suddenly down ; but the tail was by no means wagged. 

 With the falling of his ears and of his great chaps, the eyes 

 became much changed in appearance, and I fancied they 

 looked less bright. His aspect was that of piteous, hope- 

 less dejection ; and it was the more laughable as the cause 

 was so slight. Every detail in his attitude was in complete 

 opposition to his former joyful yet dignified bearing, and 

 I can explain it in no other way except through this prin- 

 ciple of antithesis. 



8. We will now turn to the cat. When this animal is 

 threatened by a dog, it arches its back in a surprising man- 

 ner, erects its hair, opens its mouth and spits. We are not 

 here concerned with this well-known attitude, expressive 

 of terror and anger combined ; we wish to observe that 

 which expresses anger alone. This is not often seen, but 

 may be observed when two cats are fighting ; and I have 

 seen it well exhibited by a savage cat when plagued by a 

 boy. The attitude is almost exactly the same as that of 

 the tiger disturbed and growling over his food, which every 

 one must have beheld in menageries. 



9. The animal assumes a crouching position, with the 

 body extended ; and the whole tail, or the tip alone, is 

 lashed or curled from side to side. The hair is not in the 



