KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



malady ; its fatal effects, however, have been 

 greatly increased by the interference of 

 man, in endeavoring to bestow artificial 

 accomplishments on those birds which he 

 reduces into captivity for the sake of the 

 beauty of their colors, or the melody of their 

 song. The bird-catchers, chiefly to gratify 

 the whimsical and capricious, have invented 

 a method of accelerating the season ; to 

 effect this, by which it is pretended, that 

 birds are improved both in their song and 

 beauty, they shut them up in a dark cage, 

 closely wrapped up with woollen cloth, al- 

 lowing their dung to remain and increase the 

 heat of the cage ! In this state of confine- 

 ment, which continues for a mouth, they 

 are only now and then supplied with water — 

 the putrid air, and the fever which it occa- 

 sions, depriving them of all appetite for 

 food ! By this violent operation, which is 

 termed " stopping" an artificial and prema- 

 ture moult is produced, at the expense of 

 the lives of many of the ill-fated creatures 

 who are subjected to so unnatural a regi- 

 men. The price of a " stopped" bird rises 

 in proportion to the danger attending it ; for 

 it is pretended that its note is not only 

 louder and more piercing than that of a wild 

 one, but that its plumage is also more vivid 

 and beautiful : in short, that there is as 

 much difference between a wild and a 

 stopped bird, as between a horse kept in 

 body- clothes and one at grass. 



We are no advocates for these bruta- 

 lities ; we merely record them with a view 

 to expose and assist in putting them down. 



HXSXOKY ©F THE DOMESTIC CAT. 



Anecdotal BemiziiscenceSi— -ITo. 2. 

 By a Lady. 



I remember well, having two cats, who 

 were much attached to the person who fed 

 them. They knew his ring, and. were always 

 at the door to welcome him. He was absent 

 three weeks ; and for the first few days, it- 

 was really painful to see the anxiety with 

 which the poor creatures watched at the 

 door ; aye, for hoars, in patient expectation 

 of his return, refusing to eat food offered by 

 another hand. Nature, however, resumed 

 its course. They began to eat ; but every 

 time the door-bell rang, they rushed to the 

 door expecting to see their friend. After so 

 much demonstration of true feeling, we na- 

 turally felt anxious to witness the outburst 

 of joy at the first meeting. We were doomed 

 to be disappointed. Neither of the animals 

 would look at their friend ; and they sulkily 

 received his caresses with an expression that 

 seemed to say : — " You have kept away long 



enough ; you might as well have kept away 

 altogether." I was convinced they knew 

 him, for one animal is timid, and always 

 hides from strangers ; while the other is fond 

 of admiration, and courts their attention. 



I sometimes think this peculiarity may be 

 traced to a disposition similar to that of the 

 Bosjesmans, which makes them look at 

 something indifferent, instead of the object 

 which really attracts their attention. If I 

 see my cat looking fixedly and cautiously to 

 the right, I turn to the left, and probably 

 see some poor wretch of a cat, crouching 

 down with terror — fully aware that his 

 enemy has seen him. Put a piece of meat 

 and a piece of soap on a table behind you; 

 turn round suddenly, and however rapid 

 your motion may be, you will find puss with 

 her nose close to the soap, as though she 

 were earnestly studying its properties. Of 

 course, the meat has quite escaped her ob- 

 servation ! 



I once had a cat which examined a tube 

 of flake -white very attentively, and with 

 evident signs of dissatisfaction. On the 

 following day, I had occasion to use a por- 

 tion of it. Puss had concealed herself on 

 the top of a book-case, and must have 

 watched my actions with that patient atten- 

 tion for which cats are remarkable. The 

 moment I proceeded to put a small quantity 

 on my palette, she showed the greatest un- 

 easiness ; jumped on the table ; mewed plain- 

 tively ; and rubbed against me, so as to keep 

 my hand which held the tube, at the greatest 

 possible distance. 



Finding I persisted in using the noxious 

 color, she threatened me with her claws, 

 although she had never done so before; and 

 I could not proceed with my work until I 

 had turned her out of the room. I have had 

 several cats since, but none of them ever 

 objected to my using this poison. 



Some time after, this same cat was very 

 jealous of a kitten, which she never appeared 

 to notice unless I found fault with it, when 

 she would instantly box its ears. I repeat- 

 edly tried the experiment without altering 

 my intonation, and always with the same 

 result. 



One black fellow of a cat understood the 

 words "milk," "meat," "buns;" however 

 unemphatically they were pronounced in 

 ordinary conversation. He had a great re- 

 lish for buns in particular, and in whatever 

 part of the house he might be, he seemed to 

 know- — by some inward sense — when they 

 were sent for ; and although, at other times, 

 persons went out twenty times a day without 

 the animal observing them, yet, whoever 

 was sent on this errand, was sure to find 

 " Jack " at the door, waiting their return. 



We once had an old cat, who suddenly 

 disappeared, leaving a small kitten, which 



