THE HOME PUSSIES 263 



there is a young Oak-tree and several Hollies and 

 Jumpers, with an undergrowth of Cistus, Bracken, 

 and long grass. He makes regular lairs, that retain 

 their shape, and look like grassy tunnels. The little 

 nieces call them the Pussy-lie-downs. No other cat 

 is ever to be seen in one of Pinkie's lie-downs ; he 

 would resent it as an ill-mannered intrusion, and the 

 others quite understand that it would be considered 

 a breach of etiquette. Tittlebat's sphere of influence 

 extends over the Primrose garden and the region of 

 Yew, Birch, Chestnut, and Bracken that surrounds it. 

 Tabby, a fine whole-coloured silver tabby, frequents 

 the nut- walk and pergola, and considers himself the 

 warden of two gates, the hand hunting-gate through 

 the Yew hedge and the five-barred gate that crosses 

 the back road behind the summer-house. Both gates 

 have wire-netting over their lower halves to prevent 

 the passing of rabbits ; indeed but for this necessity 

 neither gate Avould be there. When Tabby and I 

 are walking near either of the gates he runs on and 

 mounts one of the posts, and we play the game of 

 Gate-post. It is an easy game, and we both enjoy 

 it. Tabby on his post is petted and stroked ; I then 

 execute a rapid passage with my fingers along the 

 top rail of the gate to the other post. Tabby rushes 

 along and establishes himself firmly on the second 

 post. More stroking on my part and responsive 

 rubbing on his; then back to the first post, and so 

 on till we have both had enough for the present. 



