Animal Traits. 2 759 
Puss grew apace, went boating and tramping with me, and devel- 
oped to perfection the arts of agility for which the Felide are 
famous. It was a female, and was more than a match for any 
dog she ever met. Her assault was sudden; the back of the in- 
truder was reached at a single leap, and its eyes made the object- 
ive of attack. Instantaneous panic ensued, and when the retreat 
became assured, she as quickly sprang into the bushes and in- 
i stantly hid from sight. The dog, relieved of its foe and regaining 
its confidence, would often return, brim full of fury, to wreak 
vengeance, when it would be met as suddenly as before, with 
augmented intensity. Nothing but precipitate, howling flight 
seemed to suit the requirements of the case, and victorious puss 
would return with the most comically satisfied and important 
air. During her boating experience she learned to fish quite 
expertly. She would spring on her prey when it was near the 
surface of the water with unerring aim. She did not present an 
elegant appearance on reaching the shore or boat after a complete 
wetting, but she always brought out the fish, having no antipathy 
to the water and swimming like a duck. Alligators abounded in 
the creeks which I often navigated, and to puss they were per- 
plexing objects. She strongly objected to their presence, but 
was undecided how to prevent it. I more than suspected that 
they would be her fate, as the scaly covering of the saurian would 
Prevent her claws from securing a hold wherever placed, and 
should the jaws of the reptile once close upon her, her career 
would end at once. But I had underrated her resources. A 
rather small Specimen came familiarly near our camp, and puss — 
Promenaded a log by the side of which the creature was slowly — 
moving. After much preparation, which induced me to think — 
the female who deliberates is lost,” she came furiously down, and. a: 
3S it appeared in the rush, with both fore feet in her victim’s 
‘yes. They were in an instant torn from their sockets, and we © 
_ hada blind and frenzied alligator storming over our camp and 
through the bushes of the point, back and forth until it reached 
‘ the water. There was a blunder somewhere, but the entire 
Fesponsibility rested upon nature. In the water the saurian 
=. Supreme, but on land the clumsy thing could only see 
ae - 
SyMnastics expressive of the utmost 
