THE HOME PUSSIES 265 



reach it, and in that position, by some sudden and 

 violent action of the muscles of the back, he jumped 

 himself clear off the ground and forward about nine 

 inches, coming down again in the same position before 

 attempting to " right " himself. 



What happens to them when they wander and are 

 lost I know not, but my longest frontier is obviously 

 full of danger, for it adjoins a lengthy stretch of 

 woodland where game is preserved. I only know that 

 every dear pussy that is lost leaves a sad blank in 

 the house and garden, and a very sore place in our 

 hearts. 



I know all my pussies in the dark, not only by 

 the feel of their coats, but by the different tone and 

 quality of then- purr. A kitten's purr is rather hard 

 and rattly, high-pitched and unmelodious. 



Pinkieboy's purr is of a grand quality, extremely 

 deep in tone, not loud, but highly musical — a purr 

 of the highest distinction. The sound of it always 

 reminds me of the deep, rich sound of the whirring 

 wings of the Humming-bird Hawk- moth ; indeed the 

 two sounds are so nearly alike that I never hear the 

 one without thinking of the other : it may be that 

 they arc upon the same note. 



I am sure that cats have a strong sense of fun, 

 and, like children, love the delights of make-believe. 

 Two of them will meet on the lawn, and with ears set 

 back and lashing tails will play at having a mortal 

 combat. In the fiercest of the fray, when the limbs 



