380 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 
shortest, 13 months being the longest) is probably attribut- 
able to the season, the weather, or to the health of the 
animal. The males in the neighbourhood were of various 
colours ; and it could not easily be ascertained which of 
them was the parent of each group. But there having 
been only 11 of her own colour out of 78, seem to confirm 
the observation regarding other animals, that the colour of 
the progeny does not proceed from the mother. 
In regard to the kittenings, a curious observation was 
made. There was always great restlessness beforehand. 
She wandered about the house as if in search of a suitable 
nest. But for a good many hours, whatever had been her 
relations to the dog, I mean whether they had been friends 
or not, she manifested attachment to him of the most marked 
kind. She followed him from room to room, evidently to 
his great annoyance, and in vain solicited his attention to 
her. This was rene^ved for a short time after the kittening. 
After the entire process had been completed, and the mother 
with her progeny were quietly settled in their nest, then the 
dog began his attention to the kittens, watching over them, 
and licking them with his tongue, as assiduously as if he had 
been himself the parent. This always continued for several 
days. These incidents are probably well known to natu- 
ralists ; but they will excuse me for having recorded them 
here. 
Puss continued for years in very much the same mode of 
life ; a good mouser, a keen hunter of sparrows — occasion- 
ally a thief, and then punished as such. She generally came 
to the dining-room as the dinner was carried in, always 
expecting, and often receiving, a share of what was at table. 
She came, however, at other times also, when no food was 
expected. She occasionally disappeared for a day or two, 
and returned with slight wounds, for she was a decided 
fighter. On one occasion (the date of which I have not 
noticed, but it was probably in 1864), her absence was 
longer than usual, and she returned in a state^of great weak- 
ness, very little able to move, and scarcely to swallow. The 
right eyeball was destroyed, and protruded from the socket. 
