520 Jottings on Odours, [September, 
opposite to those which we approve ; yet thefadt remains that 
not merely the domestic cat, but the African leopard, and in- 
deed all Felidae whose manners have been closely observed, 
are passionately fond of many odours which man selects and 
enjoys. Lavender, thyme, marjoram, pennyroyal, — in short, 
almost all plants rich in essential oils, — have a well-known fas- 
cination for the cat. The leopard and the panther (if the latter 
is to be regarded as a distinct species) have been charmed 
into docility and submission by means of lavender-water. 
It is difficult to understand on what principle purely carni- 
vorous species can be attracted by scents so totally unlike 
that of their food ; I may add, so totally unlike that of the 
animals themselves. A feline animal must, as a matter of 
course, find nothing offensive in the smell of its own species, 
and it is hard to conceive how, e.g., a leopard can tolerate 
the smell of its own species, and at the same time can have 
a craving for lavender-water. The difficulty becomes the 
greater if we consider that — at least as far as is known — 
nothing similar has been observed among the other groups 
of carnivorous animals, though one of them at least (the 
Canidse) has a far more acute sense of smell than the Felidae. 
With some hesitation I venture to suggest that the plants in 
question may aft upon cats as an aphrodisiac. When these 
animals find, e.g., a bed of thyme, chamomile, &c., they roll 
upon it, and indulge in demonstrations exaftly like those 
which they manifest when under the evident influence of 
sexual excitement. 
Prof. Jager is of opinion that animals, man inclusive, are 
moved to fear or anger, as the case may be, by the odour of 
a hostile species. He maintains, with much probability, 
that the specific effluvium of a cat is offensive to mice, and 
causes them to avoid her presence and neighbourhood : that 
of the tiger, he considers, is in like manner exceptionally 
offensive to mankind. Now the odour of the tiger, the lion, 
and other of the larger Carnivora, is without doubt highly 
unpleasant ; but I think a visit to the Zoological Gardens 
will convince anyone that many smaller animals, not per- 
sonally dangerous to man, give off a still more disgusting 
and noisome effluvium. 
In many cases an unknown or unaccustomed odour has a 
no less repellent effecft upon animals than has that of a 
recognised enemy. Few beasts are at once more efficiently 
armed and more obstinately courageous than the grizzly bear, 
yet if he happens to approach a man from the leeward side, 
and detects his specific odour, without recognising its source, 
he withdraws in another direction. Many other and much 
