GRIMALKIN THE CAT 157 
tabby tail twitching in covert was sufficient to 
send him scuttling up a tree. Henceforth Grimalkin 
lived chiefly upon thrushes. The ripening of the 
haws brought in hordes of missel-thrushes, redwings, 
and blackbirds, who tore at the crimson berries and 
littered them over the countryside with the wasteful 
profusion of the Feather Folk who take no thought 
for the morrow, and then came, full cropped and 
drowsy, to roost in Knockdane. At dark Grimalkin 
used to creep beneath the bushes which were 
weighted down with the sleepy birds, and took his 
toll. The redwings were his favourite game, for it 
was possible to strike one down silently ; whereas 
no sooner did he miss a spring at throstle or black- 
bird than the whole wood knew of the occurrence. 
Creeping in the darkness among the locked laurel 
stems, Grimalkin often knew that he was not the 
only hunter abroad. Sometimes as a cloud came 
over the moon, a blackbird ' spinked ' agonizedly, 
and then all at once the whole hillside seemed to 
spring into rushing whirring life as every bird 
within earshot dashed out. There would be dire 
confusion for a few minutes until the flock settled 
m another thicket, and then the patter of pads 
tiptoeing away told that the fox was also hunting 
that way that night. 
One evening Grimalkin was prowling on such 
