e apprehended on suspicion of being
the murderers, and it was resolved to lead them into the apartment.
Before the cat got sight of them, when she only heard their footsteps
approaching, her eyes flashed with increased fury, her hair stood
erect, and so soon as she saw them enter the apartment, she sprang
towards them with expressions of the most violent rage, but did not
venture to attack them, being probably afraid of the numbers that
followed. Having turned several times towards them with a peculiar
ferocity of aspect, she crept into a corner, with a mien indicative of
the deepest melancholy. This behavior of the cat astonished every one
present. The effect which it produced upon the murderers was such as
almost amounted to an acknowledgment of their guilt. Nor did this
remain long doubtful, for a train of accessory circumstances was soon
discovered, which proved it to a complete conviction.

A cat, which had a numerous litter of kittens, one summer day in
spring, encouraged her little ones to frolic in the vernal beams of the
noon, about the stable door, where she dwelt. While she was joining
them in a thousand tricks and gambols, a large hawk, who was sailing
above the barn-yard, in a moment darted upon one of the kittens, and
would have as quickly borne it off, but for the courageous mother, who,
seeing the danger of her offspring, sprang on the common enemy, who, to
defend itself, let fall the prize. The battle presently became severe
to both parties. The hawk, by the power of his wings, the sharpness of
his talons, and the strength of his beak, had for a while the
advantage, cruelly lacerating the poor cat, and actually deprived her
of one eye in the conflict; but puss, no way daunted at the accident,
strove, with all her cunning and agility, for her kittens, till she had
broken the wing of her adversary. In this state, she got him more
within the power of her claws, and, availing herself of this advantage,
by an instantaneous exertion she laid the hawk motionless beneath her
feet; and, as if exulting in the victory, tore the head off the
vanquished tyrant. This accomplished, disregarding the loss of her eye,
she ran to the bleeding kitten, licked the wounds made by the hawk's
talons in its tender sides, and purred whilst she caressed her
liberated offspring.

In the summer of 1792, a gentleman who lived in the neighborhood of
Portsmouth, England, had a cat, which kittened four or five days after
a hen had bro