if we give our cats an Asiatic
origin. When they run wild, Mr. St. John says, they are often
irreclaimable, and do incredible mischief. There are instances, however,
of their returning to their homes bringing game with them. One known to
the above gentleman, used every winter evening to bring in a woodcock;
another brought back rabbits and hares; the latter was constantly caught
in traps, which accident did not cure him of his wanderings, and he
never struggled, but sat quietly till some one came and effected his
release.

All cats sleep slightly, raise their back, bristle up their hair, and
swell up their tail when angry. Those which have been domesticated are
very inquisitive concerning things rather than persons; smell, and
inspect a new piece of furniture several times; are attached to houses,
and are extremely fond of scents, especially certain kinds emanating
from plants. They seldom eat the rats which they kill, although they
devour mice. If they should swallow a shrew, which is very rare, they
almost immediately reject it. They will sit hour after hour watching at
the mouth of a hole, and after seizing their prey, bring it to their
favourites in the house to show their prowess, and strut about with a
great air of self-satisfaction. They generally have a great dislike to
water; but they have been known to surmount this when they could catch a
fish, for which species of food they have a great preference. The
accusation that they play with you one minute, and scratch you the next,
is too true: the change is not an act of treachery, but arises from
excitement.

I know not whence it is derived; but for centuries cats have been
connected with superstition and sorcery. They have always been regarded
as attendants upon witches; and witches themselves have been said to
borrow their shapes when on their mysterious expeditions. I was once
told, that Lord Cochrane was accompanied by a favourite black cat in a
cruise through the northern seas. The weather had been most
unpropitious; no day had passed without some untoward circumstance, and
the sailors were not slow in attributing the whole to the influence of
the black cat on board. This came to Lord Cochrane's ears, and knowing
that any attempt to reason his men out of so absurd a notion was
perfectly useless, he offered to sacrifice this object of his regard,
and have her thrown overboard. This, however, far from creating any
satisfaction, only alarmed the men still more