72 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

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 use-
less, 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. They were.
sure that the tempests she would then raise would be much
worse than any they had yet encountered; and they implored
his lordship to let her remain unmolested. ‘There was no
help, and they could only hope, if she were not affronted,
they might at the end of their time reach England in
safety.’”

The Catas “The cat,” says the Rev. J. G. Wood, “is fami-

® Hunter. J|jarly known to us as a persevering mouse-hunter.
So strong, indeed, is the passion for hunting in the breast
of the cat, that she sometimes disdains mice, ‘and such
small deer,’ and trespasses on warrens or preserves. A large
tabby cat, residing at no great distance from White Horse
Vale, was accustomed to go out poaching in the preserves
of a neighbouring nobleman, and so expert was she at this
illegal sport that she constantly returned bearing in her
mouth a leveret or a partridge, which she insisted on present-
ing to her mistress, who in vain endeavoured to check her
marauding propensities.. These exploits, however, brought
their own punishment; for one day, when in the act of
seizing a leveret, she found herself caught in a vermin trap,
which deprived her of one of her hind legs. This mis-
,ortune did not damp her enthusiasm for hunting, as,
although the loss of a leg prevented her from chasing hares,
and suchlike animals, she would still bring in an occa-
sional zat.”

The Oat and “A cat, which had a numerous litter of kittens,”
her Young. says Captain Brown, “one sunny day encouraged’
her little ones to frolic in the vernal beams of noon, about
the stable door, where she was domiciled. While she was