THE CAT. 73

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 bore
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 had actually deprived her of one eye in the con-
flict; 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.”

The Cat asa Lhe female cat seems to be in a special sense
Foster a bom mother. She is assiduous in the care of
Mother. her own young and singularly ready to extend

the benefits of motherhood even to alien offspring. Instances

are on record in which cats have reared squirrels, dogs, lev-
erets, rats, ducks, chickens, and even small birds. These have
usually occurred at times when the cats have been deprived
of their own young. Mr. T. Foggitt says: “A cat belonging
to the Albert Dock Warehouse, Liverpool, gave birth to six
kittens. It was deemed necessary to destroy four of them,
and they were accordingly drowned. The remaining two
were placed, along with their mother, in some loose cotton,
collected for the purpose in a box, in one of the warehouse
rooms. On removing the box a few mornings after, to give