Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-15
nailu Aelnebft gournal.
THE OLD CATS MASGIyRE.

pa,r OF blackbirds built nest on the
top OF my garden wall, which is thickly
covered with ivy. When the young birds
were about three parts fiedged, one OF
them by some mishap left the nest and tel
into the fower-gar,len. My old cat, winch
has killed scores of small birds. immedl-
ately found it, and at the same time Kit
len mot belonging to the caD began TO
nav rather rude attentions TO the young
blackbird. and would have used it as Kilt
tens are wont, but the old cat would not
snfFer her to touch it. The cause OF tins
was. the male blackpird, being aware OF
the peril of its young, made great noise,
and kent flying here and there around the
scene of action, crying and scolding with
might and main. 1t then became evident
10 me that the cat had three objects in
view: Firstly, not to allow the kitten to
kill or make off with the young bird; sec
ondly, to use the Young bird as decoy to
cntrap the old one: thirdly, to make the
Young bird cry sufficiently to induce the
parents affection to overcome its discre-
lion. During the man9uvres, old ION
made unsuccessful springs to catch the Ola
bird. alternately running to give the kitten
a lesson of patience, or seil-deniai' or I'M
pose fear of punishment. The young
bird repeatedly hoped out oil sight among
the flowers, and stinted its cries then the
cat touched it again, and made 1t futter
about and cry, which brought the old bird
down with cries OF terror or wrath, or
both, and almost into the very mouth Oh
the cat. After / had waited some ten or
fifteen minutes, it became too painful Tor
me to witness, SO caught the young bird,
and put it again into its nest. In less than
an honr the young bird was again on the
ground, the cat, kitten. and parent-bird
performing the same drama, with this dill
ference in the acting the cat lay down,
rolled about or sat at convenient distance
from the young bird, yet with eyes alert,
though halt shut, and otherwise giving an
assurance that il did not intend to make
another bound without succeeding to catch
his prey. He was, however. disappointed,
and made four without achieving his pur..
pose. At this iuncture the motherhood
came on the stage, with cries OF distress,
but kept aloof on the branches OF tail
cherry-tree that rises above the wall; and
il her boidness were less than her mates.
her discretion was greater, for she kept
far aloft. This continued about seven or
ten minutes. when l again caught the
young bird and threw it over the wall, and
the exhibition of animal thought, emotion,
and passion ceased. The cat showed an
amount of reasoning which be. probably
never before exercised, because never be-
fore placed in the same circumstances.
That he had used young sparrows. of
which he must have caught scores. as de-
coys to catch the old ones, is possible, but
am perfectly sure that no kitten ever was
in the garden during his reign as ''mon-
arch of all he surveyed in the shape of
birds" Hence his authority over the kit
ten, which was full of life and eagerness
to appropriate the young bird. the killing
Of which would have defeated the purpose
of the cat in using the young bird as a de-
coy to catch the old one, was indeed re-
markable, and disclosed combination of
mental forces Of self-conscious reason OF
no trifling order, and, as it appears to me,
conclusive that the difierence-and only
difference-between instinct and reason is
one of degree.--Cor. IN Nature