The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-10-17
A USEFUL INFANT.

An entirely new kind Of baby has been
discovered near Erie, Penn. This interest.
ing phenomenon is poor but honest infant,
Of q little more than one year of age, and ap-
parently Of the female sex. The discoverer,
1t is true, unhesitatingly calls the infant ga
girl baby" but cautious pc pile will hardly
care to class it among customary girl babies
until it is quite certain that the infant is not
more feline than feminine. l. is represented
to be we'll made baby, provided with blue
eyes, yellow hair, and other desirable i'm
provements, and to be unusually temperate
in its indulgence in tears and collie. The dis
tinguishing Oh aracterisi: OF this singular in
FAINT is its passion for the pleasures of the
chase in conn ection with the common domes-
tic mouse. On awaking in the morning, the
infant mouse-catcher energies from its cradle
and takes up position near q convenient
mouse hole.
Fixing its gaze upon the hole, it watches
in perfect silence aud with feline patience for
its game The seductive rattle and the allur-
ing toothring have no power to distract its
attention, and it is temporarily oblivious to
the existence of the maternal attractions. In
time its patience is rewarded by the appear
ance of q mouse. Instantly the unhappy
beast is seized by the infantiie fingers, and its
neck is squeezed with skill that would re-
feet credit upon the most experienced Cat.
A low murmur Of pleasure escapes from the
succe ssul infant, which bears a close resem-
blance to q feline purr, while at the same
time curious tr-mor agitates its body, which
we may interpret as futile effort to wag an
imaginary tail.
In time the infant drops the f,ccid and
breathless mouse, and is then ready to listen
to suggestions as to the propriety OF breakfast.
If disturbed, however, while sill engaged in
pinching its prey, it evinces anger, and places
the mouse for saie-keeping in that primitive
infantile pocket, its mouth. Frequently when
capturing its prey, this curious domestic MINI
rod is severely bitten, but no matter how
deeply the teeth may penetrate, it neither
cries nor shows the slightest uneasiness, al
though it is acutely sensitive to pain from
other sources, and, like an ordinary infant,
often expires les in loud tones its suspicion Of
the existence ofpins in inappropriate local..
ties
It's parents have in vain tried to weau it
from MICE but the persistent infant has re-
fused to be comforted when deprived of the
excitement of the chase. II is fortunate for
the peace of the househol that the supply
of mice continues to be abundant. and that
there has hitherto been no necessity of max
ing new households, or of stocking the house
with additional mice. 1t must be evident
however, that in time 90 skllful an infant
will bSing about scarcity OF game; and in
that c,se its parents will have TO fall back
either upon artificial mouse culture or sooth-
ing syrup in large doses.F
Enough has been said OF the characteristics
of this abnormal infant to show that it is
essentially feline in certain of its desires and
actions. IL would be interesting to know if
its resemblance to the Cat extends to other
matters besides the capture of mice. Inves-
tigatiops in this direction should be made.
The infant should be left alone in room
with pans of milk and roasted chicken ex-
posed on a table, and Q watch should be kept
to see if it steals the cream and gnaws the
chicken. 1t would also be we'll to ascertain
if it shows any disposition to get up in
the night and sit on the fence, or the ridge
pole Of the house, and there exercise its
lungs; and whether it evinces that singular
fondness for concealing itself under the par
lor sofa, which is innate in the usual cat. If
it does these things, there can be no possible
doubt that, though it is an ostensible infant,
it is cat. Its tondness for mouse catching
Is alone sutfi ,ent to create strong suspicion
that it is morally Cat, but still it is possible
that in this matter it is merely initiating some
cat for which it has an extraordinary fondn ass
and respect, ana taat it is really a human in
FAINT Of remarkable initiative powers-Ne,o
York Times.