Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-17
DIR. Whites CAT STORY.

FELINE wANDERER IN THE wILpERSEss-Tue
PERSIsTENCY Or THE DOMESTIC INSTINCT IN THE
CAT.
DR.. C. A. White, OF the National Museum. told a
cat story before the Biological society last night or
TO employ the more formal language OF scientific
gatherings, mai verbal communication concern.
Ing the persisency OF the domestic instinct in the
cat IL was naTatiyeo OF an experience the doctor
had with cat while engaged last summer with
party of the United states geological survey that
made trip on the Missouri river in an onen boat
from Fort Benton to bismarck distance OF l.Ogo
miles More than 500 miles OF this Journey Iay
through a wilderness unDlCssed by a single post
Office or CROSSROADS grocery. IL In the midst
OF this solitude that The party found al of these
camping places cat-a common domestic cat,
which made itself familiar with them almost from
the first. When the party prepared 10 leave
the place. they put the cat ashore b II ran along
the beach. following the boat. HeHlinE plantively
ard asking. as plainly as a cat can ask, 10 be put
aboard. The members Of the party could not resist
this appeal TO their pity, anl turned The boat TO the
shore whertupon the cal imnc1 1iately iumppd
aboard For the next hundred miles OF the Journey
the eat was their companion. The cat was chris
tened Jerry his sex and the convenient breyity of
the name being the two chief reasons for choosing
that name. The members OF the party became
very much attached Jerry. They were especially
pleased with his neatnesS and evident good breed
ing. His habits, Dr. White said were those OF the
almost superfellne Intelligence won for him great
respect, and the party would have brought him
on to Washington II they could have easily pro-
xidcd for his transportation. Upon reaching
Fort Peck they found there a young man
IN ,,,ta charge OF s store Who Mo, was the only
providing home for Jerry, they prevailed upon
this young man 10 take charge OF him. Much to
the surprise OF all, when Jerry was brought for.
ward to be introduced 10 his new guardian, the
young man at once recognized him as a cat that
had belonged to him. Jerry had gone year before
a hundred miles away with party OF Buffalo hunt
ers to the place where Dr. Whites party found
him. Jerry had been left there when the Buffalo
hunters returned to civilization. He had. it ap-
pears. remained during the year In that vicinity,
hunting his food alone. During his long stay In
that wild country, cut on altogether from the
society OF human beings, he had lost none OF his
domestic instincts. His pleasure upon meeting
again with bipeds manifest. and he evinced
an astounding readiness TO return to civilization
and the haunts OF men.
The Biological Society last night elected MeSsrs
Louis Phillips and Romyn Hitchcock TO member
ship. Prof. Lester F. Ward read a paper on
t.MeSozoic Dicotyledons." Mr. c. ID. WalcoIt exhfb-
1ted q collection OF fresh-water shells from the
lower carboniferous formation. Mr.. +. W. True
exhibited specimen OF species OF Seal, and Dr.
grown In Washington county, Va
THREE LADY CLERKS IN A DILEMNA-This NOR
ing three OF the lady employees were In the eleya,
OF the Post ONCE department coming down frc.i
the upper story. The boy allowed the elevator T.
hung midway between the second and third =
The machinery could only DE gotten fn place -
moving the load, and the probem-which W; g:
cuSSed by an everincreasing crowd OF cie;' IL
OtherS-was how to get the women out -
ladder was finally brought, and two OF u.e lt,i>B
crawling out OF the lower part OF the Gtf g.
cened TO the floor I'm safety. The o,lier la.. &C.
f,se TO trust herself to the ladder nG II was cns
after Col Burnside had CALAMITY climbed iio tho
elevator and offered his aid That she undertook tho
descent The elevator was then found 10 De rest
ing or its safety supports, and MAS set running
again az once