ANIMAL CHARACTERISTICS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPRCTATOR."] SIE,—It would require many volumes completely to answer all the questions put by your correspondent under the above heading in the Spectator of April 16th. Some of these are already written, Darwin's " Expression of Emotions " and Lloyd Morgan's "Animal Life and Intelligence," for example. To the group of questions, "How have cats learned to climb and jump ? " " Why have not their enemies, dogs, &c., learnt to follow them ? " " Why should cats and dogs be enemies " —one might suggest in reply that kittens, being specially provided by Nature with climbing and jumping apparatus, must use it, just as a child at a given age must hop round on one leg. The actions of both are at first quite involuntary, being caused perhaps by something akin to an electrical discharge in the nerves. " Ordinary folk " cannot reasonably expect to be informed in a word why cats must climb and dogs must run. They may, however, learn something of the matter in the " Origin of Species." As to the question why cats and dogs should be enemies, it must be remembered that all animals of different species, when in a state of nature, are primci-facie at enmity, or at best in a state of armed neutrality. There is probably no special enmity between cats and dogs ; indeed, they would not often meet. Left to them- selves, the domestic cat and dog, although not exactly in the same "set," will treat one another with respect, and fre- quently become friends. The cat, when she has kittens, becomes aggressive to dogs as well as to other animals. A dog will rarely chivy a cat unless taught to do so, and even then he likes his master about to back him up in case he catches her. In many Continental towns cats and dogs con- stantly meet in the market-place without showing any hostility. It is true that if a dog begins sniffing about in a basketful of kittens, they will swear and spit at him even before they have opened their eyes ; but so they would if a duck were flopped in amongst them. They do not object to a man in the least, perhaps because he approaches them in a totally different manner, perhaps because there may be a general odour of man in the place where they are laid. Kittens born in a hay- stack or hollow tree will swear at a man fast enough, or at a dog or a duck either. I do not know how " evolutionists explain the existence of a cat's tail," or whether they do so. She uses it, however, as a signal, shield, balancing-pole, rudder, and doormat,—i.e., something with which to keep off draughts from herself or her kittens. Dogs and cats express totally different sentiments with their tails, because their sentiments are totally different, the tail-action in each being simply a reflex of the mind. Cats like shell-fish just as they like cream, because, when provided, they find in both a convenient and palatable form of food. Of course neither is natural to felis catus, if, indeed, he be the wild representative of the domestic tabby, which is more than doubtful; but tastes such as these are commonly acquired by cat or man at one sitting. It may be noted here that as the cat licks flesh from the bone rather than tearing it, she perhaps prefers food like fish as being more
set-at-able. As to the respective clawing and gnawing, Nature brings young animals up on the kindergarten system, insomuch as their games, two of which are hunting and fight- mg, are also their lessons; hence the kitten practises with claw, the puppy with jaw, these being their weapons in after- life. Perhaps your correspondent may find something sugges- tive in this letter, although it makes no pretence of answering, all the questions, some of which are real posers. I wonder whether she ever heard of the little boy who said to his mother, " Ma, does a hen lay eggs because it wants to, or
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