Glimpses of the animate world; or, Science and literature of natural history, for school and home . rve thatwhich expresses anger alone. This is not often seen, butmay be observed when two cats are fighting ; and I haveseen it well exhibited by a savage cat when plagued by aboy. The attitude is almost exactly the same as that ofthe tiger disturbed and growling over his food, which everyone must have beheld in menageries. 9. The animal assumes a crouching position, with thebody extended ; and the whole tail, or the tip alone, islashed or curled from side to side. The hair is not in the 302 NATU
Glimpses of the animate world; or, Science and literature of natural history, for school and home . rve thatwhich expresses anger alone. This is not often seen, butmay be observed when two cats are fighting ; and I haveseen it well exhibited by a savage cat when plagued by aboy. The attitude is almost exactly the same as that ofthe tiger disturbed and growling over his food, which everyone must have beheld in menageries. 9. The animal assumes a crouching position, with thebody extended ; and the whole tail, or the tip alone, islashed or curled from side to side. The hair is not in the 302 NATURAL HISTORY READER. least erect. Thus far, the attitude and movements arenearly the same as when the animal is prepared to springon its prey, and when, no doubt, it feels savage. Butwhen preparing to fight there is this difference : the earsare closely pressed backward ; the mouth is partially opened,showing the teeth ; the forefeet are occasionally struck outwith protruded claws; and the animal occasionally utters afierce growl. These actions naturally express the intent ofattacking the 10. Let us now look at a cat in a directly oppositeframe of mind, while feeling affectionate and caressing hermaster, and mark how opposite her attitude is in everyrespect. She now stands ujjright, with her back slightlyarched, which makes her hair appear rather rough, but itdoes not bristle ; her tail, instead of being extended andlashed from side to side, is held quite stiff, and perpendicu-larly upward ; her ears are erect and pointed ; her mouthis closed ; and she rubs against her master with a purr in-stead of a growl. OUR FOUR-FOOTED COMPANIONS. 303 11. Let it further be observed how widely differentis the whole bearing of an affectionate cat from that ofa dog when, with his body crouching and flexuotis, andears depressed, he caresses his master. This contrast in the attitudes of thesetwo carnivorous ani-mals, under the samepleased andaffection-ate frame of mind,can be explained,
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