the kitchen fire. In reply, the cook
observed that the cat had that day kittened, and that, perhaps, the
puppies might be substituted for her progeny. The experiment was made,
two of the kittens were removed, and two puppies substituted. The cat
made no objections, took to them kindly, and gradually all the kittens
were taken away, and the cat nursed the two puppies only. Now, the
first curious fact was, that the two puppies nursed by the cat were, in
a fortnight, as active, forward, and playful, as kittens would have
been: they had the use of their legs, barked, and gambolled about; while
the other three, nursed by the mother, were whining and rolling about
like fat slugs. The cat gave them her tail to play with, and they were
always in motion; they very soon ate meat, and long before the others
they were fit to be removed. This was done, and the cat became very
inconsolable. She prowled about the house, and on the second day of
tribulation fell in with the little spaniel, who was nursing the other
three puppies.

"O ho!" says Puss, putting up her back, "it is you who have stolen my
children."

"No," replied the Spaniel, with a snarl, "they are my own flesh and
blood."

"That won't do," said the cat, "I'll take my oath before any justice of
peace that you have my two puppies."

Thereupon issue was joined, that is to say, there was a desperate
combat, which ended in the defeat of the spaniel, and the cat walking
proudly off with one of the puppies, which she took to her own bed.
Having deposited this one, she returned, fought again, gained another
victory, and redeemed another puppy. Now it is very singular that she
should have only taken two, the exact number she had been deprived of.
Does this not prove to a certain extent the power of calculating numbers
in animals? and does not the precocity of the two puppies brought up by
the cat, infer there is some grounds for the supposition that with the
milk is imbued much of the nature and disposition of the mother? A few
experiments made on these points would be interesting, and we should
have a new science, that of _lacteology_, to add to craniology, in our
nurture and rearing of the species.

This reminds me of a singular fact, little known. The Burmahs, who are
disciples of Gaudma, equally with the inhabitants of Pegu and Syriam,
whose country they have conquered, worship the White Elephant, who is
considered as a god. There have been but three white ele