ild
one, living in the shrubberies near the house. All its brothers and
sisters had been destroyed or taken away, and the kitten must have felt
very lonely when there were none of its own kind to play with. Being
very young and playful, it felt that it must have a friend and playmate
of some kind, and it looked round to find one. There was a handsome
peacock in the grounds, and pussy admired him very much, and thought she
would like to play with him. So she tried to form an acquaintance, and,
as the peacock was not half so vain as he looked, she succeeded very
well. They were soon so friendly that pussy could rub against him and
box his ears with impunity; she even tried to scramble upon his back. He
took all her play in good part, and seemed to enjoy it quite as much as
she did. Perhaps he was flattered by pussy's admiration, or perhaps he
felt a true friendship for his strange companion. Whichever it was, he
always looked out for his little playmate, and was evidently pleased to
see her.

W. A. A.

[Illustration: "The peacock took all her play in good part."]

[Illustration: "The cat washed the jackdaw in its turn."]

STRANGE CHILDREN.

We have all seen instances of the affection and care which most animals
give to their helpless or nearly helpless offspring. The cat spends
nearly all her day coiled up in some quiet, cosy corner with her family
of kittens, and when she leaves them for a few minutes, to stretch her
limbs and seek some refreshment for herself, the least squeak of one of
her children will bring her back to its side. The hen struts about the
farmyard surrounded by her chickens, and at the least appearance of
danger the brood runs for shelter under her wings. When the lamb in the
field strays from its mother's side she is soon alarmed, and shows her
fear by her anxious bleating, which does not cease until the lamb
returns to her. And thus it is with nearly every animal, tame or wild.
Each gives proofs, if we could only see and understand them, of a
wonderful and beautiful love for her young.

This motherly care is not quite like the ordinary friendship which one
animal may have for another. A cat and a dog may be good friends all
their lives. But, though the cat loves her kittens before all things
while they are young and weak, later on, when they are sufficiently
grown in size and strength to take good care of themselves, her
affection gradually dies away, and she becomes indifferent to the