In Mrs. Johnson's delightful home during the long winter evenings, the hour between seven and eight o'clock was known as the children's hour. Mrs. Johnson had two children whom she loved dearly. Harry was eleven years old, Kate, his sister, being two years younger.

The first part of the children's hour was usually spent in examining some object in Natural History; then stories relating to the subject were either read or reproduced by the children.

One evening, as the family was seated around the sitting-room table, Harry said, "To-morrow we shall be required to tell all we can about the cat family. Miss Holden asked the pupils to investigate and gain as much information on the subject as possible. Will you help us, mamma?"

"It will give me much pleasure to assist you," replied Mrs. Johnson. "The cat family includes the lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, lynxes, and wild-cats. These animals are really nothing but huge cats. All members of the family resemble one another very closely, in every particular, except in size. They vary in size, however, from the kitten on the hearth-rug to the huge African tiger, which is nearly eight feet in length and four and one-half feet in height."

"Eight feet long! That is one-half the length Wouldn't you like to see the

of our sitting-room.

African tiger?" asked Kate.

"Not unless he was fastened in a strong iron cage," answered Harry.

"Since these animals are so much alike," continued Mrs. Johnson, "if one studies the domestic cat, he will know much about her wild cousins. the cats of the forests."

"It seems so funny to talk about kitty's cousins! But come, Malta," said Kate, lifting her pet Mal

tese kitten from the Persian hearth-rug, "you may lie on this soft cushion between Harry and We want to know about your wild cousins, so we will study you. Now stretch out your long, slender body, so Harry can measure you.

me.

"Your body, pussy, is covered with soft, beautiful fur, which protects it from heat and cold. In stroking you, one should be very careful to rub from the head, not toward it, because your hairs are all set in the skin so as to point toward the tail. It hurts you to turn the hairs in the opposite direction."

"Now let her jump, Kate. How easily and gracefully she springs! How lightly she falls to the floor! Why can she spring so quickly, turn somersaults, and always light upon her feet?" "Her backbone is made for springing. It curves easily in every direction. Then those strong muscles which show in ridges through the long, loose coat assist her. Carefully examine the bottom of each foot," said Mrs. Johnson.

"How soft they are!

Her feet are

padded. There is a soft cushion under

each toe, and one under the middle of each foot. Of course she can walk quietly with cushions for shoes," said Harry.

"Do you know how many toes she has?" said

Kate. "I have counted them. There are eighteen

toes - five on each fore foot and

four on each hind foot; ten and

eight are eighteen.

"There is a sharp, curved claw in each toe, too. If I press her foot or hurt her in any way, she shows her claws. She uses them, too, in catching mice and birds."

"Yes, Kate, they are concealed in her soft velvet paws, ready to

be thrust with cruel strength into her victim's flesh. If angry, she is sure to use her claws. This is true of her wild cousins, too," said Mrs. Johnson. "Because the cat can thrust out her claws and draw them back just as she chooses, her claws are said to be retractile. Retractile comes from the word retract, which means draw back. If she did not keep her nails concealed, they would soon become too dull for use.

"Here," continued Mrs.

Johnson, as she opened a

box standing on the table, "is a cat's skull. The huge cats of the forests have teeth like those of the cat, only they are much larger and stronger."

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"I think those two long-pointed teeth in each jaw must be for tearing flesh, and the thin, sharp, uneven molars for chopping or cutting it," said Harry.

"You are right. The teeth in the upper and lower jaws come together like the blades of scissors. The cat's teeth are fitted for eating flesh."

"Oh dear, dear!" cried Kate. "What is the matter with Malta's tongue? How she hurt me!"

"You should not let her draw her tongue across your hand. Pussy's tongue is covered with horny points which make it rough. The sharp, horny points, which are cup-shaped, point backwards. The rough tongue aids her in lapping milk and in removing flesh from bones,"

"Are those whiskers on her face of any use?" "Indeed, they are very

useful. Whenever it is too dark for her to see well, these feelers keep her from running against things."

"I thought pussy could see best at night," said Kate.

"So she can. But there

must be some rays of light. No animal can see in total darkness.

"The cat's eyes are keen. It is very interesting