196 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



are now largely crossed with their somewhat remote cousin, 

 the striped domesticated cat of Europe. 



The Persian cat, as we have seen, may probably be 

 derived from Pallas's cat, which has no sort of connection 

 with the Egyptian cat ; and the cross between the Persian 

 and European " tabby," now so common, is consequently 

 a very mixed breed indeed. Finally, it is probable that 

 the Siamese cat has an ancestry totally distinct from that 

 of all the rest. 



