304 PROC. COTTESWOLD CLUB vol. xili. (4) 



who was killed by David's nephew. The re-appearance of 

 an ancient character is well known, and such chance re- 

 appearance is propagated. 



When 1 discovered that these many-toed cats existed in 

 considerable numbers in Highnam, I set myself to dis- 

 cover how they originated. I was informed by a reliable 

 person that some years ago a she Manx cat was brought 

 to the place, and this cat, breeding with local cats, has pro- 

 duced a race of many-toed cats, which, nevertheless, have 

 long tails like ordinary cats. There have been several 

 Manx cats in the place, one of the descendants of which, 

 with a short tail some five inches or so in length, I have 

 seen. This cat had the ordinary number of toes ; and I 

 was informed by a person who formerly possessed one of 

 the original Manx cats from which these many-toed cats 

 are descended, that this Manx cat had five and four toes 

 as in other cats. I am also credibly imformed that the 

 bridge-keeper at Saul Bridge has some many-toed cats, 

 which are also the result of a cross between a Manx cat 

 and a local cat. 



There is, of course, always a difficulty in proving paternity 

 of cats when they are allowed to run at liberty, because 

 although cats live in closer relationship with man than any 

 other domestic animals, they are less influenced by us than 

 any other creatures. But there is no difficulty in proving 

 maternity; and in the case of the many-toed cats of High- 

 nam, they are undoubtedly descended from a female Manx 

 cat, which lived at the gardens at Highnam Court. 



Why the cross with the Manx cat should have produced 

 this many-toed breed, I cannot say; but it is worth ob- 

 serving that the many-toed cats have always tails of the 

 usual length. 



A friend of mine, who has a landed estate near Ramsey, 

 Isle of Man, informs me that the tail-less Manx cats are 

 now very scarce in the Island, because when visitors see 



