Felis. mammalia. FERA. 16' 



Martes, var. Sibb. Scot. p. 11 M. abietum, Ray, Quad. p. 200 — Mustcla 



martes, var. abietum, Lin. Syst. 1. p. 67 — Pine-Martin, Pen. Br. Zool. I . 

 p. 94 S, Mertrick ; W, Belagoed ; G, Taghan — In the wooded dis- 

 tricts of Wales and Scotland. 

 This species is somewhat less than the preceding ; the colour of the fur is 

 darker, and it is softer to the touch. It builds its nest on the tops of trees, 

 and prefers wild situations, while the common sort approaches houses. ^ The 

 fur of this species, before the Union, formed a lucrative article of export'from 

 Scotland. The characters of these two species are ill defined. Dr Walker, 

 in his Mam. Scot. p. 483., seems to consider the yellow colour of the breast as 

 the mark of age. 



III. No bruising grinder in the lower Jaw. 



Gen. XII. FELIS. Cat. — Two tearing grinders in both 

 jaws. — Toes, five before, and four behind ; nails retractile. 



20. F. Catus, var. sylvestris. Wild Cat. — Tail cylindrical, 

 truncated. 



F. sylv. Merr. Pin. 169 — Sibb. Scot. 13 — W, Cathgoed ; G, Cat-fiad- 

 haich In mountainous and wooded districts. 



Length from the point of the nose to the base of the tail, 2 feet 4 inches, 

 length of the tail 1 foot 5 inches, girth of the thickest part of the body, 1 foot 

 8 inches, height, 1 foot 3 inches ; weight about 12 pounds. The fur is yel- 

 lowish-grey ; back, sides, and tail, transversely' barred with black. 



The wild cat lodges in old woods, or in holes in inaccessible precipices, in 

 the less cultivated districts of the country. It preys upon poultry, lambs and 

 kids. When irritated or wounded, it offers dangerous resistance to the sports- 

 man, and on this account has been termed the British Tiger. It was formerly 

 reckoned among the beasts of the chase. The fur was used to line robes. 



It is generally believed by naturalists, that the wQd cat is the parent stock 

 of the Felis Catus, var. domesiicus, or common house-cat. Several circumstan- 

 ces seem to be at variance with this supposition. 1. The tail of the domestic 

 cat tapers to a point, while in the wild cat it terminates abruptly. The head, 

 too, is larger in proportion to the body. 2. The size is much smaller, a charac- 

 ter at variance with the ordinary effects of domestication, though probably re- 

 sulting in part from a poor animal or vegetable diet. 3. It would appear from 

 the Leges Wallicae, that, about the beginning of the tenth century, the domestic 

 cat was highly prized ; for, among the laws of Howeldda, relating to the prices 

 of animals, the price of a kitten, before it could see, was fixed at a penny ; 

 till it caught a'mouse, twopence ; when it commenced mouser, fourpence. Had 

 the cats alluded to been natives of these islands, it is not likely that so high a 

 value would have been attached to them, especially if we take into considera- 

 tion the ease with which they are reared, and the rapidity with which they 

 multiply. The spotted variety, termed the Cypress Cat, is noticed bv Mer- 

 ret, who says, (Pin. 169.), " Enutritur in a?dibus nobilium." The domestic 

 cat is probably derived from Asia, and may be regarded as one of the few of 

 our useful naturalised quadrupeds. Its period of gestation is sixty-three 

 days. 



« 



Extensive revolutions appear to have taken place among the British Digi- 

 tigrada, occasioning the extirpation and extinction of several species. 



1. Canis Lupus. Wolf. 



This species became extinct in Scotland in 1680, tlie last having fallen, it 

 is said, by the hands of Sir Ewen Cameron of Locheil. They continued 



