TABBY CATS 59 



of the pattern in both black and white kittens being 

 due to the greater gloss of the hair that forms the 

 pattern as compared with that of the intervening 

 spaces. 



It might at first be considered somewhat curious 

 that although domestic Cats are commonly white, 

 white examples of wild species are exceedingly rare. 

 This, however, is not in reality a surprising thing, 

 because, except in the Winter in Arctic and Antarctic 

 latitudes, white is a very conspicuous colour. Hence 

 a white wild Cat would be severely handicapped in the 

 struggle for existence by inability to conceal itself 

 both from its enemies and its prey. It is, moreover, 

 a matter of common knowledge that white Cats are 

 frequently deaf, and if, as is not unlikely, this or some 

 other organic defect, such as want of stamina, accom- 

 panies whiteness in wild species, another reason for 

 the rarity of white wild Cats becomes apparent. 



I have only seen white skins of two wild species 

 of Felis, both of which are in the British Museum. 

 One is a tiger, the other a cheetah or hunting 

 leopard. In both it is noticeable that the pattern is 

 not white, like the ground colour, but yellowish or 

 " tan." This proves two things : First, that the 

 animals were not pure albinos ; and, second, that in 

 these partial albinos the yellow or tan ground colour 

 has turned white and the black pattern has turned 

 " tan " — that is to say, " tan " in albescent individ- 

 uals is an intermediate colour phase between black 

 and white. Similarly, " tan " is an intermediate colour 



