72 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



They have been Hving side by side, and freely inter- 

 breeding for many generations witliout ever pro- 

 ducing intermediate types, so far as is at present 

 known. At all events, I myself have never seen a 

 tabby Cat that could not be at once assigned to either 

 the Blotched or the Striped type ; and for several 

 years I have carefully noted the pattern of every Cat 

 that has come under my eyes, both in towns and in 

 the country, and I have visited Cats' homes and Cat 

 shows, for the purpose of verifying or disproving the 

 conclusion that intermediates do not exist. Another 

 fact that I can vouch for of my own knowledge is 

 that both types may occur in the same litter of 

 kittens. 



So far as I am aware, no attempt at experimental 

 breeding of Cats on Mendelian lines has ever been 

 undertaken ; but from what has been said as to the 

 apparent permanence of the segregation of the two 

 kinds of tabby, it appears that much useful work 

 could be done in this direction. It could be carried 

 out, too, at comparatively small trouble and cost 

 anywhere in the country. Cats are naturally hardy, 

 and require no artificial heat. They should be kept 

 in grass runs, the larger the better, covered in with 

 wire netting. This enclosure should be fitted with 

 wooden shelves and branches, and with a well-made 

 warm wooden covered-in shelter as a protection against 

 cold winds and rain in the winter. The animals 

 should be given water to drink and raw fowls' heads, 

 varied with rabbits, mice and sparrows or other birds 

 to eat ; that is to say, their diet should be made as 



