42 CARNIVORA. 



The cat bristles up its fur when excited. It is fond of 

 valerian. At some seasons of the year it will eat grass 

 with avidity. 



The head of the cat is round, with broad and rather 

 long ears, which are furnished with hair in the inside 

 and short fur on the outside ; the whiskers are long, 

 and tolerably abundant, and there are a few bristles or 

 feelers over the eye. 



The hind quarters of the cat are much higher than 

 those of the fore quarters. The claws are retractible. 



The antics of young kittens are very amusing. They 

 love to play with balls, etc. 



We have known a cat to live to the advanced age of 

 twent}' years. 



The Persian or Angola Cat has a long and rather 

 flimsy fur, which gives it a woolly, shaggy, and unkempt 

 appearance ; the colour varies almost as much as in the 

 smoother-haired variety. The Persian Cat is much 

 esteemed as a pet ; its tail is rather shorter than in the 

 ordinary cat ; it is, however, delicate in constitution. 



The Manx Cat is tailless, and resembles the Lynx in 

 this respect ; most of the other Felidfe have long tails. 



The Siamese Cat is a bright-looking creature, with 

 smooth fur of a dark red-brown colour, like a Caracal or 

 Eed Deer; it is very plain-looking, but bright and 

 intelligent. In a recent Crystal Palace Show a light- 

 coloured specimen, with dark markings on head or feet, 

 exactly like a pug dog, was exhibited. 



The Abyssinian Cat is another well-formed cat, 

 similar to above in colour, but rather of a deeper rusty 

 greyish-brown. 



