72 BULLETIN NO. VII. 
tion seems to have been obtained by the union of several dif- 
ferent races or species. Our cat seems to be the result of a 
union of the common wild cat of Europe, Felis catus, and the 
Egyptian cat, Felis maniculata. The cat was certainly domes- 
ticated in Egypt at a very early date and was an object of ven- 
eration. In Herodotus’ time the cats of a house constituted in 
some sort the Penates or household gods. Both cats and dogs 
were early introduced into Italy, both being indicated in fres- 
coes of Pompeii. The variation in coloration and form is con- 
siderable, although far less than in some other domestic ani- 
mals. What is called the tabby variety is thought to have re- 
sulted from the admixture of wild cat blood. In the case of 
the tortoiseshell cat, we have an instance of a difference in 
coloration between the sexes, males being all but universally 
grey. The blue cats, or Carthusian breed, are of a bluish 
grey color and have fine, long, soft pelage. The Angora cat, 
too, is especially remarkable for its fine, long hair as well as 
its large size. The tailless manx cat is an interesting variety 
with a tendency toward the reduction of the size of the fore 
legs. Malay cats also have short tails. The habits of the do- 
mestic cat are sufficiently well known and appreciated. In 
America there is, of course, some change in the diet, but, in 
general, the cat may be said to travel with her own commissariat 
as the army of European pests usually keep pace with the 
cat’s emigrations. In our state the field mice form no consid- 
erable part of pussy’s diet at times, but the staple is always 
Mus domestica. Many cats capture the gopher, Spermophilus, 
habitually, although it seems not to be relished as well as 
murine food. The cat at times hecomes nartially insectivorous 
and feeds upon crickets or g? ‘shovp‘rs, out it appears that 
these serve as a relish or ccndiment simply. No cases have 
fallen under my notice of cats capturing rabbits, except when 
the latter are still very young. Darwin has given us an inter- 
esting example of the coherence of nature in the dependence 
of the price of clover seed upon cats, via. field mice and bumble 
bees. 
GENUS LYNX. 
See remarks under Felide. 
