THE EGYPTIAN CAT. 243 



European nations were likely to have attempted 

 it. The scarcity of cats in Europe, in its earlier 

 ages, is also well known, and in the tenth and 

 eleventh centuries, a good mouser brought a high 

 price. 



Although, however, our opinion coincides with 

 that of the above mentioned authorities, and we think 

 that we are indebted to the superstition of the an- 

 cient Egyptians for having domesticated the species 

 described by Ruppel. We have no doubt that since 

 its introduction to this country, and more particu- 

 larly to the north of Scotland, there has been occa- 

 sional crossing with our own native species, and that 

 the result of these crosses have been kept in our 

 houses. We have seen many cats very closely re- 

 sembling the wild cat, and one or two that were 

 very tame, which could scarcely be distinguished 

 from it. 



There is perhaps no animal that so soon loses it 

 cultivation, and returns apparently to a state com- 

 pletely wild. A trifling neglect of proper feeding 

 or attention, will often cause them to depend upon 

 their own resources ; and the tasting of some wild 

 and living food, will tempt them to seek it again, 

 and to leave their civilized home. They then prowl 

 about in the same manner as their congeners, crouch- 

 ing among cover, and carefully concealing themselves 

 from all publicity. They breed in the woods or 

 thickets, and support themselves upon birds or young 



