PERSIAN CATS. 25 



the tuft at the apex, and also well furnished with long hair 

 within, and of moderate size. The eyes should be large, 

 full, and round, with a soft expression ; the hair on the fore- 

 head is generally rather short in comparison to the other 

 parts of the body, which ought to be clothed with long 

 silky hair, very long about the neck, giving the appearance 

 of the mane of the lion. The legs, feet, and toes should be 

 well clothed with long hair and have well-developed fringes 

 on the toes, assuming the character of tufts between them. 

 It is larger in body, and generally broader in the loins, and 

 apparently stronger made, than the foregoing variety, though 

 yet slender and elegant, with small bone, and exceedingly 

 graceful in all its movements, there being a kind of languor 

 observable in its walk, until roused, when it immediately 

 assumes the quick motion of the ordinary short-haired cat, 

 though not so alert. The colours vary very much, and 

 comprise almost every tint obtainable in cats, though the 

 tortoiseshell is not, nor is the dark marked tabby, in 

 my opinion, a Persian cat colour, but has been got by 

 crossing with the short-haired tortoiseshell, and also 

 English tabby, and as generally shows pretty clearly un- 

 niistakable signs of such being the case. For a long 

 time, if not now, the black was the most sought after 

 and the most diflficult to obtain. A good rich, deep 

 black, with orange-coloured eyes and long flowing hair, 

 grand in mane, large and with graceful carriage, with a 

 mild expression, is truly a very beautiful object, and one 

 very rare. The best I have hitherto seen was one that be- 

 longed to Mr. Edward Lloyd, the great authority on all 

 matters relating to aquariums. It was called Mimie, and 

 was a very fine specimen, usually carrying off the first prize 

 wherever shown. It generally wore a handsome collar, on 

 which was inscribed its name and victories. The collar, as 

 Mr. Lloyd used jocosely to observe, really belonged to it, as 

 it was bought out of its winnings ; and, according to the 

 accounts kept, was proved also to have paid for its food for 

 some considerable period. It was, as its owner laughingly 

 said, "his friend, and not his dependent," and generally used 



