TORTOISESHELL CATS. 41 



tion, I have little or no doubt, has it in his power to produce 

 either variety ad libitujti. It is now many years since I 

 remember the first " tortoiseshell tom-cat ; " nor can I now 

 at this distance of time quite call to mind whether or not it 

 was not a tortoiseshell-and-white, and not a tortoiseshell 

 pure and simple. It was exhibited in Piccadilly. If I re- 

 member rightly, I made a drawing of it, but as it is about 

 forty years ago, of this I am not certain, although I have 

 lately been told that I did, and that the price asked for the 

 cat was 100 guineas. 



This supposed scarcity was rudely put aside by the 

 appearance, at the Crystal Palace Show of 187 1, of no less 

 than one tortoiseshell he-cat (exhibited by Mr, Smith) and 

 three tortoiseshell-and-white he-cats, but it will be observed 

 there was really but only one tortoiseshell he-cat, the others 

 having white. On referring to the catalogues of the succeed- 

 ing shows, no other pure tortoiseshell has been exhibited, 

 and he ceased to appear after 1873; but tortoiseshell-and- 

 white have been shown from 187 1, varying in number from 

 five to three until 1885. One of these, a tortoiseshell-and- 

 white belonging to Mr. Hurry, gained no fewer than nine first 

 prizes at the Crystal Palace, besides several firsts at other 

 shows j this maintains my statement, that a really good 

 scarce variety of cats is a valuable investment, Mr. Hurry's 

 cat Totty keeping up his price of ;^ 100 till the end. 



As may have been gathered from the foregoing remarks, 

 the points of the tortoiseshell he-cat are, black-red and 

 yellow in patches, but no white. The colouring should be 

 in broad, well-defined blotches and solid in colour, not 

 mealy or tabby-like in the marking, but clear, sharp, and 

 distinct, and the richer and deeper the colours the better. 

 When this is so the animal presents a very handsome 

 appearance. The eyes should be orange, the tail long and 

 thick towards the base, the form slim, graceful, and elegant, 

 and not too short on the leg, to which this breed has a ten- 

 dency. Coming then to the actual tortoiseshell he, or male 

 cat without white, I have never seen but one at the Shows, 

 and that was exhibited by Mr. Smith. It does not appear 



