84 VARIOUS COLOURS. 



VARIOUS COLOURS. 



Those who have had much to do with breeding, and 

 crossing of animals, birds, or plants, well know that with 

 time, leisure, and patience, how comparatively easy it is to 

 improve, alter, enlarge, or diminish any of these, or any part 

 of them ; and looking at the cat from this standpoint, now 

 that it is becoming " a fancy " animal, there is no prophesy- 

 ing what forms, colours, markings, or other variations will 

 be made by those who understand what can be done by 

 careful, well-considered matching, and skilful selection. 

 We have now cats with no tails, short tails, and some of 

 moderate length, long tails bushy and hairy ; but should a 

 very long tail be in request, I have no doubt whatever but 

 that in a few years it would be produced ; and now that there 

 is a cat club constituted for the welfare and improvement of 

 the condition, as well as the careful breeding of cats, curious 

 and unforeseen results are most likely to be attained ; but 

 whether any will ever excel the many beautiful varieties 

 we now have, is a problem that remains to be solved. 



This concludes the numerous varieties of colours and 

 the proper markings of the domestic cat, as regards beauty 

 and the points of excellence to be observed for the purposes 

 of exhibition. These are distinct, and as such, nearly all have 

 classes for each individual colour and marking, and there- 

 fore it is imperative that the owner should note carefully the 

 different properties and beauties of his or her particular speci- 

 men, and also as carefully read the schedule of prizes with 

 such attention as to be enabled to enter his or her pet in the 

 proper class ; for, it is not only annoying to the exhibitor but 

 to the judge to find an animal sometimes of extraordinary 

 merit placed in the "wrong class" by sheer inattentioji to 

 XhQprififed rules and instructions prepared by the committee 

 or promoters of the show. It is exceedingly distasteful, and 



