156 THE WILD CAT OF BRITAIN. 



in character it was bolder, having a rugged sturdiness, 

 being stronger and broader built, the fore-arms thick, 

 massive, and endowed with great power, with long, curved 

 claws, the feet were stout, sinewy, and strong ; altogether 

 it was a very peculiar, interesting, and extraordinary animal. 

 What became of it I never learned. 



In 1 87 1 and 1872, a wild cat was exhibited at the Crystal 

 Palace Cat Show, by the Earl of Hopetoun, aged three years, 

 also some hybrid kittens, the father of which was a long- 

 haired cat, the mother a sandy, by a wild cat out of a long- 

 haired tabby, which proves, if proof were wanting, that such 

 hybrids breed freely either with hybrids, the domestic, or 

 the wild cat. 



Mr. Frank Buckland also exhibited a hybrid between 

 the wild and tame cat. 



The Zoological Society, a pair of wild cats which did not 

 appear to be British. 



In 1873, Mr. A. H. Senger sent a fine specimen of 

 hybrid, between the domestic cat and Scotch wild cat. 



An early description of the wild cat in England is to be 

 found in an old book on Natural History, and copied into 

 a work on " ^lenageries," " Bartholoraoeus de Proprieta- 

 tibus Rerum," which was translated into English by Thomas 

 Berthlet, and printed by Wynkyn de Worde as early as 1498. 

 There is a very interesting description of the cat, which gives 

 nearly all the properties of the wild animal in an odd and 

 very amusing way. It states : " He is most like to the leopard, 

 and hath a great mouthe, and saw teeth and sharp, and 

 long tongue, and pliant, thin, and subtle ; and lappeth there- 

 with when he drinketh, as other beasts do, that have the 

 nether lip shorter than the over ; for, by cause of uneven- 

 ness of lips, such beasts suck not in drinking, but lap and 

 lick, as Aristotle saith and Plinius also. And he is a full 

 lecherous beast in youth, swift, pliant, and merry, and leapeth, 

 and riseth on all things that is tofore him ; and is led by a 

 straw, and playeth therewith, and is a right heavy beast in 

 age, and full sleepy, and lieth slyly in wait for mice ; and is 

 ware where they bene more by smell than by sight, and 



