102 The Book of Cats. 



was guarding the prince's granary, the criminal for- 

 feited a milch ewe with her fleece and lamb, or as 

 much wheat as when poured upon a Cat suspended 

 by its tail, would bury the animal up to the top of 

 its tail. 



In Abyssinia, Cats are so valuable, that a 

 marriageable girl who is likely to come in for a 

 Cat, is looked upon as quite an heiress. 



The resemblance between the Tiger and the Cat 

 is so striking, that little children first taken to the 

 Zoological Gardens almost always call the Tigers 

 great Cats ; and, in their native woods, Tigers 

 purr. 



The domestic species require no description, but 

 one or two of the varieties may be mentioned : 



The Cat of Angora, is a very beautiful variety, 

 with silvery hair of fine silken texture, generally 

 longest on the neck, but also long on the tail. Some 

 are yellowish, and others olive, approaching to the 

 colour of the Lion ; but they are all delicate 

 creatures, and of gentle dispositions. Mr. Wood, 

 while staying in Paris, made the acquaintance of an 

 Angora, which ate two plates of almond biscuits at 

 a sitting. This breed of Cats has singular tastes ; 

 I knew one that took very kindly to gin and water, 

 and was rather partial to curry. He also ate peas, 



