194 ANECDOTES OF ANIMALS. 



male are always black, their tails are bushy; they spring 

 furiously upon whoever approaches, and utter unearthly 

 cries. Mr. St. John, when walking up to his knees in 

 heather over broken ground, came suddenly upon a wild 

 cat. She rushed out between his legs, every hair stand- 

 ing up. He cut a good-sized stick ; and three Skye 

 terriers gave chase till she took refuge in a corner, spit- 

 ting and growling. On trying to dislodge her, she flew 

 at Mr. St. John's face, over the dogs' heads ; but he 

 struck her while in the air, and she fell among the dogs. 

 who soon despatched her, even though they say that a 

 wild cat has twelve instead of nine lives. If one be 

 taken, those in the neighbourhood are sure to be also 

 secured, as they will all, in the manner of foxes, as- 

 semble round the body of their relative. 



Domestic cats often run away to the woods and sub- 

 sist on their own hunting ; but these are not to be 

 taken for the real wild cat. The female of the latter is 

 the smaller of the two ; and retires into the fissures of 

 rocks, or takes possession of some large bird's nest, 

 when she is about to have young ones. They are 

 found all through Germany, Russia, Hungary, and the 

 north of Asia, where their fur is much more valued 

 than it is here, probably on account of the length and 

 quality of the hair. 



Our house cats are by most naturalists supposed not 

 to have descended from the above wild species. Pro- 

 fessor Temminck ascribes their origin to the Nubian 

 cat, found in that country by M. Riippell; but Mr. 

 Bell differs from him. 



Cats were numerous in Egypt, where they were much 

 prized, and honoured with being embalmed. In Abys- 

 sinia they form part of a marriage dowry, for fear the 



