GRADUAL EXTINCTION OF WILD-CATS 



wild-cats were to be still found in Cumberland 

 and Westmorland, in some of the wilder parts 

 of those counties ; that they were abundant in 

 Scotland, and were formerly so in the South of 

 England, though at the time he wrote they had 

 become extinct in this latter portion of the 

 country. I should, however, very much doubt if 

 they are nowadays other than extremely rare 

 anywhere in these islands, by reason of the great 

 depredations which they commit where game is 

 abundant. Keepers look upon cats generally as 

 their natural enemies, and when it is considered 

 what terrible poachers they are, this is hardly to 

 be wondered at. When once a domestic cat takes 

 to poaching, there is but one cure, viz., a charge 

 of shot, for she becomes absolutely useless to her 

 owner as far as her helping to keep down the 

 rats and mice is concerned, and is for ever straying 

 and wandering about in the woods. Such animals 

 have, doubtless, bred in a wild state, and been 

 often mistaken for the true wild-cat, though far 

 inferior in size. The wild-cat is generally yellow 

 in colour, with dark gray stripes ; at times it is 

 of a bluish gray, with darker gray stripes, but I 

 believe that the former is the truer colour. 



There are few of our wild animals which more 

 undeservedly bear an evil reputation than the 

 badger. It is a verification of the saying, ' Give 

 a dog a bad name.' No more harmless or in- 

 offensive animal exists, nor one more persecuted. 

 Happily, the custom of badger-baiting has gone 



