108 



of $atural 



rection : the tail is annulated with several 

 alternate circles of blackish-brown and dull 

 white ; and the tip of the nose and the lips 

 are black : they are, however, not uniformly 

 alike in every particular. The manners of 

 the wild Cat resemble those of the lynx, and 

 several others of this genus ; living in woods, 

 and preying on young hares, birds, and a 



the destruction of animal life than all other I 

 quadrupeds. The short aud powerful jaws, | 

 moved by vigorous muscles, are supplied with j 

 most formidable trenchant teeth : a cunning 

 disposition, combined with nocturnal habits 

 and much patience in pursuit, gives them 

 frreat advantages over their prey ; and their ' 

 keen, lacerating claws enable them to inflict 



the of pursuit : but the mouse is their favourite 



fiercest and most destructive beast we have ; game ; for which they will patiently wait for \ 

 ur poultry, a whole day till the victim comes within ! 



variety of other animals, which it seizes by \ a certain death-blow. All animals consider- 

 surprise. " The wild Cat," says Mr. Pennant, | ably weaker than themselves prove objects 

 y be called the British tiger ; it 

 est and most destructive beasf 

 making dreadful havoc amongst o . 

 lambs, and kids. It inhabits the most 

 mountainous and woody parts of these 

 islands, living mostly in trees, and feeding 

 only by night. It multiplies as fast as our 

 common Cats ; and often the females of the 

 latter will quit their domestic mates, and 

 return home pregnant by the former." 



The varieties of this animal in a domestic 

 state are very numerous : it is either entirely 

 black ; black and white ; black, fulvous, and 

 white (called the Tortoise-shell or Spanish 

 Cat) ; entirely white ; fulvous and white ; 

 dun colour or tawny, either plain or striped ; 

 tabby, boldly striped; slate-coloured or blue- 

 grey (called the Chartreux Cat) ; slate-co- 

 loured with very long fur, especially on the 

 neck and tail (the Persian Cat) ; long hair 

 of silvery whiteness and silky texture (called 

 the Angora Cat) ; and, lastly, with pencilled 

 or tufted ears, like a lynx, which sometimes 

 though rarely, takes place. Of all the above 

 varieties, the Persian and the Angora are the 

 most remarkable. 



Although the Cat is capable of showing 

 considerable fondness for an individual, it 

 seems to be a pretty general opinion that 

 she seldom, if ever, confides fully, even in 

 the warmest demonstrations of kindness ; 

 but, being highly sensitive and fond of ease, 

 evinces little anxiety, except for the con- 

 tinuance of her enjoyment. Yet, with all 

 the prejudice that exists against the furtive- 

 ness and treachery of the species, no one can 

 .en well educated, 



deny that, wh 



the Cat 



possesses qualities which well entitle her to 

 the regard and protection of mankind ; and 

 if she does not exhibit the vivid and ani- 

 mated attachment of the dog, she is still of an 

 affectionate and gentle disposition, and grate- 

 ful to her benefactors. Nor does any animal, 

 whose habits we have the opportunity of 

 accurately observing, exhibit a greater degree 

 of maternal tenderness; the extreme assiduity 

 with which she attends her young, and the 

 fondness which she shows for them, never 

 fail to attract attention. 



At what period Cats became inmates of 

 human habitations, it is scarcely possible, at 

 this period, to determine. Beyond doubt, 

 their usefulness in destroying rats, mice, &c. 

 first introduced them to notice ; and there is 

 good reason to believe that they were origi- 

 nally domesticated in Egypt. That Cats, 

 closely allied to the domestic variety, were 

 trained to catch birds, is well known to every 

 one who has seen an Egyptian painting (or 

 a copy from it) in the British Museum, where 

 a cat with a black stripe on the heels (sup- 

 posed to be the Felis caligata) is so represented. 

 The Cat belongs to a genus better armed for 



reach, when they seize it with a bound, and 

 after playing with it put it to death. 



The pupil of the eye in most animals is ] 

 capable of but a small degree of contraction 

 and dilatation ; it enlarges a little in the ! 

 dark, and contracts when the light pours ] 

 upon it too profusely ; but in the eyes of 

 Cats, this contraction and dilatation is so 

 considerable, that the pupil, which by day 

 appears narrow and small, by night expands 

 over the whole surface of the eye-ball, and 

 gives the eyes a luminous appearance. By 

 means of this peculiar structure, their eyes 

 are better adapted for vision at night than in 

 the day-time ; and they are thus fitted for 

 discovering and surprising their prey. 



Cats are extremely fond of strong-'smelling 

 plants, and will roll in valerian till they | 

 seem almost mad with excitement. Person- 

 ally, it is a very cleanly animal, avoiding to 

 step in any sort of filth, concealing its excre- 

 ment in the earth with great care, and pre- 

 serving its fur in a very neat condition; which | 

 being generally clean and dry, readily yields 

 electric sparks when rubbed. The Cat goes 

 with young for sixty-three days, and brings I 

 forth from three to six at a litter, which 

 remain blind for nine days. 



CATASTOMUS. A sub-genus of Mala- ' 

 copterygious fishes, of the Ciiprinidue fa- 

 mily, inhabiting the fresh waters of North 

 America. There are many species, the 

 generic description of which is as follows : 

 Back with a single fin : gill-membrane three- 

 rayed : head and opercula smooth : jaws 

 toothless and retractile : mouth beneath the 

 snout ; lips plaited, lobed, or carunculated, I 

 suitable for sucking : throat with pectinated j 

 teeth. In almost all the species, the scales ! 

 are marked with radiated lines, and fim- ! 

 briated on their edges ; their form more or 

 less rhomboidal or roundish. In the in- 

 testines, river-shells (Lt/mnca,Bulimus,Szc.~), 

 which dwell on aquatic plants and on rocks 

 or bottoms of rivers, are found ; the Catas- 

 tomi being enabled to take these shells by 

 means of their lips, which are protruded for- 

 wards by their jaws. One species will be 

 sufficient for us to describe. 



CATASTOMUS HUDSONIUS; or 

 GREY SUCKING CARP. This is a com- 

 mon fish in all parts of the fur countries, 

 abounding in the rivers, and even in land- 

 locked marshes and ponds, but preferring 

 shallow grassy lakes with muddy bottoms. 

 In the beginning of summer it may be seen 

 in numbers forcing its way up rocky streams, 

 and even breasting strong rapids, to arrive 

 at its proper spawning places in stony rivu- 



