VANISHING BRITISH MAMMALS 



Photo: W. E. Berridge. 



THE WILD CAT 



The Wild Cat (Felis catus) is the only wild representative of 

 the Cat tribe in Britain; but it is now very rare. It lingers 

 only in remote parts of Scotland. It is not to be mixed up 

 with the Polecat, which belongs to the Bear tribe, nor with 

 certain domestic cats which have become wild or "feral." 

 From the domestic cat it differs in its proportionately longer 

 body and limbs, and in its shorter and thicker tail, which does 

 not taper. In all probability the domestic cat is a descend- 

 ant of the Egyptian Cat (Felis caflra). 



THE PINK-MARTEN 



The Pine- Marten (Muslela marles) is a member of the Bear 

 tribe. The length of the head and body is about 18 inches, 

 and the tail is almost a foot long. There is long brownish 

 outer fur and short yellowish-grey under-fur. The Marten is 

 a lithe, alert, courageous carnivore but in Britain it is now 

 even scarcer than the Wild Cat. 





