CAT KIND. 395 



first in a domestic state, and afterwards became 

 wild in the woods by ill-usage or neglect. Cer- 

 tain it is, the cat was an animal much higher in 

 esteem among our ancestors than it is at present. 

 By the laws of Howel, the price of a kitten, be- 

 fore it could see, was to be a penny ; till it caught 

 a mouse, twopence ; and when it commenced 

 mouser, fourpence. It was required, besides, 

 that it should be perfect in its senses of hearing 

 and seeing, be a good mouser, have the claws 

 whole, and be a good nurse. If it failed in any 

 of these qualities, the seller was to forfeit to the 

 buyer the third part of its value. If any one 

 stole or killed the cat that guarded the prince's 

 granary, he was to forfeit a milch ewe, its fleece 

 and lamb, or as much wheat as, when poured on 

 the cat suspended by the tail (the head touching 

 the floor), would form a heap high enough to 

 cover the tip of the former. From hence we dis- 

 cover, besides a picture of the simplicity of the 

 times, a strong argument that cats were not natu- 

 rally bred in our forests. An animal that could 

 be so easily taken, could never have been rated so 

 highly ; and the precautions laid down to improve 

 the breed, would have been superfluous, in a crea- 

 ture that multiplies to such an amazing degree. 



" In our climate, we know but of one variety 

 of the wild cat ; and from the accounts of tra- 

 vellers we learn, that there are but very few dif- 

 ferences in this quadruped in all parts of the 

 world. The greatest difference, indeed, between 

 the wild and the tame cat, is rather to be found 

 internally than in their outward form. Of all 



