62 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



range included a large portion of Europe, and it is possible 

 that the modern domestic cat originally was wholly or 

 partly derived from the north-eastern form of the species. 

 It is, at least, certain that the animal was domesticated 

 and held sacred by the ancient Egyptians, as carcasses 

 have been found in great numbers embalmed in the 

 tomb's of these people. 



In colour the species is brownish grey, with slight 

 transverse dark stripes on the body. The upper parts 

 of the limbs and the tail are dark ringed, the tip of the 

 latter and the lower portions of the former being usually 

 more or less black. The head is dark with darker irregular 

 markings ; there is a black spot in front of each eye, and 

 the under parts are yellowish buff, spotted towards the 

 front. Ears, rufous behind. The tail is rather less than 

 half the length of the body. In size the animal is rather 

 larger than a large domestic cat. The female is altogether 

 lighter in colour and is less distinctly marked. 



The Kaffir cat is nocturnal in habit, but is occasionally 

 met with in the day-time, when the weather is cloudy 

 and cool. It inhabits for preference lightly forested 

 country, lying up in bushes or ifi deserted ant-bear holes 

 during the day. Its food consists of birds and small 

 mammals, and it is extremely destructive to game birds, 

 as well as being a notorious raider of fowl roosts. For 

 a long time I had a half-bred Kaffir cat at Sabi Bridge. 

 In size he was slightly bigger than ah ordinary domestic 

 "torn"; in colour he was bluish grey with typical 

 wild cat markings. Although ^perfectly docile and 

 gentle, he never quite lost some of the wild characteristics 

 of his sire : disliked being handled, and slept during most 

 of the day. However, he had become so far civilized 

 that he never interfered with fowls, and was always on 

 excellent terms with the numerous dogs of the station. 



