Chap. I. THEIR VARIATION. 47 



has often observed this same mark on the forearms of domestio 

 cats in India. Mr. Blyth states that domestic cats coloured 

 nearly like F. chaus, but not resemljling that species in shape, 

 abound in Bengal ; he adds^ " such a colouration is utterly 

 unknown in European cats, and the proper tabby markings 

 (pale streaks on a black ground, peculiarly and symmetrically 

 disposed), so common in English cats, are never seen in those 

 of India." Dr. D. Short has assured Mr. Blyth ^" that, at 

 Hansi, hybrids between the common cat and F. ornata (or 

 torquata) occur, " and that many of the domestic cats of that 

 part of India were undistinguishable from the wild F, ornataJ" 

 Azara states, but only on the authority of the inhabitants, 

 that in Paraguay the cat has crossed with two native species. 

 From these several cases we see that in Europe, Asia, Africa, 

 and America, the common cat, which lives a freer life than 

 most other domesticated animals, has crossed with various 

 wild species; and that in some instances the crossing has 

 heen sufficiently frequent to a fleet the character of the 

 breed. 



Whether domestic cats have descended from several distinct 

 species, or have only been modified by occasional crosses, their 

 fertility, as far as is known, is unimpaired. The large Angora 

 or Persian cat is the most distinct in structure and habits 

 of all the domestic breeds ; and is believed by Pallas, hut on 

 no distinct evidence, to be descended from the F. manul of 

 middle Asia ; and I am assured by Mr. Blyth that the Angora 

 cat breeds freely with Indian cats, which, as we have already 

 seen, have appai-ently been much crossed with F. chaus. In 

 England half-bred Angora cats are perfectly fertile with one 

 another. 



Within the same country we do not meet with distinct 

 races of the cat, as we do of dogs and of most other domestic 

 animals ; though the cats of the same country present a con- 

 siderable amount of fluctuating variability. The exjilanation 

 obviously is that, from their nocturnal and rambling habits, 

 judiscriminate crossing cannot without much trouble be pre- 

 vented. Selection cannot be brought into jjlay to produce 

 distinct breeds, or to keep those distinct which have been 

 "« 'Proe. Zoolog. Soc.,' 1863, p. 184. 



