176 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



in quite a loud voice, at the show, but did not believe it 

 any the more for that ! 



In fact, real Brown Tabbies are comparatively rare, 

 and when you find one good one, you will discover at 

 least fifty not up to the mark. 



I think the best Brown Tabby that has been brought 

 out for many years was the late Champion Xenophon, the 

 property of Lady Decies, and I have always thought I did 

 a foolish thing in refusing the offer of him, long before 

 her ladyship ever heard of him, when I could have had 

 him for less than a quarter of the price for which he was 

 afterwards sold to a friend of mine. 



It so happened, I had a lot of cats, some thirty or 

 forty I think, at the time, and was not anxious for more, 

 and so missed my chance ; and although, whenever they 

 met, whether at the Crystal Palace, or any other large 

 shows, my Brown Tabby, Laurel Quar, who was really 

 a better brown in colour than he, but lost to him in size 

 and general appearance, had to play second fiddle as long 

 as he remained in the band ; it would have been more 

 satisfactory to have owned both, when I could have made 

 each a champion, as I held the winning cards, with two 

 champions in Whites and the same in Silver Tabbies, 

 which were the only two varieties to be much feared. 



I am pleased, however, that Xenophon got into good 

 and appreciative hands, in both his late owners, and that he 

 had a thoroughly good time. 



I am glad to give the reproduction of a capital portrait 

 of him, as I think, taking him all round, he was the best 

 specimen of the variety I can call to mind ; I mean with 



