THE SHORT-HAIRED CAT 185 



I have never seen this variety even mentioned in any 

 book on cats, but will give my views about it. 



The head should be fairly large, well rounded, with 

 moderately short face and strong muzzle. 



The ears should be rather wide at base, with rounded 

 tips, and carried erect, well open to front. 



The eyes should be round, bold and full, orange 

 yellow in colour, and alert in expression. 



The body well-knit and compact, not long or flat in 

 barrel, and muscular in build. 



The legs should be rather long, and feet round and 

 small in shape. 



The tail should be fairly thick at root, tapering to the 

 tip, and of moderate length. 



The coat should be dense, short and smooth, more 

 abundant on the shoulders and hind quarters than on 

 other parts of the body. 



The condition should be hard, muscular, and giving 

 promise of power and activity. 



The size should average about nine to ten pounds, 

 for males ; and from seven to eight pounds for 

 females. 



The colour should be nearly black slate, of a dull 

 almost sooty hue. I do not consider faint Tabby markings, 

 if they are hardly perceptible except in strong lights, are 

 a drawback, as specimens good in other respects are so 

 seldom met with free from them. 



The illustration to this sketch is a portrait of the 

 writer's Luke, winner of many prizes at the Crystal 

 Palace and elsewhere, a very perfect specimen. 



