CHAPTER XXVI 



THE WILD CAT 



ALTHOUGH seldom seen amongst exhibition cats, and 

 even then always entered in the class for "Any 

 Other Variety of Short-haired Cat," I think some of 

 my readers may like to have a few lines about the above- 

 named, which is a native of the forests of Europe, and 

 still to be found in its original state in some of the 

 northern counties of Britain. 



It is much larger than the common domestic varieties, 

 the head is larger and flatter in shape, the limbs are more 

 powerful, and the tail is a good deal shorter and thicker, 

 with less tapering to the extremity, ending abruptly, as 

 if the last joint or so had been removed. 



In colour it is usually of a greyish brown, with dusky 

 streaked markings merging into black, one or more 

 black stripes or bands down the back from the neck, 

 and stripes of similar shade down the sides, but not 

 disposed as we see in the domestic Tabbies. 



The tip of the tail is usually black, and all the rest of it 

 is marked with alternate rings of the body colour and black. 



The lips, nose and pads of the feet are all dark 

 coloured. 



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