218 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



objects of sport to huntsmen ; but it was not for diversion 

 alone that this animal was pursued, for the skin was much 

 used by nuns in their habits, as a fur one of the reasons 

 why the skin of cats was used on cloaks and other 

 garments for trimming, being, that it showed humility in 

 dress and adopted by some priests, as well as nuns, when 

 wishing to impress others with their deep sense of 

 humility in all things, even to their wearing apparel. 



ANY OTHER VARIETIES OF SHORT-HAIRED CAT 



In the course of the foregoing sketches I have been, 

 so to speak, cutting the ground from under my own feet, 

 leaving but few materials for the above subject. 



I have endeavoured to give a separate notice of all 

 the recognised varieties of short-haired cats either usually, 

 or unusually, met with ; but, of course, in the case of an 

 animal subject to many variations of colour, specimens 

 will occasionally be seen which admit of no absolute 

 classification, and will therefore, if shown at all, have to 

 be entered in a class headed somewhat after the manner 

 of this sketch. 



I do not mean what I may call deformed specimens, 

 with three legs, two legs, extra toes to their feet, or such 

 like, which, although they might be deemed worthy of 

 attention and curiosity if included in an exhibition of 

 freaks of nature, I consider are quite out of place in a 

 cat show. 



But animals of some peculiar or unusual colour, such 



