280 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



formances of ordinary cats under similar circumstances 

 that I have sometimes seen take place with trained troupes 

 of those animals, that I thought it might be interesting 

 although the great cat in question is not found amongst 

 its relations at the shows. 



The following account of a Cat Fair appeared in the 

 paper called Travel : 



" A very ancient fair, dating back a couple of centuries, 

 is held every year at Sartilly in France, and the origin of 

 its name is said to be derived from the circumstance that 

 a small farmer in the district, being behind with his rent, 

 found himself unable to pay the sum of a hundred francs 

 due to his landlord, and the latter agreed that the cow of 

 the tenant should be sold at the fair, and to accept in 

 discharge of his claim the amount produced by the sale of 

 the cow. 



" The farmer accordingly proceeded to the fair accom- 

 panied by the cow and his household cat. 



" To all inquirers as to the price of the cow, he told 

 them he wanted ten francs for her and a hundred 

 francs for the cat and would not sell one without the 

 other. 



" At last a purchaser was found for the singular pair 

 of animals, and the landlord who also attended the fair, 

 to learn for himself the result of the deal, was so amused 

 at the ingenuity of his tenant, that he accepted the ten 

 francs with good grace, and gave him a receipt in full 

 discharge of all claims for rent. Ever since the annual 

 gathering has been known as the Cat Fair." 



A correspondent of the popular paper, Our Cats, gives 



