Wild Cats. 143 



A PAIR OF POSSIBLE WILD CATS, AND A 

 PROBABLE THIRD. 



About ten years ago some boys of this neighbourhood, 

 while birdnesting in the Chase wood, two miles from the 

 town of Ross, came across and killed what they supposed 

 to be a wild cat. By the description of it which has 

 been given me, it must have been either a real wild cat, 

 or a Fells domesticus run wild ; but if the latter, it was 

 certainly one of an uncommon kind. The boys had two 

 dogs with them, and their attention was attracted to the 

 feline by seeing the dogs excitedly take stand, and begin 

 barking by the mouth of a largish hole in the mound-like 

 fence which encloses the woodland. A stick being thrust 

 into the cavity, there came out only sounds a spitting 

 and " swearing," as my informants put it; but the 

 punching, persisted in, brought forth a shaggy, savage- 

 looking quadruped, which they took to be a cat of some 

 kind. At first issuing from the hole, she made a spring 

 at the boy who was nearest; but missing him, was tackled 

 by the dogs. Neither of these, however, was of much 

 mettle one being a superannuated spaniel, the other 

 a worthless cur ; and left to themselves the cat could 

 easily have conquered both, and would, so the boys, who 

 are now grown men, have assured me. But these taking 

 part in the scrimmage with sticks and stones, the wild 

 grimalkin, over-matched, gave way, and retreated up a 

 tree the nearest to the spot. Unfortunately for her, it 

 was a young oak of no great size or height, and the boys 

 continuing to shower stones at her with all their strength, 

 hitting her some hard blows, she bounded down agaiu, 

 and back into the hole. From this she was once more 

 " prodded" out, and as before made a spring at the 



