WILD CAT 



43 



short jaws, the fewness of the teeth, the perfect development of the canines 

 and flesh-teeth, the strong and retractile claws, and the great mobility of the 

 fore-limbs. 



Over the greater part of western and central Europe the wild cat (Felis 

 catus) is the only representative of its genus and family. In colour it is brownish 







WILD CAT AND DYING FAWN. 



grey with black stripes above and white on the inner side of the loins and under- 

 pays ; on the crown of the head there are black stripes, and on the throat is a 

 spot of yellowish white ; the tail being marked with black rings, and having a 

 blunt, black tip. The home of the species is Europe, where it is found sparingly 

 in Scotland, France, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Spain, Italy, Dalmatia, 

 Greece, Turkey, and the Caucasus ; but towards the east it does not seem to extend 

 beyond the Ural Mountains, though it has been met with a little to the south- 



