HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 229 



marked with alternate bars of black and white. It 

 is larger and stronger than the Tame Cat, and its 

 fur much longer. 



It inhabits the most mountainous and woody 

 parts of this island, lives in trees, and hunts for 

 birds and small animals, such as Rabbits, Hares, 

 Rats, Mice, Moles, &c. It frequently makes great 

 havoc among poultry, will even kill young Lambs, 

 Kids, and Fawns, and is the fiercest and most 

 destructive beast of prey in this kingdom. 



It is taken either in traps, or by shooting. There 

 is frequently danger in the latter mode ; for if it be 

 only slightly wounded, it will attack the person 

 who" has injured it, and is not easily repelled. 



Wild Cats are found, with very little variety, in 

 almost every climate. They existed in America 

 before its discovery by the Europeans. One of 

 them was brought to Columbus, w T hich was of the 

 ordinary size, of a brownish grey colour, with a 

 long tail. They are common in many places of 

 Asia and Africa. Sparrman gives a description of 

 one which he shot at the Cape, which was in every 

 respect similar to those of this country. It was of 

 a grey colour; and measured from the nose to the 

 tail, nearly twenty-two inches : the tail was thirteen 

 inches long: its height was about a foot and a half. 

 Its intestines were full of Moles and Rats. 



Some Wild Cats have been taken in this king- 

 dom, of a most enormous size. We recollect one 

 having been killed in the county of Cumberland, 

 which measured, from its nose to the end of its tail, 

 upwards of five feet. 



The province of Chorazan, in Persia, is particu- 

 larly famous for a most beautiful G//, about the 

 size of the tame one, of a fine grey colour, without 



