From Fox's Earth 



ing in the sunshine, and looking altogether so 

 meek in comparison, had a claim to the maternity, 

 and was at the rearing. 



The wild blood would incline some of these to 

 a feral or semi-feral state, or at least make them 

 like a wild flavour after the drowse of the day, 

 They would steal out on the edge of the mirk to 

 return with the dawn, and finally not to come 

 back any more, until brought in by their un- 

 suspecting master as spoils of the trap. In the 

 case of the wild cat being the female, the kittens 

 would be reared outside by their savage mother 

 in the same litter with some that took after their 

 domestic father. 



For a time must have lived in the Scots wood 

 this intermediate order of crosses, some of them 

 approaching nearer than others to the feral type. 

 Gamekeepers trapped these, and inasmuch as 

 their knowledge of the points was not very exact, 

 called them wild cats. Experts pronounced on 

 them, and naturalists, who come midway between, 

 procured specimens. Then as now, and with 

 very much greater reason, there may have been 

 a tendency to pooh pooh the absence of the 

 genuine wildling. 



While the wild blood surged at half flood in 

 the cottage brood the supply would be main- 

 tained, even when the woods were being cleared. 

 Wanderers beyond the fence would fill the vacant 

 place. As in their turn they were captured, others 



32 



